Well…well…well…
Our second full day at Yellowstone National Park was another memorable one! We got up early (like we actually had jobs) hoping to beat the crowds. Fortunately, a light morning rain helped keep visitor traffic to a minimum.
We drove the scenic Lower Grand Loop Road, passing several of Yellowstone’s other lodging areas along the way. The highlight of the day was seeing the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The canyon is approximately 1,000 feet deep, three-quarters of a mile wide, and carved by the Yellowstone River—earning comparisons to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
The canyon features three waterfalls, with the Lower Falls standing at 308 feet, making it the tallest waterfall in the park. For perspective, it’s more than twice the height of Niagara Falls! During peak snowmelt, about 63,500 gallons of water per second plunge over the falls. During lower-flow periods, the volume drops to around 5,000 gallons per second—still an impressive sight.
Our wildlife sightings have been limited to bison, but we’re certainly not complaining. We saw three near Old Faithful yesterday, one peacefully grazing this morning, and another casually strolling along the highway this afternoon, completely unfazed by the line of cars and cameras following behind. We’re still hoping to spot a grizzly bear…from a safe distance!
We also ventured into the historic Old Faithful Inn to see “how the other folks live.” The massive five-story lodge houses guest rooms, restaurants, shopping, and gathering areas all under one roof. We even peeked into a couple of guest rooms and were surprised to learn that some of them don’t have private bathrooms. Instead, guests use community restroom and shower facilities located down the hall. That little discovery took James back to his early Army days! We never did find out what those rooms cost.
After our early start, James declared it was time for a little “required” downtime to recharge for tomorrow’s adventures.
To cap off the evening, I decided I wanted a Snickers bar after dinner. James scanned it at the register…only to discover it cost $13! 😳🍫 Needless to say, there was no candy tonight!
Tomorrow is another day—and hopefully, another adventure!
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