DAY 18 - 21: Grand Teton, Yellowstone Park and Mount Rushmore

- May 30, 2018

Wow, just wow! So on Friday, my day 18, we left Salt Lake City, Utah, and drove to Jackson Hole, a real Cowboy Town, via Idaho.

This is bear country and white water rafting is the sport!

Mural of an Elk

The park in Jackson Hole had 4 arches built out of many, many antlers.

Next on the list was Grand Teton National Park. Grand Teton is a stunning mountain range in Wyoming. At the end of May there was still lots of snow.

Then we proceeded to Lake Jackson, a stunning lake that mirrors the sky, clouds and trees on the shore.

Then it was on to Yellow Stone National Park which we entered from the South Gate and exited at the West Gate for our first night.

This old Bison allowed us to get quite near. He is malting and was rubbing up against a tree to get rid of his winter wool.

The next morning we re-entered at the West Gate and drove eastwards through the park, stopping at the thermal area and eventually exiting the park through the East Gate. We saw geysers and beautifully coloured pools of boiling hot water, bubbling mud pools and steaming holes in the ground. The thermal area is absolutely massive.

Bubbling, hot mud.

This hole was scary. It is called the devils mouth and it made the eeriest, unearthly sound and boiling hot water was coming out of it in rhythmic waves. This area also had that rotten egg smell of sulphur.

Before we left the park to drive via Cody to Gillette for the night, we stopped at the Yellowstone Canyon and Waterfall . This area was very impressive but so overrun with selfie-taking tourists that I got very irritated. How may photos do you really need of yourself?

Yellowstone River Waterfall and Canyon

In some areas the snow was still very deep. It was however not cold at all. I am guessing it has something to do with the height above sea level and the shadows of the trees.

At Yellowstone Lake

The water was an absolute mirror

The next morning, day 20, we got Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast. A bit weird. The Biscuits were nice but I preferred it with butter as the gravy (basically a white sauce) was pretty bland.

And on we went to Devils Rock

There were some climbers high up on that sheer cliff face.

We watched this deer for a while and also saw a Bull Snake.

And on to Mount Rushmore. Here we spent some time and I had the opportunity to quietly sit and take it all in. Also watched a short black and white film about how they made these sculptures. approximately 90% of the rock was actually removed with dynamite! The sculptor died months before work seized and his son oversaw the rest of it. The sculptures are actually not quite finished. Work stopped when the USA joined WWII. The 4 figures were supposed to have torsos too.

And then on to the Crazy Horse Memorial. This rock carving has been initiated by one of the Native American Tribes as they felt left out, when Mount Rushmore was created. A Polish artist was commissioned and government funding has twice been turned down. It is very slow going and is very far from completed. By now the original artist has died and it is his wife and sons that are currently overseeing the work.