Our family trip from Denver to Yellowstone – a recap (page 2 of 4)

Our next stop will be Fort Laramie, a key stopover for pioneers following the Oregon Trail around the 1850s. Several important treaties with various Native American tribes were signed here. The fort was gradually abandoned starting in 1890. Free entry, documentation in French available at the visitor center. A really interesting place where we spent a long time before the storm rolling in fast made us leave.

View of the plains:

New guard post (prison):

The captain’s quarters:

The surgeon’s quarters: The store:

The cavalry barracks:

Night in Gering at the Cobblestone Hotel: a good hotel with a full breakfast, pool, and reasonable rates (99 €).

We really enjoyed Fort Laramie—such an interesting visit! Thanks for this amazing travel journal!

Hi Monique,

Thanks for your message. We really enjoyed this visit.

Day 8: another long day of driving (230 miles planned; we did 250 miles yesterday). After our daily stop for supplies at the Walmart in Sheridan, we take scenic route A14 through Bighorn National Forest. The landscapes are stunning. There are still patches of snow here and there.

We stop at Medicine Wheel. At nearly 10,000 feet, it’s a sacred ceremonial site for Native Americans and is still in use today. The site is 79 feet in diameter and consists of 28 spokes. A trail, which offers beautiful viewpoints despite the mist, leads to the site from the parking lot. We spot several deer. Don’t forget that the site is at nearly 10,000 feet, which can make walking a bit more challenging. The circle must be walked clockwise. Many offerings are left inside, and pieces of fabric are tied around. While not overwhelming, this site leaves an impression and has a certain vibe—probably because we know it’s a ceremonial place.

The road remains just as beautiful, with pelicans swimming peacefully on Bighorn Lake.

After stopping at the Visitor Center, we head to explore Bighorn Canyon. The sky has clouded over a bit—too bad. We spot a bighorn sheep mom with her baby by the roadside. It’s adorable. Stop at Devil Canyon Overlook: amazing! We continue driving, hoping to see wild horses. We come across a herd of bighorn sheep, but no horses in sight. We’re pretty disappointed. We head back the other way and do the State Line Trail. A very easy 1.2-mile round-trip hike that offers another view of the canyon.

We leave the canyon feeling pretty bummed about not seeing wild horses—it definitely deserves a longer visit. That would’ve given us time to do other short trails and check out the arch, which I only found out about after our visit!

We hit the road again for a two-night stay at the KOA in Cody: a nice campground, well-equipped, with free pancakes in the morning.

Hello, glad you enjoyed the Frontier Days and SD. See you soon!

Hi Laurence,

Congrats on your super detailed travel journal, especially the timing for visits—it’s always tricky to get a feel for that. Sometimes a simple place touches us more than expected, and we end up spending extra time there, which is totally fine!

We’ll be doing part of your itinerary in 2019, and you’ve got us dreaming!

Good luck with the rest!

Cyril

Hi Chris, All your detailed posts on the forum really helped us prepare for our time in SD, and we’re so grateful. It’s a beautiful state. Have a great Sunday,

Hi Cyril,

Thanks for your feedback. We try to plan visit times to estimate how long our days will be, but in reality, we’re often way off! It’s really nice to be able to take our time when, as you said, we’re struck by a place that initially seemed ordinary. That’s why we try to keep our stops not too long, but it’s not always easy. We’ll see at the end of our trip—we were a bit too ambitious!

Day 9: Rest day in Cody. Since the group wasn’t motivated to visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, which houses 5 museums, we had a relaxed morning with some sleeping in, swimming, soccer⚽, and chores/errands for others! We left in the early afternoon for a rafting trip with Wyoming River Trip. We chose the longest route, "Red Rock Canyon and Lower," which is 12 miles for $48 pp. Most of the rapids are in the first section. The scenery was beautiful, especially the Red Rock Canyon. We saw several deer, great blue herons, and a pair of owls (not easy to spot in the last photo, center next to the bushes). There were quite a few pretty intense rapids, and the guide had the youngest kids lie down on the side—they got soaked from head to toe! We all ended up pretty wet. The rafting trip was a lot of fun, and we really enjoyed it. The guide gave us lots of explanations about the rocks, landscapes, and animals, but we had a hard time understanding everything because of his strong accent.

After changing, we explored Cody while waiting for *The Cody Gunfighters* at 6:00 PM in front of the Irma Hotel. Apart from this building, the town has no charm. I was hoping to find the vibe of Deadwood, but I was wrong. As for the gunfighters, it was really kitschy and pretty mediocre. We stopped by Walmart to save time the next morning and bought a Bear Spray ($29.90, which was $10 cheaper than in the park). Everyone laughed at the time, but opinions on its usefulness changed pretty quickly!

Verdict: We were disappointed with Cody—this town really didn’t win us over. It’s true we didn’t visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center (which generally gets great reviews), the Old Trail Town (historic houses), or attend the rodeo, the three main activities in Cody. So why did we stop in Cody, you ask? Because I was expecting something different from this town—a vibe, a soul—that I just didn’t find. But also to have a relaxed day, which is nice during a packed trip, and to recharge before tackling the much-anticipated Yellowstone.

Hi Laurence,

Thanks for this travel journal. Your visit to Badlands NP brought back great memories for me, and so did the giant boots in Cheyenne. I loved the prairie dogs just as much as you did. We were also there during the motorcycle meet-ups. There’s really a special vibe around Cody and the Black Hills during the Sturgis rally. We ended up there by pure chance, and I loved seeing all those different motorcycles in Hill City.



I wasn’t familiar with Bighorn Canyon—it’ll be for another trip. Of course, when you’re in the area, Yellowstone is a must... I’m really looking forward to seeing it through your photos.

But what I’m even more excited to read about is your account of:

Day 19: Dinosaur NM + Fantasy Canyon Day 20: Dinosaur NM + Colorado NM

I’m actually planning to visit Dinosaur NM and Fantasy Canyon in February. We’ve already been to Colorado NM.

See you soon.

In Sturgis! We were there for Bike Week in 2015—okay, we’re bikers, sure, but it’s a stop that can be recommended to everyone. Those bikers are *cool*! Of course, Harleys *make noise* (to our ears, beautiful music 😛 😉 😏).

Hey Chris,

We were there for Bike Week in 2015—okay, we’re bikers, sure, but it’s a stop I’d recommend to anyone. Those bikers are "cool"!

We were there in August 2014. It’s true that with their outfits, the bikers can be pretty intimidating, but when you talk to them, they’re really chill. I loved seeing all the amazing bikes I discovered.



See you soon

Good evening Diamina,

Thanks for following along. Badlands NP was a real highlight for me. At the pace I'm going, Dinosaur NM won't be happening anytime soon! But I'm tackling Yellowstone now.

Day 10: On the road to Yellowstone! A beautiful drive takes us to the east entrance. As we cross Sylvan Pass, a deer crosses the road right in front of us. We head to the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center. This area is under construction, but it doesn’t cause any delays. We pick up some brochures, info on our first planned hike (Storm Point Trail), and the Junior Ranger program—the only park where they charged us for it ($3). We return to Indian Pond, the starting point for this hike. The parking lot is far from full, which is great. Off we go for our first taste of Yellowstone. After a few hundred meters, we run into an American returning from his hike. He asks if we have bells to make noise (uh, yeah, but in the car) and bear spray. I *did* bring it, but we hadn’t removed the safety clip. He pulls out his pocketknife, removes it for us, and shows us how to use it. He explains there’s a huge carcass by the trail and bears are hanging around nearby. Weird—the ranger didn’t mention it or warn us about anything. Nervous much, sir? We see the carcass further ahead; not much left except the skeleton. The trail runs along the lake, offering beautiful views. We pass a few hikers, many turning back at Storm Point, a really pretty viewpoint. We decide to continue the loop, and the trail quickly heads into the woods. We talk loudly as a precaution. Suddenly, the sound of snapping branches and a growl stops us in our tracks. We freeze and instinctively huddle together, bear spray pointed toward the noise. Silence. We scan the underbrush but see nothing. After a few minutes, more snapping branches—then nothing again. We stay still for a while longer, then, still tightly grouped, we resume walking, making as much noise as possible (not hard with six of us!) and picking up the pace, bear spray at the ready. We’re relieved to see the end of the forest and emerge into the meadow. We’ll never know what it was, and that’s fine—but we all *definitely* heard that growl. In the end, everyone was glad I’d bought the spray, even though it had made them laugh the day before.

After this unforgettable first hike, we head to Mud Volcano, where a lone bison has taken up residence, seemingly unbothered by the smells. A boardwalk lets us explore this small site. A nice introduction to the park’s phenomena. We have a late picnic at LeHardy’s Rapid, where we see very few people, before heading to West Thumb Geyser Basin, a much busier area. The parking lot is full, but we find a spot quickly. We start the 1 km loop around the site, always on boardwalks. The colors are stunning. There are quite a few Chinese tourists, but they’re no louder or ruder than other groups. We make room for them to take photos, and they do the same for us. Whenever they ask us to take their picture, they *insist* on taking one of us in return. We’ve never taken so many photos of the six of us on a trip! I’d planned to continue with the Yellowstone Lake Overlook Trail, but it’s getting late to start that hike. So we head toward Old Faithful, where we’ve booked cabins for two nights at Old Faithful Lodge. We stop along the way at Scaup Lake, by the roadside and covered in water lilies, and at Kepler Cascades, which are quite pretty. When we arrive at the Old Faithful site, its eruption is imminent, so we go admire it, along with a big crowd. Then we check into our two cabins—three people each, no bathroom but with a sink. They’re adjoining and form a single block. Great accommodation, quiet, very clean, and not too expensive (102 € per cabin). The restrooms are nearby, and there are picnic tables available (cooking in the cabins is not allowed). We head back out at the end of the day to see another Old Faithful eruption from Observation Point Trail. Not many people around, and it’s a beautiful show from this viewpoint. We continue to Solitary Geyser, stunning with the sunset. A peaceful hike, far from the crowds, about 4 km long.

Hi Laurence,

No worries about Dinosaur Monument—I’ll skip that park after all since it’s not exactly ideal in winter. I’ll focus on Arizona and Utah instead, which are harder to visit in the summer. I’m calmly following your travel journal. No stress! 😏

Day 11: Quick stop at the Visitor Center to note the estimated geyser eruption times, and we head to the boardwalks in the Upper Geyser Basin for a walk of about ten kilometers. It’s very peaceful, the weather is gorgeous, and the colors are stunning—almost surreal. We watch Old Faithful erupt from the boardwalks. It gives us a different perspective.

After waiting for about thirty minutes, Grand Geyser, along with Turban and Vent Geysers, erupts. It’s magnificent—totally worth the wait. We continue our walk, skipping Riverside Geyser since we hope to see its eruption on the way back. We reach Morning Glory Pool—what incredible colors!

We decide to walk all the way to Biscuit Basin. We don’t encounter anyone on this stretch, even though the path is lovely with beautiful blue-colored pools. We have a picnic alone in front of Artemisia Geyser.

Tour of Biscuit Basin, where there are more people—the parking lot is full, and cars are waiting for spots. Sapphire Pool is gorgeous—more stunning colors.



Back in the Upper Geyser Basin, after waiting a few minutes, we witness Riverside Geyser erupt. A beautiful geyser by the water in a lovely setting.

Grotto Geyser erupts as we pass by. Nice!

We wanted to go all the way to Black Sand Basin (about 3 km round trip), but once again, we went way over the time we’d planned for this loop. So we’ll go later by car.

We stop at the Old Faithful Inn, whose all-wood interior is well worth a visit.

After a quick stop at our cabin, we head back out by car to do the Firehole Drive, a one-way loop (south/north) of 3 km. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see Great Fountain Geyser erupt. We only see White Dome Geyser, which erupts very often but isn’t very impressive. Still, it’s a beautiful and not-too-crowded loop.

The end of the loop leads to Fountain Paint Pots, where we stop. A small 800-meter loop—steam, bubbling, and always those gorgeous, translucent colors.

More to come in the next post—maximum number of photos reached!

Suite J11: Our next stop is at Midway Geyser Basin. There are a lot of cars parked along the road. Despite the late hour (6:30/7:00 PM), the parking lot is full, and we wait a little while to find a spot. The star of the place is Grand Prismatic, but there’s quite a bit of steam that keeps us from fully appreciating the colors.

Our last stop of the day is at Black Sand Basin. After a full day, we decide to grab dinner at Old Faithful Basin Store. The burgers and fries are average quality but not too expensive for the area.

J12: Early start for the Fairy Falls parking lot. Not many people around—one of the perks of being there early. An easy 8 km round-trip hike to the falls. We have the place to ourselves; a few people arrive shortly after. This hike is lovely, far from the crowds, leading to a 60-meter waterfall. Lots of bold chipmunks around.

Thunder rumbles, and the sky darkens quickly, so we decide not to go all the way to Imperial Geyser, which we can see from a distance. We turn back and head up to the platform to admire Grand Prismatic, even though we planned to return—you never know. With this weather, the colors are really dull.

Rain, then hail, hits us before we can make it back to the car. Everyone’s running along the trail, and we arrive soaked. After waiting a while for the storm to calm, we hit the road again. The rain eases up, and we make a quick stop at Gibbon Falls. Meh.

We try Artist Pain Pots—the parking lot is full despite the weather, but we don’t wait long to park. After picnicking in the car and catching a break in the clouds, we do the 1.8 km loop. Another easy and pleasant hike, even with a slight incline. It’s still really beautiful, with several mud pots.



A funny-looking duck...

The rain picks up again as we head back to the car. Since we still have a few days in the park, we decide to head straight to our hotel in Gardiner.

The sun comes back out—the weather changes so fast! We stop at a pretty waterfall along the way (I can’t remember its name).

We drive through a big construction zone. It’s Sunday, so the road isn’t closed, but everyone’s driving slowly because of the road conditions after the rain.

The car after the construction zone...

There are some nice viewpoints before reaching Mammoth Hot Springs.

We stop at the visitor center to get info for tomorrow’s plans before arriving in Gardiner. We’re staying at the Super 8: nice room, indoor pool, simple breakfast, and a supermarket right across the street. It’s the cheapest hotel we found in the area, but it still cost 198 €! The kids are happy to have Wi-Fi again...

Day 12: back at Mammoth Hot Springs. At this early hour, we spot several elk along the road.

We start at the Lower Terraces Area in front of Liberty Cap.

I’m completely blown away—it’s so beautiful! The white limestone against the blue sky with the sun sparkling on the flowing water is simply stunning.

Hard to believe some people are disappointed by this place. All the conditions are perfect: glorious sunshine, flowing water, and hardly anyone around at this early hour.

That’s really the advantage of staying as close as possible to the tourist attractions. Once again, we end up spending way more time there than planned. I could easily spend hours just soaking in these landscapes—they’re that mesmerizing. But my kids pull me away if I linger too long!

Next up is today’s hike, the Beaver Ponds Loop Trail, a roughly 9 km loop starting near Liberty Cap. The beginning isn’t straightforward—several trail intersections with no signs.

The rest of the trail is well-marked. As always, having the paper map of this hike helps us stay on track. This relatively easy walk—even if it climbs quite a bit at first—takes us through some gorgeous scenery and past several lakes.

We don’t see many animals: 2 beavers (?) that scurry away when they hear us, some ducks, and a male elk (or deer). We only cross paths with one couple doing the loop in the opposite direction. A peaceful picnic by the lake, just the four of us. Pure bliss. I highly recommend this lovely hike if you have the time.

Back at Mammoth Hot Springs, we grab a good ice cream and head to Boiling River for a dip in the hot springs. Lots of cars parked along the road, but we find a spot right away in the second parking lot. And the crowd! So many people on the trail leading to the springs, but not as many in the water in the end. We find a spot and soak for a good while. It’s really nice, even if the water temperature swings from freezing to boiling at times. This time, it’s the kids who dawdle and don’t want to get out!

We get back in the car and drive the Upper Terrace loop. It’s not as stunning as the Lower Terrace, but still worth it. Too bad it’s by car—it loses some of its charm.

Needless to say, given the time, today’s planned stops along the road to Roosevelt Lodge are scrapped! No big deal—we’ve still got several days ahead.

A pronghorn strolls peacefully through a meadow.

A crowd makes us stop. We “park” the car along the road. A bear and her two cubs are on the hillside. The cubs nap, then try climbing a tree—learning is tough! Mom stays hidden in the bushes.

We settle into our cabin at Roosevelt Lodge for 3 nights: a 6-person cabin with no bathroom, clean, comfy beds, and a very reasonable price (145 € per night).

An absolutely perfect day in every way, ending with a bear and her cubs. What more could you ask for!

Hi Laurence, I started your travel journal today, so I’ll be following along! Kudos for packing the car—we also had an Escalade, but with four people it’s still easier to fit the bags! ;) You didn’t seem to have much luck with the weather in several spots, but luckily it didn’t last and didn’t stop you from enjoying the places! Can’t wait for the next part!

Hello Laurence! Yellowstone really brings back our amazing memories from this summer😎.

I’m still blown away—it’s so beautiful! The white limestone against the blue sky with the sun sparkling on the flowing water, it’s simply stunning. Hard to believe some people are disappointed by this place. But you’ve got to admit, everything came together perfectly: glorious sunshine, water everywhere, and hardly anyone around at that early hour..

Yes, exactly!

Staying right near the main attractions is such a huge advantage. Once again, we’re making the most of our visit time. I could honestly spend hours just soaking in these landscapes—they’re so breathtaking. But my kids pull me out of my trance if I linger too long!

Same here—I could stay for hours in front of a view that moves me... and just like yours, my son eventually snaps me back to reality😉

After finishing my travel journal, I started putting together the photo album... can’t wait to get it!😉 More to come soon

Hi Peggy,

Thanks for following along on our trip! It’s definitely a joy fitting everything for four into the Escalade! Weather’s one of those travel factors that’s out of our hands—gotta roll with it and adapt. No way we’re letting it get us down! But yeah, a bright blue sky *does* make everything better, and the landscapes just pop. More to come soon!

Have a great evening,

Hi Fanny,

Given the quality of the photos in your travel journal, I can see why you’re eager to get your albums. For my part, I just print the photos and make albums the "old-school" way. With the kids, we love looking through them—it usually brings back great memories.

Day 14: On the road to the canyon area. We start bright and early at the South Rim. The entire Uncle’s Tom section is closed. We head to Artist Point, which offers a beautiful view of Lower Falls. Not many people in the parking lot. Quick tip: park near the exit to avoid getting stuck when leaving because of cars waiting for a spot. We take the walk to Point Sublime. It’s true that this viewpoint isn’t the most stunning. An easy 3.8 km round-trip hike. As usual, we take our time…

We wanted to continue to the North Rim, but cars are lined up all the way from the road… We’ll come back tomorrow.

We stop at Brink of Upper Falls—the parking lot is full, but spots open up pretty quickly. A short walk to the falls. Nothing exceptional.

We head out calmly, stopping at viewpoints with lovely panoramas. At Dunraven Pass, one of my kids realizes they’ve got signal, so all the phones come out, and the stop drags on… For once, I get to enjoy the scenery in peace.

The Mount Washburn hike is closed for maintenance. We stop to see Tower Falls. A pretty 40-meter waterfall just 200 meters from the general store parking lot, but you can’t access the base anymore. There’s a path that seems to go down to the Yellowstone River, but no one’s motivated, so we don’t go down.

Just 2.5 km later, Calcite Springs Overlook is definitely worth a stop. The calcite springs are right by the river, and on the other side, you can see basalt columns.

We then drive through Lamar Valley. Hundreds of bison are in the meadows. We witness a fight between two of them—dust flying everywhere—it’s impressive. A big bison, who seemed to be sleeping, suddenly gets up and breaks them up. The two bison pretend to walk away, but one chases the other (and bison can run fast!), and they start fighting again even harder. Is he going to charge us? No, he’s just scratching the ground before rolling in it.

We do the Trout Lake loop—a nice 2 km walk around a pretty lake. No trout in sight, but there are ducks and some kind of geese with their chicks, who get pretty aggressive when you pass by. A nice, peaceful hike, far from everything. Very relaxing.

We drive to Cooke City, a tiny village at the northeast entrance, then head back through Lamar Valley. We spot a herd of pronghorns right by the road. They’re not scared of cars or bison.

And dozens more bison at sunset.

End of a peaceful day, far from the crowds.

Hi Laurence, How on earth did I miss your travel journal? I don’t get it… But here I am now. I just read everything in one go. I love reliving all these places. I’m discovering Cheyenne in the sunshine, and it’s so different from what we experienced. Wow! The bison in the Badlands! They were much closer to you than they were to us. These landscapes are among my favorites from this trip too. It’s a shame the park is so out of the way compared to the others. I’m not sure I’d go back. I see you had the same impression as we did about Fort Hays. I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see it. You two were *so* lucky with the bison. It’s like you attract them! For us, in Custer, they were pretty far away. Goes to show—just a few days apart, and you can see totally different things. Sylvan Lake and the Needles in the sun… it makes me *really* want to go back. You were also super lucky with the wildlife (except for the wild horses—seems like they were playing hard to get this year). Lovely bighorn sheep in different spots, a gorgeous mountain goat, tons of antelope, deer, pelicans on the lake… And then Yellowstone (funny, we’re at about the same point in our stories). It’s always so beautiful to see—and to see again. I never get tired of it. You guys do some amazing hikes. Those cubs are adorable. What luck, once again. Hey, were the animals *really* that close to you (again, the bison at Yellowstone seem close), or do you have a good zoom lens? Thanks for sharing and for the gorgeous photos. Looking forward to the rest! Françoise.

Hi Françoise,

So glad my story brought back good memories for you! My camera is nothing special, but the bison were *right* there—often between the cars. We could’ve touched them several times just by rolling down the window. We really wanted to, but common sense won out, of course!

We were definitely spoiled—not by the sometimes-fickle weather, but by the wildlife. And the best part? It’s not over yet!

Have a great day,