WE LEFT EARLY THE NEXT MORNING FOR WEST YELLOWSTONE. ON THE WAY WE PASSED LOTS OF SMALL TOWNS. MOST OF THE TOWNS HAD CASINOS IN THEM. "LUCKY LIL'S " WAS THE MOST POPULAR.
WE ARRIVED AT THE WEST YELLOWSTONE CAMPGROUND AND FOUND THAT IT WAS SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET ANY CELL SERVICE,WIFI OR TV SERVICE. IT WAS NEXT TO A VERY SWOLLEN RIVER THAT WAS A FAVORITE FOR FISHERMEN. THE NAME OF THE PLACE WAS CAMPFIRE LODGE. IT HAD A RESTAURANT, BUT THE LAUNDRY WAS "OUT OF ORDER" AND SO WAS THE LADIES ROOM AND SHOWER. WE SPENT AN HOUR TRYING TO HOOK UP THE ELECTRICTY. WHEN WE FINISHED WE TOOK THE 15 MILE TRECK TO YELLOWSTONE PARK.
THE PARK WAS BEAUTIFUL,WINDING ROADS WERE PRESENTS OF THERMALS, DEER,BEAR,ELK,BISON,COYOTE AND LOTS OF OTHER WILD ANIMALS. YOU COULD SEE FOR MILES. IN EACH DIRECTION THERE WAS A STUNNING LAKE OR A SNOW COVERED MOUNTAIN, A BRETH TAKING WATERFALL OR A HISTORIC LANDMARK . WE TRAVELED ON EACH ROAD AT LEAST 4 TIMES. WHILE THERE WE SAW THE ARTIST'S PAINTPOTS,WHICH WERE THERMALS OF DIFFERENT COLORS STEAMING UP FROM THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. THE ARTIST POINT,WHICH WAS A POINT AT THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER WHERE WATERFALLS FELL SOME 200 FEET TO CONTINUE THE RIVER. GIBSON FALLS, MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, SHEEPEATERS CLIFF AND OF COURSE OLD FAITHFUL. WE SPENT A FULL WEEK AT THE PARK, LEAVING EARLY IN THE MORNING AND NOT COMING BACK TO THE CAMP UNTIL LATER AT NIGHT. I LOVED THAT THE BISON WERE ON THE ROADS AND WOULD WALK UP TO THE CAR AND JUST LOOK AT YOU. THEY ARE KING. THEY ARE HUGH. BIGGER THAN MY CAR.
WE LEFT YELLOWSTONE AND HEADED SOUTH IN MONTANA. WE SPENT 3 NIGHTS IN A SMALL TOWN OF WHITE HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS. IT IS A SMALL TOWN WITH LITTLE TO KEEP IT ALIVE. THE CAMP WAS NICE BUT RIGHT NEXT TO A COW PASTURE. OREANA ENJOYED THE COWS. WE WENT TO HELENA ONE DAY AND TREATED OURSELVES TO A DINNER. I HAVE FOUND THAT MILES MEAN NOTHING. HELENA WAS 120 MILES AWAY. WHEN ASKED FOR DIRECTIONS WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS "JUST DOWN THE ROAD".
