Trading the sweltering heat of Salt Lake City for the crisp mountain air of Wyoming turned out to be one of our best decisions yet! The past three days have been an absolute whirlwind of jaw-dropping vistas, geological marvels, and winding mountain roads that had Todd channeling his inner NASCAR driver behind Reba’s wheel.
Our summer RV adventure just leveled up with visits to both the Grand Tetons AND an unexpected detour into Yellowstone – bringing our national park tally to a whopping high this season. Not bad for a couple who started this journey just wanting to escape the everyday hustle!
The Grand Tetons absolutely stole the show with their dramatic formation story. These majestic peaks didn’t mess around – they shot up through ancient flood waters in just months (Noah definitely dodged a bullet by parking his ark elsewhere!), creating those razor-sharp summits, sprawling canyon glaciers, and one seriously impressive fault line that still makes geologists weak in the knees.
Wandering through the park’s historical buildings, we learned about John D. Rockefeller’s passionate fight to preserve this wilderness from development. The man had serious vision! We also stumbled upon “Mormon Row” and several churches that painted a picture of the area’s religious heritage.
But here’s where I have to call out a major oversight – the almost complete absence of Native American acknowledgment in the park materials. For a region with such rich indigenous history, this feels like a massive missed opportunity and frankly, an epic fail.
Wildlife Adventures (Or Lack Thereof)
Despite my high hopes for a moose or bear encounter, our furry friends decided to maintain their social distancing. Probably for the best, considering our dogs’ reaction to the bison herd! Speaking of which – Willow was the first to spot our 2,000-pound neighbors through Reba’s window, launching into what I can only describe as the most animated conversation of her life. Aspen quickly joined the chorus, creating such a ruckus that our new bison buddies made a swift exit. Drama queens, all of them!
We did catch sight of deer, adorable Pika, and countless birds. And yes, I’m officially obsessed with the Merlin Bird ID app that Cheryl introduced me to back in Colorado. Todd’s absolutely thrilled with my play-by-play bird announcements on every trail. I think I’m becoming a full-fledged birder!
Oh, and those Minnesota state birds (a.k.a. mosquitoes)? They found us. I could have lived without that particular wildlife encounter, thank you very much.
Yellowstone: The Greatest Hits Tour
With the Tetons’ 13,779-foot peaks providing our backdrop, we rolled into Yellowstone through the south entrance. Our campsite sat perfectly positioned just under two miles from the park boundary – talk about prime real estate!
Since we’d explored the northern sections before, we packed our itinerary with southern gems:
Old Faithful – Because when in Rome (or Wyoming), you absolutely must! The grand dame of geysers didn’t disappoint.
West Thumb Geyser Basin – Beautiful, though we witnessed one visitor literally dragging her poor dog along despite clear posted warnings. Some people, I swear!
Yellowstone Lake – This massive body of water rivals Lake Ontario in size. The scale is just mind-boggling.
Mountain Passes Galore – Todd navigated these winding roads like an absolute champion. Reba handled those switchbacks like she was born for mountain life!
Geological Wonderland – Lava flows, bubbling mudpots, steaming hot springs, cascading waterfalls, and geysers everywhere you looked. You can practically smell that distinctive sulfur through this blog post, right?
Our Four-Legged Travel Critics
Aspen and Willow deserve their own five-star review for adapting to RV life like absolute pros. Only one motion sickness incident on those twisty mountain roads (apparently dogs can get carsick too – who knew?), but otherwise they’ve been model travelers.
Wine, Peacocks, and Wyoming Hospitality
Last night’s stay at Mystic Mountain Vineyard through Harvest Hosts was pure magic. Larry, Nancy, and Nicole treated us to a private tasting and shared fascinating insights about growing grapes in Wyoming’s challenging climate. The wine was exceptional, the company even better, and we had the unexpected bonus of peacocks strutting around from the neighboring farm. Now that’s a first for this travel diary!
No Words or Pictures Will Be Enough
The views over these three days literally brought tears to my eyes. I’m already itching to share photos when we get home, though I know they won’t capture even a fraction of the raw beauty we witnessed.
**Next stop: Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This adventure train keeps rolling!**
PHOTO DUMP
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