<= May 26

Index

May 28 =>

This was our last full day in Yellowstone. We leave tomorrow morning. We wanted to leave with more great memories and while we did not see bears all over the park, we did have some extraordinary experiences and photo opportunities.

Some mule deer greeted us at the northeast entrance to the park.

A short drive down the road and our friends were already out taking pictures of the beavers in Lamar Valley... and then so did we. There were two large adults and one small beaver. More pictures later.

Here is a pronghorn antelope at Roosevelt Junction.

A coyote in Lamar.

Lower Falls at the second pullout on the north rim drive (after the brim).

A very talkative raven at the canyon.

A coyote in Hayden Valley.

A muskrat at Fishing Bridge.

We drove to the lake overlook and I saw this burnt tree. Now, tell me you don't see a FACE in that tree looking out over the lake! Spooky, huh?

We checked in at the Lake Hotel and while we were leaving to go back out into the park a medical helicopter was landing.

We stopped at Nez Perce Ford picnic area looking for otters in the river, but instead I found this awesome reflection in a water hole.

The two grizzlies were back out near Trout Creek in Hayden but they were far, far up the hill -- not worth photographing except as proof that we were there (and so were they).

The clouds were growing and rain began to fall off-and-on. The temperature really dropped too.

Canada Geese have to out-number all the other animals in the park.

We ate a picnic dinner at Mary Bay and watched elk on the hillside. This particular one came trotting in like it was on a mission.

I don't know how she does it, but Sharon spotted this pelican on a rock as we were passing LeHardy Rapids at 45 mph. It posed so nicely for us.

We looked up and saw a bald eagle in the tree across from us.

The pelican was moving about in the water looking for a prime fishing spot.

Sharon looked up and saw a second bald eagle flying into our photo session. I mean, this spot was really getting to be "the place" in the park.

After a rather long photo shoot with the pelicans and eagles we drove back up toward Hayden where this bison was cleaning his runny nose. Yes, that is a tongue going up his nostril.

Just down the road we did a double-take and had to turn the car around. We saw a black bison. Now maybe this is nothing out of the ordinary, but we had never seen a black bison before.

There was another show for us at Alum Creek where two muskrats were mating. I'll share the dozens of pictures later, but is was cool to see him chasing/swimming after her for several minutes while she squealed. Then he caught her. Muskrats mate while swimming (well, she was anyway). Who would have known?! I guess this must have been what inspired everyone's favorite song by the Captain and Tenille in the 1970's, "Muskrat Love."

We sat in the car as the sun set and the temperatures continued to plunge. There was a storm cloud on the horizon and it was awesome to see it light up. For what I considered to be a slow day turned out to be very nice.

We head home on May 28, but not first without stopping at the fox den outside of the east entrance to the park. I really hope to see those kits. That would really top off one of our best vacations ever. Sorry about the delay in posting this day's adventure but we did not have Internet or cell service at the Frontier Cabins (not even a TV).