Let's talk about a giant bucket

 list item for us!

Going to Yellowstone has ALWAYS been something

we've wanted to do!!

But it's always seemed a bit out-of-our-reach...

Cue some airline $$ that I had to use before the end of the year 

and we were able to pull it off...

We flew in/out of Salt Lake City back in September

{{see what I did there? ha}}

[and WOW has it changed since I was there last, about ten years ago!]

{{Stayed our trusty Comfort Inn}}

We drove up through Idaho and Montana to the park...

and splurged on lodging in the park for a couple of nights...

so we could spend all of our driving time INSIDE the park 

[although I'm sure the drives in from Cody, etc are gorgeous too!]

We actually made our reservations a couple of days before the great flood and were surprised to see how much repair had been done before our arrival.. 

 

There were still a few areas closed and the deli/ snack bars weren't open throughout the park. [Sometimes due to not being able to get supplies... 

sometimes due to it being late in the season...] 

So. 

People [the internets] were right - bring your food with you! 

 

And there's something magical about eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while watching a herd [HUNDREDS] of buffalo roaming in a valley just below you.

[LOVE my little super zoom camera!!]

We did treat ourselves to breakfast at the Old Faithful Inn one morning 

and stuck around to see it blow from a little balcony at the lodge...

PRE-TEE cool... 

[So happy Craig researched well!!]

Yellowstone is just magnificent.

The diversity of the terrain and Geo thermal pools is AMAZING.

 

We had no real agenda other than to drive, and stop,* and LOOK.

[The travertin marble terrace in the Mammoth Hot Springs area.]

*Bob [our name for the gypsy app] guided us along the way...

This is the Sheepeater Cliff - such cool formations..

 

And there was definitely something new and wonderful 

around each curve in the road...

 

We'd go back in a heartbeat.

But I really think you need an extended stay to see 

all the beauty this area in our nation holds...

 

And while I loved the prismatic pools so much - 

It's hard to pick a favorite area / something from our time there...

 

Except this guy...

WOW. 

He was gorgeous - and trust me - 

I was FAR AWAY 

[with several people between him and me]

when I took this photo...

And we saw so much other wonderful wildlife in the area. 

It was all just beautiful...