Wednesday, June 14^th, 2017

 

Preparing to leave Grizzly Park, Eddie made a final run to the Super Market (NB:  NOT supermarket!).  He noticed a sign for a restored train car at the Holiday Inn – so before leaving West Yellowstone, we went to have a look.  The train car was appointed for “business” clientele and was from the Oregon Shortline.  The magical year was 1903 – that year seems to have much significance in this neck of the woods!

Onward to Fishing Bridge campground – on the east side of the lower half of the figure 8.  The plan was to drive north to Mammoth Hot Springs, at the west edge of the top of the figure 8.  Mucho driving!!  Thank goodness the weather was sunny and mild.  We couldn’t imagine what the drive would’ve been like in the snow – what with wildlife sightings and traffic jams, and alternating traffic due to construction (30 minutes worth), and slow going, as we hugged the side of the mountain and drove on the very edge (or so it seemed) with a valley FAR below!!!

Our first sightings of the springs were one of disbelief.  We thought it would be just another pull-off from the road, get out, take a picture and be on our way.  Were we wrong!  The springs are terraced formations of limestone and other sedimentary rocks.  At the surface, the calcium carbonate is deposited in the form of travertine, the rock that forms the terrace of Mammoth Hot Springs.

Not finding a parking space big enough for us, we continued down the road.  Lo and behold, there was an entire town further down!  I said it looked like barracks and voila – Fort Yellowstone!  A history lesson – after the park was established in 1872, it was under threat of exploitation rather than its resources being protected.  Calvary to the rescue! – literally!  After enduring five cold, harsh winters, the Army realized there was no end in sight to this assignment and in 1890, Congress finally appropriated the money for a permanent post.  Now it is the official headquarters of the Park service, complete with its own clinic, post office, hotel (a new one is being built at time of this writing), gas station and roaming elk.  (Many postings of warnings not to get too close).

Getting our bearings, we bundled up and made the trek back up the road to the springs for a bit of a hike.  In Lenny’s own word “phenomenal”!!   As Marie pointed out, it looked like we were on another planet!  The area is one of the world’s best protected examples of travertine depositing hot springs.  The features constantly change.  New features are common and older features may become inactive.  Inactive terraces, underlie most of this area, including under the hotel and the visitor center.

 

 

Reamer, the architect of the lodges and various buildings throughout the parks, had a home here at the Springs.  The front lawn and garden are currently where the elk hang out.  Regardless of the many postings or warnings, people were getting very close for photo ops...including yours truly!

Because of the construction on the way in, Lenny decided to take the north road to our campground.  It would be a little shorter in time, but windier.  This route took us to the top of the world (MT Washburn, 10,243 ft) – or so it seemed.  Snow covered mountains and snow along the road.  This road is closed October thru early May.  We wanted to stop at the Tower Falls, but again – RV parking not available.  We continued on and made it to Fishing Bridge in 2 hours – not bad.

 

 

This campground is solely RVs.  Interesting – we had dinner and I coerced the rest to take an after dinner walk to the amphitheater.  A ranger talk was scheduled for 9:30 – a time we are usually getting ready for bed.  Again, we bundled up and went down the trail.  The theatre was at the Visitor Center, and as we explored, we realized the center was on the shore of Lake Yellowstone – BEAUTIFUL!!! … with a ring of snow covered mountain tops! 

We thought we would be the only attendees at the lecture b were pleasantly surprised.  The topic was “Mythologies of the West.”  It was interesting, but over at 10:30!!  The lights were not on, on the trail, so with flashlights in hand,

 

we sang and talked very LOUDLY for bear awareness!!!   (Eddie had to initial a waiver, on arrival, that we are aware of bears in the area!!)  We got back to the RV and collapsed!  After all – what’s a visit to a National Park without at least ONE ranger talk!  AND we finally saw a few stars – not many – too cloudy!!