We spent last week in Hawaii and visited both Kauai and Oahu. I’ll be posting about the trip soon. I just completed the first of the videos from the trip.
Category Archives: Travel
Stop Using the Left-Right Political Narrative
For two centuries (or at least since the French Revolution) political systems have been artificially placed on a linear Left-Right political measuring stick. On the Left side of this political line are what are generally considered ‘liberal’ forms of government, and on the right are what is considered ‘conservative’ forms of government. Political parties such as the American Democratic and Republican parties are placed on this linear spectrum, as are various forms of government (communist, socialist, theocratic, etc), and even media publications.
Plotting political parties and political systems on this linear spectrum needs to stop, however. The linear spectrum fails to adequately account for the many similarities between systems of government that are at supposedly polar opposite ends of the spectrums (for instance placing communism on the far left and fascism on the far right), and the stark contrasts between others that are plotted nearby (liberal socialism vs totalitarian communism). The failures of this system of political modeling are obvious and a new model needs to be promoted as a replacement.
My replacement system plots political systems on a grid based on two primary measures of freedom: social freedom and economic freedom. Social freedoms encompass everything from freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and the absence of laws and codes that restrict personal behavior. Economic freedoms encompass the freedom to own property, acquire wealth, establish businesses and business relationships, lower taxation, and the ability to operate freely from regulatory and financial controls.
The Quadrants
Using the freedoms model to chart political systems four quadrants emerge: Socialist, Libertarian, Totalitarian (or authoritarianism), and Theocratic.
The Socialist quadrant is marked by systems of government with a high degree of social freedom but lower levels of economic freedom. Within this quadrant governments would apply few restrictions on speech, personal expression, and few or no moral codes. Conversely, these governments often utilize higher rates of taxation to generate revenue for social programs, inhibiting personal wealth growth and economic freedom. Classic European socialism would fit into this quadrant, varying from Greece to Scandinavia.
The Libertarian quadrant is marked by a high degree of both social and economic freedom. Libertarian governments are marked by few laws or regulations that inhibit personal thought or expression, and do not advance religious or moral codes. Low taxation and limited business regulations allow individual and corporate wealth building.
At the Libertarian extreme, however, is the complete absence of government rules that inhibit society: anarchy.
The Totalitarian quadrant is marked by very limited social and economic freedom. Individual thought and expression is regulated with the potential for incarceration or ostracism for deviation from what the government considers acceptable.
Economic freedom is inhibited to enforce a collectivist ideology either through high taxation or outright banning of private property. Even if private property is allowed, the government can often seize it without recompense, leading to little economic security,
Finally theocracies are marked by limited social freedom, but varying degrees of economic freedom. Often there are social or religious codes that are strictly enforced and which may lead to severe criminal penalties. In contrast, individuals may be able to build personal wealth through investments and business relationships. Saudi Arabia and Iran are two examples of theocratic governments.
Nazism and Soviet Communism in the Same Quadrant
On the traditional political spectrum Nazism (or extremist fascism) and Soviet Communism are at opposite ends, but in this model they are in the same Totalitarian quadrant. Soviet communism banned personal property beyond simple homes and personal possessions and limited freedom of speech, assembly, etc with the threat of incarceration.
In Nazi Germany, personal property rights were retained, but only as long as the government chose not to seize them. Businesses were tightly controlled by the government. Personal freedoms were severely restricted too, often with the threat of incarceration or death for opposition to the government.
In Totalitarianism a single party controls the government.
Modern Chinese Communism now straddles the line between economically free and restricted by totalitarianism. As the country has evolved from the Maoist state, personal wealth building is now allowed and encouraged. Many of the world’s billionaires are now Chinese. Still, the country remains socially restrictive and utilizes censorship and the threat of incarceration to control the population. A single party controls the government.
Even in democratic societies aspects of totalitarianism have begun to emerge in the past decade. Proponents of wealth taxes and restrictive regulatory laws are gaining popular approval. Likewise, socially restrictive controls that regulate speech to “accepted” norms have been utilized by governments, particularly online. Cancel-culture and even the threat of violence is advanced by this ideology to ensure adherence to social norms.
Modern American Political Parties
Traditionally, the American Republican party promotes lower taxation and fewer business regulations, and is therefore more economically free. Democratic initiatives to raise taxes in support of social safety nets result in lesser opportunities to build individual wealth and less economic freedom.
As for social freedoms, in past decades the Republican party promoted moral codes that made it less socially free than the Democratic party.
It must be noted, however, that the modern Democratic party has embraced more socially restrictive policies as traditional Democrats are replaced by younger, more extremist members who adhere to Democratic Socialist beliefs.
The modern Republican party is drifting toward Libertarianism as the religious right has been replaced by Tea Party and Trump Republicans with lesser concern for religious and moral standards, but adhering to a strong, anti-tax, pro-business ethos.
The Libertarian Party exists in the Libertarian quadrant where both social freedoms and economic freedoms are guaranteed from interference from government. This quadrant would also represent the original vision of American democracy as envisioned by the Founding Fathers.
The Anarchist Extreme
Interestingly, Somalia represents a failed state where the government exerts little to no control over the populace. People are free to earn wealth using any manner, even piracy, without fear of government interference. At the same time this anarchy requires that individuals protect themselves and with no societal structures to ensure public safety lives are markedly more dangerous than in less ‘free’ societies.
Hiking to Rocky Mountain’s Sky Pond
When autumn arrives in Colorado, we love to visit the high country to enjoy the vibrant colors that light up the mountain sides. One of the best places to enjoy the leaves of gold is Rocky Mountain National Park.
My 19-year-old, college student son Daniel and I spent the prior night in Estes Park, right outside Rocky Mountain. I had planned out the trip in advance and got Bear Lake Road reservations on August 1st, the moment the reservations become available for dates in September (they are gone within minutes for weekends in the summer and fall). We stopped briefly to get some gas and a quick bite of fast food breakfast, then entered the park at first morning’s light.
After passing the checkpoint to verify our access reservations we drove up to the parking area near the Glacier Gorge trailhead (which leads to Sky Pond), but unsurprisingly the small parking area was already full. We then continued onward to the much larger Bear Lake parking lot further up the road and found it was already completely full as well. We were far from the only early morning hikers ready to enjoy the fall colors.
On the drive up I saw a small parking area just below Glacier Gorge and told my son to drive back down to it, hoping that there would still be a place left there while cars passed us heading up to the full lots above. Sure enough, there was a spot left for us at this little parking area about 3/4 miles below the trailhead. A little extra hiking wouldn’t hurt us a bit.
We started down the trail and made fairly good time as we passed by Alberta Falls in the first mile, then The Loch at about 3 miles, the first of the lakes along the way to Sky Pond.
The trail passed alongside The Loch and after another mile we arrived at the point where the trail becomes a bit more challenging. You must climb a small cliff alongside Timberline Falls with cold water tumbling onto the rocks along the way. We made it fairly easily to the top of the cliff where we were rewarded with the sight of The Lake of Glass.
Many hikers mistake the smaller Lake of Glass for Sky Pond, but the trail continues onward past some boulders that obscure the path at the outset. Following alongside the Lake of Glass we ascended a bit further to arrive at Sky Pond.
With the jagged Shark’s Tooth piercing the sky above the lake, we knew we had arrived. Years before, when he was a seventh grader, we had tried the very same hike but had been turned back at deep snow at Timberline Falls. This time, at the right time of year, we had succeeded and could cross this bucket list Colorado hike off our list.
On the hike back we saw some pika hiding amid the rocks and some trout swimming casually in the Loch. The weather was pleasantly warm and and we would be well ahead of any afternoon rain that might move in.
It was a pretty easy-going hike for the both of us, and a good way to usher in the fall.
Camping at Red Feather Lakes
Last weekend we went for a camping trip at Red Feather Lakes in northern Colorado. Red Feather Lakes is about an hour west of Fort Collins and 20 miles south of the Wyoming border.
I booked this camping trip about two weeks before when I saw that there was a site available at the Dowdy Lake campground. I have long heard from fellow campers here in Colorado that it is a real gem and it didn’t disappoint.
The lake was beautiful and serene and our campsite was right next to the lake shore. Our goldendoodle Honey went right into the water for a swim and even surprised us by swimming after a duck in the lake.
Our tent was again absolutely worth the investment and made the experience more comfortable and fun. After getting set up at the camp site, we hiked around the lake on the shore trail and enjoyed cast-iron pizza and smores for dinner.
The next morning we ate a simple breakfast before heading out on a 7 mile hike to Mount Margaret. The trail and views were comparatively mediocre, but the dogs enjoyed running around freely with only a scattered few other people on the trail there and back.
Afterward we packed up to avoid a rain storm that was coming and headed home. We are planning to return next May for a longer stay. We’ll also be sure to bring the dogs!
Wildlife of Wyoming
I’ve updated the Wildlife of Wyoming photo gallery to include the many animals we saw in June in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and the surrounding areas.
I did realize that at the moment we saw the Grizzly Bears we were actually in Montana, and they have been added to the Wildlife of Montana gallery :). The Beartooth Highway crosses between Montana and Wyoming on the scenic roadway between Yellowstone and Red Loge, Montana.
Yellowstone and Tetons Roadtrip 2025: Part VII
Day 8: The Tetons
Our last day of the trip we had intentionally left fairly open as far as our itinerary. We had gone to the visitor center the day before and saw that there was a ranger-led hike at Taggart Lake on the southern end of the park at 9AM.
Since we had never been to Taggart Lake this seemed like a good activity for the morning. The ranger-led portion was just to the lakeside for about 2 miles. Then we could continue on our own to complete a 4 mile loop back to the trailhead.
Instead of the usual cereal and protein shakes in our cabin, we decided to have a hot breakfast at John Colter’s Ranch House. It was a nice change of pace on a less busy day. Yes, we save quite a bit of time and money by not dining out every meal, but sometimes it’s good to have pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
Taggart Lake
It was about a 45 minute drive from Colter Bay to the Taggart Lake trailhead (with another stop for air in my right-front tire). Once we arrived we waited for the ranger to appear along with the rest of our group then started the guided hike.
It was a bit windier and chillier early in the day as a cold front began to move into the area. That was ok though, it was still a very nice day and we had just gotten really lucky to have such ideal weather the whole trip.
As we made our way along the route the ranger would ask questions of the group. We answered most of them. And he had no qualms about letting us answer them all :).
We’ve been teaching our youngest to not feel embarrassed about ‘showing off’ his knowledge and intelligence. Some kids at school made him feel awkward in science and other class for being a nerd or know-it-all. Let them feel stupid all day long.
So we answered the name of the plant with the yellow flower as ‘arrowhead balsamroot’, that grizzlies love to eat moths, and every other assorted question the ranger had. We also walked into the forest off trail with the permission of the ranger to remind us to take time to let our senses appreciate nature free of all the noise and distractions of life.
As we continued from the lake shore around the loop we saw plenty of vistas of the Tetons, wildflowers, and butterflies, but no significant wildlife.
The Taggart Lake area leads upward to many more trails that I might try in the future such as Delta Lake.
Jackson Hole
I know the town is called Jackson, but everyone calls it Jackson Hole. Which sounds cooler.
We decided to have lunch in JH since we were fairly close to the south entrance and hadn’t been in JH since 2010. Back then we stayed in Jackson, which I realized was pretty distant from the park’s main areas and a bit unsatisfying if you want to enjoy the park.
Jackson has changed a lot in the past couple decades with all the billionaires moving in. We drove past the city park with the elk antler arches (which are pretty cool) and parked on a side street.
We decided to eat at the Merry Piglets because we wanted Mexican food. I had heard of the Merry Piglets because of a famous, recent missing person, murder case that ended in the Tetons not long ago. But regardless of that sad notoriety, we just wanted some burritos.
My food was lukewarm when served, and Shelley’s and Evan’s was almost cold. We sent their food back. I was too hungry to stop and think that my food should have been warmer. They got their remade dishes, which were correctly piping hot. But overall, I can’t really recommend it.
After eating we drove back north into the park and along the way we saw a bison herd. Plenty of junior bison as well.
That was pretty cool and made up for a lackluster lunch.
Colter Bay
We drove back into Colter Bay and parked at our cabin. We wanted to go to the two-mile loop trail that leads to a peninsula off of Colter Bay and afterward we could visit the gift shops one last time.
Shelley and Evan had hiked this trail the day before and were able to point out many things along the way, such as the bear claw marks on a tree (a warning to other bears) and some frogs lurking the mud near the Jackson Lake waterline.
Wile we were hiking back a few people told us a black bear was just seen crossing the path where we were walking. But unfortunately, we missed it.
We walked over to the general store to get some ice cream and met an unusually unfriendly, odd looking guy behind the counter. Almost all the staff we met working at the resorts were nice. This guy was not. Oh well.
We stopped at the visitor center and while inside we heard that the juvenile grizzly had just run past the marina. We stepped outside and there was a crowd there, as well as some rangers at the far end of the marina path. The grizzly was in the woods and the rangers seemed to want it to continue going in that direction.
Well, I had seen bears 6 days of the trip, but so far had struck out today.
We returned to the cabin to start packing up in preparation for departure the next day. We rested a bit, then at dinner time made our way over to the Ranch House again for dinner. It was good and we like it. As far as national park eateries go it’s a good place.
Day 9: Tetons and Wyoming
The next morning I got up early to do the morning hike around the loop trail, hoping to see some wildlife along the way. It was a very chilly 30F degrees and other than the random squirrel or bird in the dim light, the animals were not out and about.
I finished reloading the truck and walked to get some coffees at the coffee shop in Colter Bay. It’s always nice to start a drive with some good coffee. And it helped warm my hands after the biting chill of the hike. The weather had certainly changed overnight.
We left Colter Bay and made one last stop at a pullout before exiting the park.
We’d had a great trip and enjoyed ourselves. But we could still stop along the way at anywhere that looked interesting.
As we were ascending Highway 287 to cross the continental dive, it started to snow. June can still be winter in northern Wyoming.
As we made our way back down toward Dubois, Wyoming the temperatures increased and we were back in summertime.
Entering Dubois we saw a sign for the National Museum of Military Vehicles. Sure. Why not?
The National Museum of Military Vehicles
This museum blew us away. We were thinking we would have an hour stop and peruse the museum like most any other. Instead, after two hours we still weren’t done.
The museum is absolutely huge and full of historical military vehicles, rifles, and everything else related to American military history. It is laid our in chronological order and delves into the experiences of war at places like The Battle of the Bulge in WWII, in Korea, and Vietnam.
Included in the exhibits are German, Soviet, Japanese, and Chinese equipment from the various theaters of war. It was fascinating to see and we wondered how this immense, impressive museum had remained under the radar since it apparently opened in 2020.
Whatever the reason, this museum is a definite stop to make in Dubois, Wyoming.
I will be make a video of the museum and will be posting it here when it is ready.
After the museum we were pretty far behind schedule and needed to make up some time on the drive back.
We tried to get coffee again at the Buffalo Bean in Casper, but it had close for the day by the time we arrived. We had to settle for coffee at the travel center down the road (not as good but decent).
Final Thoughts
We really enjoyed this trip overall, and it was a good change of pace back to a roadtrip after several years of plane travel. I was also glad that we gave ourselves a few more days and this made it a bit more relaxing, allowed us to see and do more, and never feel rushed.
I always have a number of goals for a trip and this trip really met and exceeded in everything we hoped to accomplish. We saw more wildlife than I could have hoped for and all the major ones (bears, moose, wolves, etc). We completed all the hikes that we had planned out. We used our new cooler and hiking equipment to save time and money and to improve our overall experience. We got great photographs and video footage. We did fun activities and still left some places and activities for future visits.
I don’t know when we will be back, but it won’t be six full years again. These parks are only 1-2 days away and I’d be curious to visit in the fall even if visitor services are starting to close for the season. I’d definitely return in June though.
Yellowstone and Tetons Roadtrip 2025: Part VI
Day 7: The Tetons
I woke up at 5:30 AM to eat a quick breakfast in the cabin and gather up my backpack and gear for the Lake Solitude hike. Shelley and Evan had a couple more hours to sleep before they were to meet the ranger by the Colter Bay visitor center for their 2 hour hike.
I stopped off quickly at the Colter Bay service station for yet more air for my tire, then drove south toward Jenny Lake, hoping to be on the 7AM ferry boat across the lake.
As I was approaching the Jackson Lake Dam, two grizzlies ran across the road right in front of my truck and into the brush on the side of the road. I stopped and grabbed my camera, hearing them rustling in the bushes.
I saw them briefly once more from behind before they took off into the dense brush where I couldn’t see them any longer. I waited a few minutes longer before deciding to drive on. And called Shelley to tell her about the grizzlies.
Jenny Lake
Once I arrived at the Jenny Lake visitor center parking area I found it was already half full of cars. I parked fairly close to the ferry boat entrance and then got in the line. I wouldn’t be on the 7AM ferry, but did make it onto the 7:30 ferry.
Technically, you don’t need to take the ferry to access the Cascade Canyon trailhead that leads to Lake Solitude, but it will cut 2.5 miles off the trip in either direction. However, if you want an earlier start you should skip the ferry and just add the extra miles to your hike.
The Cascade Canyon Trail to Lake Solitude
Arriving at the boat dock for Cascade Canyon I was in a familiar place. We’d started this trail twice before in 2010 and 2019. In 2010 my eldest son was soon to be four-year-old and it was literally snowing on the boat ride over Jenny Lake, so we went no farther than Inspiration Point (but saw a cool moose there).
In 2019 my eldest son and I made it halfway down the Cascade Canyon trail when he was 12 going on 13. We had a nice hike and saw a moose cow and calf, but he was pretty tired after that distance and so we cut the hike short.
In planning this trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton I was pretty much dead set on making this hike all the way to Lake Solitude, short of a monumental blizzard. I had already heard the trail reports of a lot of snow along the route higher up, but I was mentally prepared for it.
The first several miles were a breeze. Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery. A few miles beyond Inspiration Point the trail somewhat levels out too, making it a fairly easy-going hike. There was a cool marmot, Hidden Falls was rushing, and I was making good time.
Then there was a big gust of wind and the skies began to darken. To save weight in my backpack (due to my already tired back), I made a really stupid decision not to pack my rain jacket. I pretty much bought it just for this hike. But there was no rain in the forecast. But that forecast wasn’t for this high up.
Oh well. Let it rain. I won’t stop. At least not yet.
There was a moose cow and calf on the trail. I’ve been on this trail three times and every time I’ve seen moose. And it added to the baby animal list for the trip!
I was actually getting pretty wet the further I went, and stopped under several conifers to eat and wait out the rain a little. I was getting a tad dejected, believing that the rain would only worsen and inevitably force me to turn back.
But despite the rain, I was pretty determined to continue as long and as far as I could. Thus far I had encountered no snow, and when I got to the trail junction that leads to Lake Solitude, I pressed onward passing several hikers that were turning back at that point.
Then…hallelujah! The rain ceased and the clouds began to part. I began to smile with a feeling of redemption. I might make it all the way after all. No matter if my long sleeve t-shirt was soaked.
The next several miles were some of the most beautiful hiking miles I’ve ever done. Up there with Glacier for sure.
I could turn 360 degrees around and see astounding beauty in every direction (watch the video linked above).
Not long after that, however, I started to hit the snow fields. At first they were just stretches of hard snow across the trail. Then they grew longer and deeper. They hid the trail entirely. And they were exhausting.
Several hikers ahead and behind me began to turn around. This was slow, hard trudging. I thought about turning around too. But then what? I needed to finish this.
I finally came to a little sign half buried in the snow that said “Lake Solitude 200 Yards”. I could make it another 200 yards uphill in the snow.
A long stretch of snow surrounded the mostly frozen-over Lake Solitude. But I carefully approached the shoreline and felt the mountain lake waters in my hand. Bucket list hike achieved.
This felt good. The whole trip felt good. This hike was important to me and really capped what I felt was a very memorable and successful trip. I needed to make this hike and I had done it.
The hike back, going downhill in the snow, was much easier. Once I passed the last snowbank I could relax and just amble down the trail, offering advice to others hoping to make it to Lake Solitude. Yes, you can do it.. But it’s not easy.
When I got back to the boat dock I found a line of people stretching quite a ways up the hill. There was an hour and a half wait to board the ferry. Really?
My back was really killing me and I could barely tolerate the pain of just standing in a long line. I talked to fellow travelers who had no idea just how far I had hiked and had been content to just see Inspiration Point.
At one point a black bear appeared near the trail and many of us left the line briefly to see if we could see it. I saw it, just for a moment. Not long enough to photograph it.
I debated leaving the line and hiking around the lake. Many did. But the longer we waited, the more it felt like a huge waste of time to have been in it. I went from hiking 14.5 miles through snow, to now standing in an amusement park line.
Finally, I got my turn, boarded the ferry and sank onto the seat. Ah, relief at last for my back. Once back at the opposite shore I trudged back to my truck, set my backpack on the opposite seat, and called Shelley. I was on my way back to Colter Bay.
Colter Bay
Once back at Colter Bay I was happy to see Shelley and Evan and hear about their ranger-led hike. They would take me on the trail tomorrow to see the bear claw marks and frogs and other fun sights they had seen on Colter Bay’s loop trail.
What we all were was hungry, tired, and ready to celebrate. So we went to Colter Bay’s main restaurant. A place we had eaten at before in 2017 and 2019: John Colter’s Ranch House.
We had a nice waitress from Kentucky and again I thought of my eldest son who is 18 going on 19. Wouldn’t it be cool for him to work in the parks next summer? The staff looked happy and they were all his age. I wish I had done that when I was a college student.
After three beers and plenty of food we walked back to our cabin to crash for the night. I really was pretty tired. I needed a good night of rest now. And I was glad we still had one more full day to enjoy before heading home.
Yellowstone and Tetons Roadtrip 2025: Part V
Day 6: Yellowstone and Grand Teton
We spent the night in the Grant Village Lodge and woke up fairly early. We wanted to make sure we had time to pack up and carry luggage to the truck and have our first hot breakfast of the trip before a kayak trip that we had reserved on Yellowstone Lake from Grant Marina.
We walked over to the Grant Village Restaurant and found it far less crowded than the prior night. We got seated near the window overlooking the lake and had buffet breakfast. It was good. Much better than what we felt we got the prior night for dinner.
We didn’t have long to enjoy our breakfast before we left for the marina. We got our sunscreen, sandals, and waterproof camera and met the guides at the lake shore.
Kayaking to West Thumb Geyser Basin
I reserved a 3 hour morning kayaking trip to the West Thumb Geyser Basin on a whim a month before our trip. I found it on Viator, and since we would be camping at Grant Campground, I thought it would be a fun morning activity.
Even though we were no longer camping, we had spent the night at Grant Lodge, so we were right there to still go on the kayak tour. Shelley had to bow out of this activity too due to a medical issue, but because we were going to West Thumb Geyser Basin she could travel there and see us from the shore.
The kayak tour was run by Prismatic Tours and I highly recommend it. The guides were knowledgable and friendly, and we talked to them throughout the paddle all the way to West Thumb Geyser Basin about Yellowstone and the thermal features.
The weather conditions the day of our kayaking trip could not have been better. Hardly any wind. A warm morning that steadily rose toward 80F as we proceeded on the water. It was perfect.
As we were alongside the geyser basin we saw water tumbling over the cliff face and into the cold, 40F degree waters of Yellowstone Lake. We put our hands into the water and felt the difference in temperature between the warm layer on top and the colder water below.
In the past we probably wouldn’t have thught of doing a kayaking trip in Yellowstone, but I was so glad I gave this a shot. It was a great experience and a lot of fun.
After returning the the marina we made a last stop at the gift shop in Grant Village, knowing that we were now leaving the park for Grand Teton National Park. We drove south and departed Yellowstone through the south entrance. Til next time, Yellowstone.
Headwaters Resort
After exiting the park we entered the John D. Rockefeller Jr Memorial Parkway, which sits between the parks. It’s great that JD Rockefeller Jr bought and donated this land and other lands nearby, otherwise it would have been developed into an tacky, ugly area full of tourist traps like you see outside of many national parks.
What does exist in the parkway is The Headwaters Resort which is similar to the lodges in Grand Teton National Park. We wanted a good lunch and stopped at Sheffields Restaurant in the resort.
The interior was uncrowded and chill, the staff was friendly and talkative, and the food and beer was good too.
Looking at the name badges of the staff which listed their home state or country, I thought of my college student son who was doing a summer session back home. Later, when I talked to him on the phone, I suggested he might leave next summer open and consider working at a national park. It sure seems like it would be a fun and memorable way to enjoy a summer break while a college student.
After lunch, we got some fuel and more air in my tire that had the aforementioned slow leak in the prior blog, then continued south into Grand Teton National Park.
Grand Teton National Park
It’s hard to believe possible that two of the top fie national parks in the country are only 24 miles apart. But that is the case. I would never not visit both parks when heading to this area, unless my time was very, very limited.
We have a favorite place to stay when we go to Grand Teton and in my opinion, because it’s a little tucked away from much of the rest of the park and the visitor traffic, it is like a park within a park. And that is Colter Bay.
Colter Bay
We drove into Colter Bay, a place we had camped at in 2017 and 2019. This time we were staying in the historic log cabins which are, like the lodging in the rest of Grand Teton and Yellowstone, a tad pricey, but worth it for their location in the park.
I made a video of our cabin. If you have a large family, unfortunately, it might be kind of hard since our cabin only had beds for three people (one double and one twin). As with all lodging in Yellowstone and Grand Teton, it helps to book as early as possible.
After unloading our luggage. We stepped outside to see a friendly mule deer.
From our prior visits, we’ve come to expect to see mule deer and squirrels around Colter Bay. In 2017 and 2019 we saw bald eagles along the shores of Jackson Lake from a rented motor boat. This time we were told about a young grizzly that was hanging around the area, but we weren’t lucky enough to see it.
In the afternoon we a walked around the area and stopped by the visitor center. I had a long hike planned for the next day, which left Shelley and Evan with an open morning to plan. They decided to do a ranger led hike that would circle along the lake shore the next morning.
After passing alongside the marina, we returned briefly to the cabin, then made our way to the Cafe Court Pizzaria in Colter Bay. It was good, and just what we wanted for a meal to end the day.
I had what I expected to be a long and hard hike planned for the next morning and we went to bed not long after sunset. I got my backpack, poles, water bottles, and snacks ready to save time in the morning. With everything ready and our plans made, we went to sleep.
My back was already a bit fatigued from the runs back and forth multiple times to Lonestar Geyser, the kayaking trip, and hefting our fully loaded 60 quart cooler up and down from the truck.
I needed my backpack to be loaded with only the things I needed and nothing more. Lake Solitude was my goal for tomorrow and I was not going to be stopped by too much or too little gear in my backpack.
Yellowstone and Tetons Roadtrip 2025: Part IV
Day 5: Yellowstone
The next morning Shelley and Evan elected to sleep in a bit longer before we checked out of our cabin in Canyon Village. I wanted to return to Norris Geyser Basin to continue on with the Back Basin portion of the thermal area.
I got into my truck and after it warmed up from the 35 F degree temperatures overnight (Canyon Village is at about 7900 feet in elevation), I saw that one of my tires had low tire pressure. I got out and saw no obvious damage to the tire, so I drove over to the service station at Canyon Village and refilled it to full PSI.
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
I didn’t wan to go far so I drove over to the nearby North Rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and hopped out to take some photos closer to sunrise.
After returning to my truck I found the tire was still fully inflated. I decided to travel a bit farther and give it a couple hours more to see how the tire held up and continued on toward Norris.
Feeling more confident about the tire, I thought to myself about how much I was enjoying the trip thus far and how beautiful the park was in June. The weather had been perfect. I had worried that in June we would encounter possibly frigid temperatures, but instead it was in the high 70s every day.
Norris Geyser Basin
I returned to Norris Geyser Basin, and since it was only 6:30 AM I was able to park right at the entrance to the basin. I hopped out of my truck with my camera and GoPro and resumed where I left off from the prior evening, this time walking the Back Basin Loop.
I started with Steamboat Geyser. It is the tallest in the park and one of the tallest in the world when it erupts. Which is a rare occurrence. But when it does it is so powerful it sounds like a steamboat.
I enjoyed my walk through the Back Basin in teh morning with few people around. The temperatures were still relatively cool at the early hour of the day and this did mean that many of the hot springs were more obscurred by the hot steam than they would be later in the day.
When I was at Steamboat Geyser a seismologist was there and was replacing the battery on a seismograph near the geyser. After the recent steam explosions at Biscuit Basin, the park needs to be extra vigilant about identifying potential changes in subsurface activity.
Canyon Village
After enjoying my morning at Norris Geyser Basin I drove back to Canyon Village to meet up with Shelley and Evan and to check out of the cabin. That day we would move to Grant Village for a one night stay in the lodge (a replacement for the camping we were earlier going to do in Grant Campground).
I stopped at the Washburn Lodge to go to the lodge snack shop to see if they sold coffee. They do, they said, bt only drip coffee.
Rather than waste money on crappy coffee, I returned to the cabin to find Shelley and Evan not there. Just then they called me. They were walking to the village area where there is a larger coffee shop that sold more varieties of coffee. I parked and walked to meet them as they made their way to the village. We were all feeling good and enjoying ourselves and we were desperate for some good morning coffee.
We did get some huckleberry lattes, after a wait for the staff to replenish their supply of milk. Sigh. Oh well. Time to pack up the truck and drive south.
Hayden Valley and Lake Yellowstone
We entered Hayden Valley again, and as usual it didn’t disappoint. This time we watched a coyote hunting near a herd of bison.
Though the coyote was fairly distant, it was fun to watch it stalk through the grass as it moved ever closer to the herd.
After reaching Lake Junction, we proceeded along the lake shore and found this elk cow and calf walking along the shoreline.
The elk cow was collared as you can see in the photos. A crowd of people were following along the roadway above and we were concerned that they were making it difficult for the elk to lead her calf out of the water. Lake Yellowstone is 40F and certainly the calf couldn’t stay too long in the water. We left and hopefully the elk were able to reach a dry and safe exit from the elk.
Before heading to Grant Village we had our second hike of the trip planned for the day. We crossed the Continental Divide twice at close to 9000 feet in elevation, then pulled into the parking area for Lonestar Geyser.
The Lonestar Geyser Trail
Every trip has its ridiculous moments, and I ended up turning what what supposed to be an easy-going family hike into a personal 10K at almost 9000 feet.
The last time we were in Yellowstone in 2019, we decided to hike this trail. We got a mile into the trail and my then six-year-old Evan had to go to the bathroom. Number two. Really bad. So we quickly returned to the trailhead to get him to the bathroom and that pretty much ended the hike.
This time, it seemed an ideal family hike again. And if we were lucky we’d see it erupt.
At the parking area we got out the bug spray, backpacks, water, cameras, and made a stop at the bathroom to not allow the same issue to hijack our hike. Ready to go, we started off down the trail (which is really a back road for most of the distance).
We all started out together and were having a fun time as you can see in this clip.
Not long after this bridge crossing I realized, however, that I didn’t have my cell phone. I was very concerned that I may have set it on the truck bed cover while we were getting our gear together.
Rather than wait until we returned, or worse turn back without completing the hike, I told Shelley and Evan I would run back to the truck, get my phone, and run back to them. I told them to keep going and I’d catch up.
We were about a mile into the hike so it was two miles to run back and forth from that spot. I got to the truck, found my phone safely in the console, and jogged back down the trail.
As I got past the point where we separated I expected to find them but could not. They had all my heavy gear so I assumed they were not moving as fast, but after about 3/4 of a mile run further down the trail I could not find them.
I looked at my phone. There was no cell reception but it appeared that the Life360 app might be working and could show me where they were. It appeared to show them back the way I had come.
Not sure why they would be behind me but I started running back the way I had come. Until it led me all the way to the truck. They were not there. Thankfully. Stupid app though.
I applied sunscreen at the truck since they had the only other bottle in my backpack and ran back down the trail again. At around 1.5 miles, I asked a couple if they’d seen a mom and son on the trail. They said they had. At the geyser.
As my wife’s GoPro footage shows…
I ran onward until I met them on the trail back. They asked what took so long. They had waited for me at the geyser…
I told them I had run 2 + 3.5 + 1.75 miles plus the initial hike of a mile, so about a 10K at 9000 feet in hiking boots. I was tired. But no way was I turning around now. I’m going to the geyser.
Anyway they continued back while I finished the hike at got my photos and video footage of the rest of the trail and at the geyser.
It almost looks like I hiked alone but that was never the intention. After spending some time at the geyser I hiked back and apparently they missed the buffalo just off the trail.
Once back to the car we were all in agreement that ice cream was in order after we had lunch at Grant Village.
On the way out of the parking lot we got the best black bear photos yet.
How often do you see bears in the wild four days in a row?
Grant Village
Once we arrived in Grant Village we found out the only place we could eat was the General Store. Fortunately the woman that scooped the ice cream did not hold back. We got well-deserved amounts of huckleberry ice cream (and a couple other flavors).
After eating we checked into our room. I made a video of the room for fellow travelers. It’s a two queen lodge room.
We got some needed rest for a couple hours in the room before walking over the the Grant Village Restaurant at our reservation time. We assumed the restaurant was at least as nice as the one in Mammoth Hot Springs, but despite the lake views it was a bit of a disappointment.
The restaurant space was very crowded even at 8:30 PM with reservations. The menu was also a bit silly, in our opinion. I ordered a hamburger because it was the most filling and ‘normal’ thing on the menu. Why on earth was ‘jerk tofu’ a menu item? In a rustic lodge in a national park where people come in from a day of outdoor recreation.
Again, Xanterra needs to knock off the woke stuff and just make the visitor experience high-quality. We want BBQ Mac `n Cheese and other delicious food and drinks, not menu items you’d expect to find in San Francisco. We shouldn’t have to ask for the beer menu. You understand, right?
Oh well, it was another fun, adventure-filled day with another one planned for tomorrow.
Yellowstone and Tetons Roadtrip 2025: Part III
Day 4: Yellowstone and the Beartooth Pass
On the 4th day of our trip our plan was to spend the day on the north side of the park, as well as outside the park on a drive up to the Beartooth Mountains.
We had breakfast in our cabin and then left the Canyon Village to drive over Dunraven Pass to arrive on time for our horseback ride at Roosevelt stables. As we passed the Mount Washburn trailhead we reminisced about the time in 2017 when we hiked the trail to the summit (when Evan was only 4).
We stopped briefly at an overlook just beyond the pass, hoping to see some wildlife. There were some distant elk and bison, as well as a uinta ground squirrel closer to the roadside. A couple at the same pullout said they had seen a grizzly that same morning near Madison. Hopefully we would see some before the trip was over.
We continued on and as we were passing the Tower Junction we saw a cute, black bear cub right off the side of the road.
That bear cub was definitely cool to see. We saw a ton of baby animals on the trip.
We rolled onward to Roosevelt Stables where we had reserved a two hour trail ride,
Roosevelt Corral
Originally all three us us were supposed to be on the ride, but Shelley had a medical issue a week before (the same reason we decided not to camp) and had to bow out. The ride requires all riders to weigh in on a scale before the ride to show they are under 240 pounds (which all three of us were all safely under), but it is something to know before making reservations.
The ride was actually longer than 2 hours. It was a full three hours and covered a pretty long route that included passing by the petrified tree (Yellowstone really has a little of everything). My only complaint was they wouldn’t let us use our phones or cameras at all.
They just didn’t want to risk anyone dropping these along the trail. My phone has a tether, but they must have just gotten to a point where fetching dropped phones was no longer something they were willing to deal with. Plus they would have dropped under the horses.
Regardless, Evan and I enjoyed the ride even if we were a bit hot by the end of the ride. Shelley spent the intervening three hours with a trip back to Tower Junction and our favorite gift shop in the park.
Once we were back together we left to head to the Lamar Valley to find a spot to enjoy a picnic lunch.
Lamar Valley
As we left the Roosevelt area and passed Tower Junction, we said another black bear with cubs but due to the traffic decided to pass this bear rather than get stuck.
Lamar Valley is always considered one of the best places to see wildlife in Yellowstone. I have personally seen more wildlife in Hayden Valley, but you can almost guarantee sightings of huge buffalo herds and pronghorns in Lamar Valley.
We found a turnout overlooking the Lamar River and backed the truck in so that we could make sandwiches on the tailgate of the truck. Bringing our cooler meant we could eat on the go and not have to take a couple hours waiting for a seat at a restaurant.
After our lunch and a walk down to the river we continued on toward the Northeast Entrance and a refueling stop in Cooke City, Montana.
The Beartooth Highway
I had wanted to see the Beartooth Highway for several year but due to our travel schedules being limited on the prior trips I decided against it. This time I was set on making the trip up to Beartooth Pass and to see for ourselves just how beautiful this roadway really is.
I have to admit the first twenty miles or so were a little underwhelming for us. Pretty, but not jaw dropping. But once you pass the Top of the World Store and ascend toward the pass the views just become stunning.
There are gorgeous lakes along the route and some fantastic panoramic views just past the summit of the pass.
It would have been good to drive the entire highway to Red Lodge or to have traveled the route the other direction. I think we will be back in Montana and the Yellowstone in a few years and can enter via that driving route.
Oveall, I still have to give the nod to The Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park as America’s most beautiful drive. But this is definitely in the top five. And since it is so close to Yellowstone, I think any visitor with tie should make a trip to the Beartooth Pass part of their experience.
As we were returning to Yellowstone we saw a crowd alongside the road and figured it must be something of significant interest. And as we walked up to join the crowd we saw tow huge grizzlies in the brush below.
Seeing grizzly bears is always a huge highlight of a visit to Yellowstone, and one that is absolutely not guaranteed. After seeing all the prior animals including dozens of black bears, wolves, and more, this really made us feel pretty good.
After reentering the park proper at the northeast entrance, we saw a crowd gathered looking at some distant clff sides. We speculated that the crowd was viewing distant mountain goats, and after asking this was confirmed.
But these mountain goats were VERY distant. Beyond the range of my zoom lens. We did have a small telescope with us that I brought on a whim once I knew we would have space in the truck, and I used this to take a photo.
The mountain goat is on the right side of the photo in the middle. Maybe not a great photo, but better than nothing!
Returning the the Lamar Valley we enjoyed the views of more bison and some pronghorns, including baby pronghorns.
The wildlife viewing on this trip was exceeding our prior trips, which were also really good. It was pretty epic.
We arrived back at Roosevelt to have dinner. Unfortunately there was a long line so we sauntered hungrily back to the car.
There was no way we were going to eat at Canyon Village’s crappy cafeteria. So we made the decision to drive to Mammoth and hopefully we’d be able to get seated at their dining room.
Mammoth Hot Springs
It’s a bit of a drive to Mammoth Hot Springs but at the same time it was nice to get this portion of the park into our trip. You really have to do the full figure eight drive through the park.
We arrived at the dining room and were pretty elated to be seated. Otherwise? Not sure but we really wanted a good dinner and some well deserved beers.
This was the best dinner we had in Yellowstone. The following night we had reservations in Grant Village Restaurant, but we enjoyed this dinner much more.
After our dinner I decided we should drive south instead of the road we had take to Mammoth so that we could see that part of the park. And we saw the elk that hang around Mammoth Hot Springs as well.
We made our south on the park road until we came to Norris Junction where the Norris Canyon Road connects to Canyon Village. The prior day we had arrived at the junction and saw a huge line of cars trying to find parking at the Norris Geyser Basin. But at 8:30 PM, the lot was practically empty.
With that in mind we drove in and parked, deciding to visit the geyser basin at sunset.
Norris Geyser Basin
We visited this geyser basin in 2017 when our kids were young, but only saw half of the thermal features. This time I wanted to explore more of the basin.
I made a video of our visit, with the evening stroll with Evan and Shelley in the Porcelain Basin portion of the area, and a return trip I made to the other half of the basin the following morning.
It was neat to see the sun setting over the glassy surface of hot spring-fed Porcelain Basin. It was nice to meander without crowds and feeling genuinely at ease in comparison to the prior day in the Upper Geyser Basin.
It was another eventful and memorable day in the park and in the Beartooths. We had another full day planned for tomorrow and returned back to Canyon for the night.