Saturday, June 26th, 2010: Saturday morning finally arrives and my alarm starts screeching. As I reach over to turn it off, I can’t help but notice the bright glow through the red curtains in the… let’s call it rustic… cabin where I spent the night in Ennis. I stumble out of bed and over to the window, pulling back the curtain to see a bright blue sky and sunshine peering over the mountains to the east. Today was shaping up to be a beautiful day! So what do I do now? Back to bed for me!
About an hour later, I get a phone call from my girlfriend. She wanted to know if I was awake yet and how the ride was going. I lied to her and told her I had been awake for a while and we talked about the ride. After talking to her for a few minutes, I finally got out of bed and started packing up all my gear. Most of my riding gear got wet the previous night so it was sprawled out all over the floor to dry. I gathered it all up and put it back in it’s rightful place, with the exception of my chaps and jacket which I would be wearing, of course. This sunshine was really starting to motivate me. I thought about having breakfast at the hotel restaurant, but thought otherwise as I walked inside to a huge crowd. I got on the bike, rode over to the closest gas station to gas up and hit the road.
Once I got on the road, the ride was pretty amazing. Although it was still a bit cool out, the sun was making the ride through the beautiful Madison Valley all that much better. I encountered quite a few cattle trucks in the first few miles outside of Ennis, but straight roads and very little traffic made them much easier to pass. As I got closer to the Hebgen Lake area, the roads got more twisty. I was now heading out of the Madison Valley and into the mountains, winding past Quake Lake and on to Hebgen Lake. The highway wound through the Gallatin National Forest around the north side of the lake, taking me past the Hebgen Lake Dam and eventually into West Yellowstone.
After gassing up both myself and the bike in West Yellowstone, started the ride into the park. There was a small wait at the entrance booth, but not too bad. I got to the window, bought my annual pass and was on my way. Traffic was reasonably light as I wound my way along the Madison river towards Madison Junction. There were a few cars in front and behind me, but I expected a lot more based on how many cars were waiting at the entrance. I road up a little ways and pulled off at a turnout where a few cars had gathered. There was a cow elk grazing in the field, so all of the sightseers stopped to get a quick photo and check out the mountains and the meadows opening up in front of them. On this stretch of the road, there are not a lot of geologic features to view, so the wildlife and occasional scenic overlook are the main attractions. I stopped briefly and got a shot of the elk, then hopped right back on and proceeded down the road.
About a mile down the road, I had my first encounter with “tourists”. Traffic started getting much slower and backed up. As I rounded a corner and viewed the line of cars ahead, I knew I was in for a long, slow ride. Sure enough, this went on for about 4 miles until I was finally able to see what everybody was staring at. Out in the field, there was a lone bison grazing on the grass. Honestly, this was cool to see, but not that big of a deal, but then again, I am from Montana, and I have been here before and know there are many more scenes like this to come.
I finally got to Madison Junction. As I approached, I noticed that most of the cars were heading south down towards Old Faithful, so I figured that going the other direction would be a good bet. I traveled down the road for a little ways and again encountered the now all too familiar traffic jam. This time, however, it was for a completely different reason. This stretch of road was currently under construction and flaggers were at the front of the line halting traffic. Fortunately I only had to wait for a few short minutes and I was on my way again, albeit through some pretty rough gravel road. A short trip through some one-lane, winding gravel roads and I was back on smooth pavement again, heading for my next destination, the Norris Geyser Basin.
Norris Geyser Basin is one of the most incredible areas of Yellowstone Park. This area is one of the hottest spots in the park and is dotted with vents and geysers. Norris is the home of the largest geyser in the world, Steamboat Geyser. Steamboat has infrequent eruptions, but when it does, it shoots water nearly 400 feet in the air. The last known major eruption, however, was May 23rd, 2005.
I did a quick tour around the basin and up to Steamboat Geyser. In the distance you could see the hillside laden with steaming vents. I did not hike that far up as I was still wearing all of my riding gear, but next time I head down that way I will definitely partake in one of their longer trails. Some take you around the basin and up onto the mountain on the other side. I can only imagine what wonders lie further down the trail.
After leaving Norris, I headed farther north towards Mammoth Hot Springs. This stretch of road is actually really scenic. The first few miles take you past several streams and lakes and through lush green meadows. Farther north, you begin ascending Kingman’s Pass. The rock formations and scenery along this section of road are pretty incredible. In the Golden Gate area, the highway hangs off the side of the beautiful red cliffs as it winds around the side of the mountain and down towards the valley. There are a few pullouts along the way that make for excellent photo opportunities. Unfortunately, I only took advantage of a couple of them as traffic was somewhat heavy and the turnouts were pretty crowded. The descent down into the Mammoth valley is not void of it’s own fantastic scenery either. There are several turnouts that overlook the valley below. It is especially interesting to look over and see the “layers” of forest where new growth has sprouted up from the areas destroyed by the nasty Yellowstone fires of 1988. Patches of old forest, with tall dark trees stand tall above the valley floor while paths of shorter, greener forest run through the middle and up the mountains on the other side. You can look over the edge and imaging how it must have looked in the fall of 88′ with huge swaths of burned out land running right through the middle of this amazing valley.
I descended from the mountains and into Mammoth Hot Springs. Although I only stopped at the springs for a quick minute, they really are remarkable. Bright white and rust colored rock protrudes from the side of the hills like ice caps covering the rocky terrain of the area. This area is known to be a popular spot for elk. In fact the last time I was through this area a few years back, there was a herd of about 200 elk relaxing on top of the springs. It was in incredible site. Unfortunately, I was not treated to such a show today.
Departing from Mammoth I headed east towards Tower Fall. This stretch of road is very hilly but pretty straight compared to the other roads I have ridden thus far. The ride was pretty uneventful with the occasional traffic jam while people inspected some form of wildlife off in the distance. As traffic slowed, I looked hard, but could not see what people were looking at. Most had binoculars or cameras with large lenses for viewing faraway wildlife, so more than likely I would not have been able to see it anyways. Oh well, there was no shortage of amazing wild encounters on this trip, so if I happen to miss one, I am sure I will survive.
As I approached Tower Fall I noticed that most of the cars were stopped just beyond the pullout. I figured I would bite, so I pulled up near the mob and got off my bike. I followed the crowd over to the side of the road, and over the hill I could see a black bear wandering around near the treeline. I tried to pull the camera out of my pocket in time, but before I could get it switched on, the bear had disappeared into the trees. Next time, I guess. At least I still get the memory of seeing him there.
I got back on the bike and headed towards Canyon Village. Again, this stretch of road was pretty uneventful. I started climbing Dunraven Pass and suddenly realized that I may not have brought all the clothes I needed. As I was winding towards the top of the pass, the air got pretty chilly and I could see snow on the side of the road. Even though I had been here a few times, I forgot just how cold this park could be in places. Fortunately, it only lasted for a few minutes and I was heading down the other side and back into the warm air.
I stopped at Canyon Village for a quick break and to browse the gift shop for that one little trinket that I absolutely HAD to have. Fortunately, I didn’t find that gift, so after a quick drink I hopped back on the bike and headed for Fishing Bridge. That’s where things got really interesting. After riding for a few miles, I came across another of the now famous Yellowstone traffic jams. I managed to make it past the jam and pulled over on the side of the road. Just back was a rather large bull elk chillin’ out in the field. As I approached the elk (at a safe distance, of course) I happened to notice a lady in a minivan that had completely stopped in the middle of the road so that her husband could set up his camera tripod and he, as well as all of their children, could take a thousand pictures. Some people are so seriously inconsiderate that they will forgo the idea that the 20 cars backed up behind them would also like to see this spectacular site. After about 5 minutes, she finally moved forward and pulled off the side of the road so that others could see and get through. With her aside, and my rant over, I could get back to the encounter at hand.
This elk was just chilling out on the side of the road. He was about 20 yards from the road and just happened to be hanging out. I would swear he was showing off his velvet rack! He didn’t seem to have a care in the world, and didn’t seem to mind the attention that he was getting from the crowds gathering on the side of the road. He just sat there, casually picking at the grass as he strutted his stuff for the crowd.
A little bit further down the road I was treated to my next encounter. Again, traffic started slowing. This time it was for a good cause. There was a herd of bison playing in the field next to the road. If you have never seen a bison, you would be amazed at how big and powerful these creatures are. Many of them stand taller than the average SUV and would make quick work of one if it got too close for comfort. Slowing down around these things is definitely a good idea. As I approached I noticed one in the field on the left side of the road, while most were on the right. I stood there and watched in awe as he turned towards the road, got a running start and headed straight for the line of cars. I would swear that he was going to charge a small Toyota pickup sitting there waiting for traffic! Fortunately, he just galloped between the cars to go hang out with his friends on the other side of the road, and what from a distance looked like a serious disaster in the making was peacefully averted.
I got back on the bike and began riding south again. I passed up the Fishing Bridge village as I did not feel a need to stop. The next stretch of road took me past the beautiful Yellowstone Lake en route to Grants Village and the south entrance to the park. I stopped along the lake to take in the view and relax for a few minutes, then on to the south entrance and ultimately Grand Teton National Park. I stopped at a few exhibits along the way, and one really kind of caught my eye. I crossed a bridge where the road crosses the Lewis River and pulled off. Just upstream were the Lewis Falls, which in and of themselves were an awesome sight. Right at the base was a fly fisherman working the waters beneath the falls. It was a scene straight out of A River Runs Through It. I wish I had brought my rod and some flies. Unfortunately, I had no room on the bike…
I continued my journey southward in hopes of finding a good campground along Jackson Lake and the Tetons. After following the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway for several beautiful miles, I ended up at Colter Bay. This is where I would end the evening as it was getting late and riding all the way to Jackson, WY did not seem like a good idea. So I wandered into this little village on the northeast side of the lake and located the campsites. The rangers let me stay in the “Bikers and Hikers” section for only $7 which was a pretty good deal. I thought it was a little bit strange, me being put in the same area as the people hiking or bicycling through the park, but oh well, it saved me some money.
So that brings me to the end of Day 2. The ride brought a lot of amazing and spectacular sights, in the form of both wildlife and geologic wonders. It is no wonder why Yellowstone was the first National Park.