Exploring Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

Rural Pennsylvania has gorgeous views, but camping next to Yellowstone’s largest geyser basin has raised the bar. My brother and I spent two weeks back country camping and hiking in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. I cannot wait to go back. 

The salt flats and mountains in Utah were only a glimpse of the views we had yet to witness. A four hour drive to our campsite in Montana included stops at the beautiful Idaho Falls and West Yellowstone. The following day we explored Norris Geyser Basin which blew my mind more than I expected, but it did not prepare me for walking around Mammoth Hot Springs. What appears as rusty, frozen icicles are actually hot, acidic deposits combined with limestone to create a chalky, winter wonderland in the summer. The only time I have seen my brother absolutely speechless was when encountering this natural masterpiece. Following the hot springs we began our first trek beginning at Blacktail Creek in Wyoming and setting up camp five miles across the border to Crevice Lake. 

Major highlights of the two week excursion in addition to the camping were observing wildlife and the jaw dropping views. Herds of bison crowding the roadways, elk sunbathing, and curious marmots keeping us company on the trail were beyond pleasant experiences. These parks transported me to another planet surrounded by volcanoes, bison, and radioactive hot springs. 

Sleeping next to a bubbling geyser, walking in rain and hail to get to our campsite, and bathing in a lake barely scratch the surface of the wonders and experiences in these parks. Swimming in melted snow from the top of the Teton mountains and seeing the full moon shine on Oxbow Bend are some of the astonishing moments that left me thinking ‘wow.’ Each landscape was impossible to capture through a photo and did not do them justice. 

If I could fly to Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons tomorrow I would. It's been a few weeks since my trip and I miss waking up on the Death Canyon Shelf. 

Four more states down.