Travels of Geo Nova: Idaho and Yellowstone National Park

Idaho and Yellowstone National Park

I thought we left winter behind us when I retired and headed to Florida in 2011 but it has found us again. This time in Idaho and Yellowstone NP. Idaho was one of the few states that Diana and I had not visited so a stop was mandatory. We departed Gros Ventre ( pronounced “grow vay”) Campground in Grand Tetons NP. We were told it is an Indian name but it sounds French to me.

From here we traveled to the small town of Ashton, Idaho. Ten miles out of town we stayed at a small campground/ lodge backed up to the National Forest that is contiguous with the west side of Yellowstone NP. We were the only people there besides the owner and his wife. We spent a day exploring Mesa Falls in the area of Henry’s Fork of the famed Snake River. The area is known world wide as a premier fly fishing spot. The natural beauty abounds. We traveled 13 miles down a dirt forest service road to a warm spring. A geothermal spring that feeds a mountain creeks that eventually joins the Snake river. The trip down the road to the spring took an hour and we did not see another person until we arrived at the spring and found a loan fisherman. We did manage to get a lunch of warm home made soup in the small town of Island Park population 186.

The other area we intended to visit was Cave falls a little visited area in the remote western portion of Yellowstone NP however it was closed for renovations.

On to Yellowstone NP. This storied National Park is one of the most visited spots in the country. This is precisely the reason we are visiting so early in the season. We arrive in snow flurries. This did add to the natural beauty but also added to the discomfort level. That being said we survived. We were not able to hook up to water because it would have frozen so we lived off our tank water for the 5 days we were there. We spent those 5 days exploring the park stopped at every turnout that was open. We also managed to hike about 5 miles each day. Many of the trails were closed due to Grizzly Bear activity. One morning driving into the park we were delayed for an hour while a herd of Bison decided to stroll down the road to greener pastures. The park indeed is a very special place with all it’s geothermal features and astounding beauty in what ever direction you look. Our last day there was the Thursday preceding Memorial Day weekend. The hordes of people coming into the park were a harbinger of what was to come. Fortunately we were departing Friday morning to visit the famed site of the Battle of Little Bighorn.