Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
June 22nd through 24th
The Line Into the Park
I arrived at my spot at 5:50am local time and didn't feel I was that far back in line. It was a chilly morning and it was fun watching how many people were making coffee outdoors.
I did have time to take the drone out for a quick flight up and down just to see how long the line was. Here is the full clip of the flight.
The Upper Geyser Basin
My first day in the park I decided to head straight to Old Faithful. I was entering from the south side of the park so I was nearby and being so early in line meant that it was going to be the least busy it will be for a long time. The geyser features are truly unique and one of only three places in the world to see them.
The afternoon I headed up to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone to see the really big canyon. Honestly it doesn’t even look real when you are there.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
The afternoon I headed up to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone to see the really big canyon. Honestly it doesn’t even look real when you are there.
I also learned how much I treasure my camera since my hands got shakey whenever I tried taking a photo near the ledge. It was probably the hardest I’ve ever held on to not drop it.
A Grand Imperial Fairy Hike
The second day in the park included an epic hike. It started in the Sentinel Meadows where I got to see a full Bison herd. After I detoured to the overlook for the majestic Grand Prismatic Springs. I quickly stopped to stand below Fairy Falls before heading to the Imperial Geyser. Even though I got rained on towards the end this still remains one of my favorite hikes in the country.
Wind Wind, Go Away - A Video Essay
During my time at Yellowstone I tried to dedicate slightly more time to capturing video footage. My long hike day I prioritized capturing water clips. Unfortunately my microphone didn’t handle the wind very much, and possibly wasn’t even plugged in. Regardless, here is my Yellowstone experience in a video.
Grand Teton National Park
Getting Into the Area
Deciding to try the Teton/Yellostone area is absolutely a crazy idea right now. Yellowstone National Park is completely closed down until Wednesday (6/22) and the whole area has super high water levels. But this is why I got the van right? To bring myself places that more difficult to navigate without it. My staging ground is a National Forest campsite a short drive from Grand Teton National Park.
Grand Teton National Park
June 21st, 2022
Hike Around Jenny Lake
My first planned activity was my go to at the park. This wasn't my first walk around Jenny Lake and it was as beautiful as I remembered it.. despite the rain.
Path Out to Leigh Lake
Plans changed quite suddenly when I decided I wanted to attempt to get into Yellowstone National Park tomorrow for its first day open in a week. I took a nice casual morning with a view of the Tetons and spent the afternoon on a relatively short and flat hike out around Leigh Lake.
Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park
June 18th, 2022
Getting Started Is Hard
This whole summer van trip could not have started with more unexpected turns if somebody tried planning it. I ended up leaving a week late with a route change to accommodate less time on the road. My plan was to head directly out to Yellowstone National Park and make it a cornerstone of my first month on the road. I’d stop in Wind Caves National Park for a day or two since it was on the way then find my new home for a month. And for the unexpected turn.. Yellowstone is flooded out and will probably be close for the entire season. So here I stay at Wind Caves enjoying the area and plotting my next move.
Also its too hot. Highs in the 90s is just too hot to enjoy yourself in a prairie environment.
First Time Out Backpacking
I attempted a single night out in the backcountry as sort of a shakedown for myself. I haven’t gone actual backpacking since 2019 and I needed to prove to myself I knew what I was doing.
I proved to myself, that I have a lot to re-remember. I edited together the clips from the that outing in the video below. Needless to say I was a forgetful boy.
Into the Cave We Go
Caves are always cool. While not the first cave system I've been to its always such a unique experience going below ground. On the tour there is a moment where they turn off the lights except for a candle to give you the experience of the original cave explores. Then blow out the light. It was complete darkness and, except for childish laughter of the two young boys in the group, there would have been complete silence.
Where the Buffalo Belong
This area has its own buffalo herd thats roams wherever it wants. It’s honestly one of the coolest attractions this place has to offer. I honestly spent a lot of time just sitting and watching them all graze. Also at one of the trailheads a lone buffalo passed through the parking lot. Don’t worry thought, I was taking photos from the rooftop deck.
To The West I Go
Departure Day
All the build projects are done and Vincent is completely loaded. All the goodbyes have been given and I’m ready to hit the road.
Its going to be a strange summer for me. A few weeks ago i lost my job of 10 years due to the “reworking of budgets” and for the first time I can travel without an outlying responsibility directing my actions. I’ve already been joking about it but I get to lean into being jobless, homeless, living out of a van all summer and I couldn’t be more excited about it.
This time around I did make myself an itinerary but until I get my travel legs more I’m not going to share details. My first stop will be Wind Caves National Park for both a trip underground with a cave tour and a trip to the backcountry for a single night backpacking.
While diesel prices are terrible its been nice seeing Vincent get much better gas mileage than in the spring!
Wall Drug
Did You See the Sign?
Honestly, the signs worked. I would never have stopped into this place except that every couple hundred feet leading there was a sign about Wall Drug. They started MILES away leading you towards this tourist paradise.
5 Cent Coffee
Once you get inside I’m not sure if it was surprising or if it was exactly as I expected. It is just row after row of weird little tourist shops with weird statues and attractions in between.
They were true to their signs and I stopped to get a 5 cent cup of coffee. Honestly it tasted like greasy spoon diner coffee and I love it enough to go back for seconds.
In typical midwestern fashion there was a rummage sale going on. If I had more room in the van there was a good chance I would have picked something up.
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
This place used to be the bomb. A very big bomb. Now it is just a cool historical gem located right outside the Badlands.
During the Cold War there were missile silos scattered all around the Dakotas to battle against the nuclear escalation with the USSR. I grew up hearing that these were located there but getting to see a missile in the silo (decommissioned) was quite an ominous feeling to it. Walking through the museum brings to light how scary of a time it was for many people.
Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park
This was my second time every coming to this park and I have to admit that I enjoy it more during the month of March than the month of August.
First time around it was 103F during the daytime with some nice cool lows around 85F. It was also packed, why were so many people visited with those conditions? Why was I visited with those conditions?
This time around was much different. When I took the main road through the park I saw possibly three other cars and I did not see anybody else on the hikes I went on. Honestly, early March is the perfect time for a visit.
Wind Cave National Park - A Preview
Wind Cave National Park
This will be just a preview as my stop here was in passing. Basically it was just on the way. Wind Cave National Park is situated at just the right distance from home in Wisconsin to make this one of my most visited national sites.
There is also the chance that I have the name spelled wrong all over the place. Its Wind Cave National park, not Wind Caves. Technically it is just one really really big cave.
