Our drive to Wyoming started off how I expected: the highway was surrounded by nothing.
Don’t get me wrong, I like nothing. The plains stretched across miles of lazy hillsides, broken up by the occasional cattle fence. Nothing was very pleasant to drive through.
As Sam and I savored the feeling that came with entering a new state, the landscape slowly began to change. The road grew steeper, and the land began to take us higher in elevation. Soon, we found a lookout where miles and miles of trees and lakes and rocks spanned beneath us. This was our first stop along the Snowy Range Scenic Byway.
This first stop was also the site at which I discovered that my camera lens was broken.
Broken. No auto-focus, and no control of shutter speed. In other words, I couldn’t use this lens anymore.
I actually find it hard to recall a lot from this first stop because the only thoughts that occupied my mind were absolute panic. With what little reception I had, I discovered that the closest camera repair shop was in the far southeastern corner of South Dakota. If I had a clean room with the right tools and knowledge (or YouTube video), I would definitely repair it myself. However, there is absolutely no way I’m doing that on the road. For now, there’s no fixing it any time soon.
I’ll spare you the depth of my freak-out and simply state that I felt defeated. There was a lot of sulking. I’m just thankful I have another lens I can use, even if it isn’t exactly what I want.
We continued to drive along the Byway, stopping once more for a hike along the Medicine Bow Mountain Range. My sour mood made it hard for me to be excited -- after all, how can you enjoy nature if you can’t take photos of what you see? -- but walking alongside those beautifully sheer mountains shook me out of my self-pity. I may have needed the reminder that not everything needs to be captured, only enjoyed.
Once we finished the hike, my rumbling stomach firmly reminded us that we should eat dinner soon. With that, we turned onto the next dirt road and set out to find our campsite for the night.
Finding a site is always an adventure. You never really know where you’ll end up sleeping. For the most part, you just hope it isn’t stinky or next to too many people. You also really want to try and set up before the sun sets, because the night brings darkness and cold, neither of which are pleasant to cook under.
Our first dirt road only grew more narrow and even featured a friendly bear print, nice and fresh.
We gave up looking for a spot to camp after about a half mile down this road, but we had to drive an extra 1/4 mile or so just so we could turn around.
After burning about an hour of daylight, we turned off on the next dirt road. This road wasn’t nearly as long, and it opened up to a small, beautiful little knoll that looked perfect to camp in. We collectively sighed in relief as the rumbling in our bellies grew stronger.
Spirits high, we drove deeper and scouted for a spot to set the Teardrop. That’s when we saw the truck.
Hidden behind a group of trees was a bright blue pickup. At first we thought it was a fellow camper, but there was no tent or RV setup. A closer look showed us that there was no tools or equipment inside or in the bed, which made my Creep-o-Meter jump into high alert. Why would an empty truck be sitting here like this?
The truck had to belong to a serial killer. Or someone is currently dumping a body somewhere in the woods, and they’ll be back. This was all obvious to me, but Sam was skeptical of my theories. He reasoned they may have been any combination of hunter, hiker, or innocent bystander that parked their car there. I was not convinced.
After a few moments of discussion (and begging), we decided to leave the picturesque campsite and its weird, empty blue truck. We settled for a site that was tiny and squat, yet had little room for creepy people coming from the woods.
Wow, Just Look at Those Peaks
The next day was more of the same, with beautiful views and good company.
After hours spent behind the wheel, we finally got a peek of the Tetons. I’ll admit that I’m not familiar with much of the park, but when I saw those peaks rise on the horizon, I understood why they were so special.
We drove for another hour with the Tetons hanging just above our noses.
The campsite we found was just outside of the park and boy, oh boy, was it a sight.
The fall colors were really starting to come out. As the sun grew lower in the sky, those beautiful yellow shades only deepened, stark against the blue skyline of the Tetons. We cooked, listened to podcasts, and enjoyed the amazing sunset.
I haven't talked much about the food we cook, but if you're interested in hearing about all our delicious meals and what it's like cooking them, let me know!
Every time Sam and I reach a new National Park, I swear it feels like we’re about to enter an amusement park. You go through the gates, get a map, and plan your day according to what you see. Each park has its own personality, and Grand Teton is no different.
Our view of the mountains from the visitor's center.
On recommendation from our friend Ben, Sam and I decided to hike around Jenny lake. In total, we hiked 9 miles, saw a waterfall, and got an amazing view of the mountains and the water. My only regret was that we didn’t bring enough food.
When we got back, we cooked some leftover chili right there in the parking lot. I loved seeing all the people drive past us and gawk at the Teardrop. A nice couple even stopped and chatted with us for a while, shocked that Sam really designed and built the whole thing. These opportunities to show off the Teardrop are always so much fun.
Since the hike took a bit longer than expected, we didn’t have much daylight left to enjoy more of the park. Instead we drove north, aiming to camp just outside of Yellowstone where we planned to stay for four days. As we left the bounds of Grand Teton National Park, I understood that this park warrants a second lengthier visit. Next time, however, I’m sure we’ll be packing our backpacks for a more personal experience with these mountains
What’s With All the Hype Around Yellowstone?
Similar to Grand Teton, I honestly knew very little about Yellowstone before we visited. I took one “Vulcanology 101” class during college, so I knew about the area’s history as a super volcano and activity. Apart from that? Absolutely nothing. In all honesty, I didn’t expect much. I knew it was one of the most visited national parks, so I was more worried about the crowds than excited about the views.
Man, I gotta stop underestimating these parks.
We experienced a lot in those four days. Frankly, I’m not even sure where to start. Instead of attempting to capture those 96 hours through written narrative, as I typically do, I’m going to do something easier for the both of us: tell our experiences through the photos I took!
Please, enjoy Yellowstone through my eyes.
Day 1: Mammoth & Bison & Elk, Oh My!
I wasn’t entirely wrong about the crowds, though. We got off to a late start, which meant we were stuck bumper to bumper with cars for our first two hours.
Our first stop was the "Artist's Paint Pots." Not only did I love the area for the name but there were bubbling mud pots and springs of various colors.
We stopped along all the roadside pullouts as we made our way towards the town of Mammoth.
These are part of the Mammoth Springs, our main destination for the day.
These are old deposits, left over after the springs changed direction.
We ran across a herd of elk as we finished our day with a trip to the visitor's center.
Day 2: Old Faithful Never Disappoints
Ah yes, the most majestic photo of Old Faithful I took
Learning from the previous day, we made it to the park way earlier (around 7:15). You'd be surprised how little people there are!
These are my three best photos from the eruption of Old Faithful. The sun shone through the steam, giving me the absolute perfect opportunity to capture the geyser in a unique and beautiful way.
The geysers and springs make some of the craziest patterns.
Our next stop was Grand Prismatic and some other formations in the area. Did you know that the colors you see are actually microorganisms that love extreme heat?
On our way back, we drove alongside Firehole Canyon and found a cave with bones right out front. Who do you think lives there? My bet is a Wendigo.
Day 3&4: Steam, Canyons, and some much Needed Rest
Another early morning, where the cold air makes the steam so potent that it's hard to see.
This photo of Steamboat Geyser is probably one of my favorites I've taken at Yellowstone, alongside those from Old Faithful.
After Norris Basin, we stopped by The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The harsh lighting made it difficult to capture just how spectacular this place is. The colors in the cliffs blew me away.
Our final stop in Yellowstone were the sulfurous pools around Mud Volcano.
Our final day was spent hiking, relaxing, and saying goodbye to this beautiful place.
I never expected to love Yellowstone quite so much. The land blew me away, and there was always so much to see. I'm sad to leave, but I'm even more excited to come back and explore all the areas we didn't get to.
Thanks for reading through to the end! It's been a long week and a half, but I'm so glad I finally get to share it all with you.
South Dakota.
We explore Wind Cave National Park and Mount Rushmore!
Fingers crossed we see some warmer weather, because I hate when my fingers freeze as I do dishes.
After seeing those AMAZING pictures, I'm not totally convinced that you didn't just pick up a bunch of postcards from each visitor's center. Seriously though, you captured some amazing moments. But...what's with the hat?!?
Can you see why I love Wyoming and that general area? Also I envy your photo skills..
Kes, these are absolutely AMAZING!!!!!!