There are certain places in the world that become old friends.
For me, Yellowstone National Park is one of them.
I just completed my 57th annual trip to Yellowstone, and once again I came away feeling blessed. The weather was nearly perfect, the traffic was manageable, the wildlife cooperated, at least somewhat, and the old park looked as beautiful as ever.
After 57 years of trips, you might say I have a pretty good relationship with Yellowstone.
This particular trip was part of a longer journey to see our son Michael and his family near Moses Lake, Washington. We also planned to visit our good RV friends Dan and Cindy Whetstone, who live between Kalispell and Libby in Montana.
But, as often happens with me, Yellowstone became the highlight.
We had perfect timing at Old Faithful. We arrived at the Old Faithful Inn just as the geyser was erupting. You could not have planned it better.
I sat for a while in the magnificent lobby of the Old Faithful Inn and visited with a fellow from Arizona who was on a Tauck bus tour. We had a nice conversation about Yellowstone and traveling. And, no, my old friend Wendy Corr was not his hostess. Since leaving Cowboy State Daily, Wendy’s new gig is hosting folks on these bus tours.
Our trip was aided by our daughter Amber Hollins of Texas who helped care for her mom and helped me with the driving.
Beautiful Highway 287
Highway 287 through Wyoming is one of the most historic and beautiful drives in the world. It has everything. On this trip it also gave me a chance to enjoy some of my favorite Wyoming places.
We stopped for breakfast at the Canteen at NMMV (National Museum of Military Vehicles) in Dubois. The food was excellent, and I was pleased to see new motel construction taking place nearby.
I love Dubois. There is just something about that little town. It has always been one of my favorite places in Wyoming. In fact I founded the newspaper there in 1978 with Cindy Boyhan and Mary Allison.
Then came Togwotee Pass. The views were spectacular.
For once, there was no smoke obscuring the Tetons. We had a crystal-clear view, and I was reminded again why this is one of the most beautiful drives in America.
We saw no grizzlies along the road, either, although I always keep my eyes peeled.
The Brooks Lake Road was open, too, after having been closed earlier. We traveled along that route and eventually reached the area near Wind River Lake, which is the headwaters of the mighty Wind/Bighorn River.
A friend, Jared Kail, had just been there and reported seeing lots of bear sign.
That is one of the great things about traveling through this country. Around almost every corner is another story, another memory or another reminder that we live in a remarkable place.
Back to Yellowstone
Why have I visited the park so many times? At least once a year for 57 straight years. There are many reasons.
In the mid-1970s, some partners and I were involved in owning newspapers in Montana, and we frequently drove through Yellowstone on our way north.
Then our daughter Shelli played basketball at the University of Montana in Missoula, so we made many trips through the park to visit her.
For over 15 years, I served on the regional AAA board covering Wyoming, Montana and Alaska. We had one or two meetings a year in Helena, and Highway 287 through Yellowstone was one of my favorite routes to get there.
I also served on the Wyoming tourism board and owned tourism companies that promoted Yellowstone. So, there were always plenty of reasons to visit the park.
And I can honestly say: It has never been a bad trip.
I may be one of the few people who attended both the 100th and 150th anniversary celebrations of Yellowstone.
The 150th anniversary was held during COVID in the spring of 2022. The south and east entrances were closed, but Wendy Corr and I received permission to unlock the gates with a combination lock. We covered the big event for Cowboy State Daily in 2022.Wendy went in from the locked gate on the east from Cody and Nancy and I went through the locked gate on the south from Moran.
It was both thrilling and eerie. We drove through vast sections of Yellowstone with virtually nobody else around.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
After the celebration, on the way back, we ran into a blizzard.
Now that was nerve-wracking. My all-wheel drive car plowed through six inches of fresh snow with a blizzard blowing. Whew! What a thrill.
As a young Lander publisher, I was also invited to the 100th anniversary celebration, which was held in Cody in 1972. It was a huge event, much bigger than the Covid-subdued event 50 years later. I looked around at the latter event and I swear I did not see anyone who I thought had been to the earlier event.
Grand Prismatic Spring
This latest trip had another special challenge.
For the last four times I had been in Yellowstone, we could not get into Grand Prismatic Spring. Either the parking area was full or the crowds made it impossible.
This time, because we were there later in the month and later in the day, we finally got in. I have a bad hip, so walking the long trail to the spring was painful. It was a long, long hike for me.
But I made it. And it was worth every painful step.
There were lots of visitors on the boardwalk with me including two colorful couples from China and India. They were having a wonderful time at the overlook where hikers can look down on the colorful spring. They were not together but they were on each side of me as trekked up the long boardwalk. The guys were taking photos of their young wives in typical newly-wed fashion. They were sure cute.
Smoke Was Dispersed
One of the biggest blessings on this trip was the weather. Fires have been burning throughout the West, but we were fortunate that smoke from nearby fires was not evident during our visit.
That meant we could see the Tetons in all their glory.
As we drove toward Jackson Lake Lodge, I thought of my late friend Clay James. He was the CEO of that magnificent lodge operation for 30 years. Clay also served with me on both the Wyoming tourism board and the regional AAA board.
So many Yellowstone trips are filled with memories of people who are no longer with us. That is another reason Yellowstone feels like an old friend. Every trip adds another memory.
After 57 annual visits, I suppose I know the old girl pretty well. But she still has a few surprises. And she is still looking pretty good. Here is hoping I get to see her again next year.
Bill can be reached at Bill@CowboyStateDaily.com
