More Yellowstone

Old Faithful

Wildflowers are amazing this year

So much Lupine! I had no idea it was so fragrant, but fields of the stuff smell so sweet.

Hiking to Storm Point

Travertine slopes at Mammoth Hot Springs. This is where we ran into crowds and parking issues. Up until now hasn't been an issue.

Yellowstone!!

We're finally here. . .our summer's destination! Sunny, cool, scenic Yellowstone. Lots to explore. Wildlife sightings right in our campground!!

  Saw a headline that because of flooding earlier in park, causing some of northern Yellowstone roads and attractions closed plus high gas prices, the crowds are down 50%! Great for us, except that means that 50 percent of visitors are all in southern portions of park so maybe crowds the same!! Actually, it hasn't been a problem. Everyone out enjoying the Park, much new to see plus things we remember from previous visits that we must see again!!

Pinedale, Wyoming

Leaving the Flamming Gorge behind. . .

. . . and driving through a bit of Utah and into Wyoming. Landscape flattens out but then picks up altitude again as we skirt the Bridger Wilderness with Wind River Range in the distance. Two nights at a new campground in Pinedale. 

Wild horses and Pronghorn and deer sightings. Want to see a Moose in worst way. Signs all over of thier presence here but so far they have been illusive.

This is a really new campground opened during the Pandemic with all the newest in campgrounds.  Self check in, make your reservations online, and all your "info" is on the post at your site when you get there. No community swimming pool BUT individual hot tubs that they will deliver to your site (for $75 a night.) Cleaned and sanitized so no worry about spreading Covid. Pretty clever idea although we decided not to spend the money. . .this time!

Hot tub waiting to be set up at your site.

Dinosaur National Monument and Flamming Gorge

An Allosaurus head, one of best perfectly preserved found right here in 1924. It's gigantic.

Most interesting attraction in Dinosaur NM is the "Quarry." Carnegie paleontologists started excavating the site in 1924 and over the years they extracted literally thousands of bones and full skeletons of amazing quality and diversity. Sometime mid century someone decided to leave the site alone, leaving the bones in situ and built a building around it to make them accessible to anyone to view and learn. It is so amazing to see them poking out of rock in jumble and imagine they are 14 million years old!!

The Green River runs through the Park and was a major contributor to the modern landscape as it cut down through the multi layers of uplifted ancient rock. This is same Green River that John Wesley Powell led a three month expedition to map the Green and Colorado that ended thru the Grand Canyon.

There were homesteaders in these harsh lands and we explored this one. It was a woman who lived here "off the grid" into the 1960's. She used this picturesque box canyon to contain her herd of cattle.

The town of Vernal is all about Dinosaurs as it is just outside the park.

And then there is this!! What a site!  It's Flaming Gorge on the Green River. Was named so by that same John W Powell when he first discovered it on his trip down river. It is now a huge reservoir backed up by Flaming Gorge Dam so river doesn't look the same as when he saw it but the red, rock walls are still "Flaming." 

We followed directions to a private ranch, Mcconkee Ranch, to see some amazing Petroglyphs. The owners have opened their property free to rock art hunters and have developed a trail to follow to easily find them! We did have to scramble up a rocky cliff to get to the marked trail--which we were not prepared for, but we made it after some mild grumbling. Ended up really worth it, they were incredible to see and at eye level! These were made by Fremont people maybe 2000 years ago, (give or take a few hundred years.). Amazing.

Two Colorado Scenic Byways

Morning hike at Colorado National Monument while it was cool enough to enjoy it. It's the cliffs just on the edge of town and a 25 mile scenic drive thru the park with stops along the way for amazing views down into the valley and city, trailheads, and historical markers.

When we finished the byway we weren't anxious to go back down to town. Looking for some relief from summer heat we decided to try something at a higher elevation.

Grand Mesa.

It is promoted as the largest flat topped mesa in the world and also has a Colorado Scenic Byway running through it. It's 500 square miles and 40 miles long between the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers.  A major hiway up to the top and a gravel switchback road back down the other side. Pretty fun with our Jeep!

Desert and rock at the Monument but up here was lush and green, fields of wildflowers, dozens of trout lakes and resorts, forests, hiking trails, more historic sites. There is even Powderhorn Ski resort up here. 100 miles of lovely Colorado at 10,000 ft with occasional views that goes on forever!

Back on the road

Monday morning--up at 4am, dropped off at Newark airport at 5:15 for a 6:45 flight (which turned out to be delayed 1 1/2 hours due to lightning strikes.) Arrived in Denver at 10am mountain time (only an hour late.) Picked up car at hotel parking lot, drove back to South Fork the 250 miles. Got there at 4pm, got RV out of storage, onto RV spot, moved back in, went to local quick stop for a few groceries and a pizza for dinner and then. . .bed very early!!

Because we turned in so early we were up early this morning. Quick breakfast and hit the road heading across Colorado Rockies bound for Grand Junction! A really nice drive, good road, amazing scenery on a road and route we had never taken before!!

A site along the Gunnison River

We knew before we started out that there was major construction along hiway 50 but there really was no other practical way to get where we were going. We were prepared for a major delay that was promised but turned out to be super interesting. Probably the biggest, most aggressive road construction that we have ever witnessed. It was really interesting to watch as we inched along the 10 miles they are presently working to repair/upgrade.

Workers setting explosives high on the rock wall.

Arrived in Grand Junction where it was unfortunately for us 100 degrees. Once we got set up we got in air-conditioned car and drove to nearby Palisades. Famous for Peaches!! Little early for them but we did find a few early varieties that we could try. SO sweet and juicy!! Many peach orchards, pear, apricots plus vineyards galore.