Whirlwind Weekend – Road Trip to Yellowstone National Park
Two days and a full tank of gas inspired us to undertake a road trip that would be considered a stretch for even the most seasoned travel maximizer. To round out what my husband has termed our “National Parks Extravaganza” (Five National Parks in Four Weekends), we set off from Salt Lake City this past weekend to visit two of the nation’s most iconic and beloved parks – Yellowstone and Grand Teton. It turned out to be an exercise in being present, staying flexible and having faith that it would all work out.
In the days leading up to our trip, we played a game of see-saw. Should we even attempt to see both parks in one weekend or play it safe and pick one? Even without the spoiler in the paragraph above, if you know anything about my husband, you know the ending to the story. Two parks in close proximity to each other are too much temptation for my travel-loving husband to pass up. Truth be told, I was curious to experience Yellowstone when it wasn’t buried beneath several feet of snow.
Magnificent Yellowstone
Yellowstone is a place worthy of all its superlatives – magical, raw, spectacular and profound. Not only was it the nation’s first national park, but it was also the first to ignite my interest in national park travel. Memories of an unexpectedly delightful road trip through Montana and a last-minute change of plans due to inclement weather imbue my recollection of visiting Yellowstone on the day it first opened after a long season of hibernation. In what is quickly becoming a recurring theme to my travels, I found my expectations not only surpassed but completely shattered at my feet as I stepped out onto a seething yet quiet winterscape of fire and ice. At that moment, I understood why they say that nature is a doorway to the divine.
Yellowstone, in all its seasons, defies description.
In the context of this awe-inspiring first encounter, I deliberately dialled down my expectations for our return visit. After all, two years ago, I was a relative travel neophyte. Since I’ve been traipsed through the cobblestone streets of Florence, I have visited the stone-faced Moai of Easter Island and scaled the mountains of Machu Picchu. In the four weeks prior, I added three more National Parks to my virtual travel passport – Mount Rainier, Rocky Mountain, and Yosemite. Would Yellowstone have the same effect on me as it did that brisk winter morning when it ensnared my heart and my imagination?
It most absolutely did.
A Timely Bathroom Break and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
It was supposed to be a short bathroom break and a quick pit stop for Mr. my husband to eat his sandwich (I had devoured mine on the car ride over from Salt Lake). Upon exiting the car, my husband chastened me to be quick. We had a schedule to keep and a long drive still ahead of us. He would quickly learn that I am easily distracted.
That distraction came in the form of a small wooden sign pointing down a short path. Curiosity piqued, I glanced back at the car and could see my husband busily chomping away at his foot-long sub. I figured it would take him at least another five minutes to finish off the first six inches and then another ten to polish the other half and clean up. Plenty of time for me to take a quick peek at what lay at the end of the walkway.
The minute I stepped on the walkway, I lost track of time. A few steps on the wooden planks transported me to a clearing with a view that took my breath away. Before me, I was pooled upon pools of bubbling emerald water juxtaposed against a backdrop of meandering boardwalks and a scenic lakefront. I had arrived at the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake.
