East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park

We drove through Wapiti Valley (just to west of us) to the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park today.  When we visited Yellowstone years ago we never ventured to this area.  YNP is so big, and our time was limited, we just did not make it to the east side.  So - today we went.  Only 39 miles to entrance, another 27 to Fishing Bridge Area.  Stunning scenery through Wapiti Valley.  Came to Pahaska Teepee Lodge which is 1 mile from the entrance to YNP and is also one of the lodges that William Cody (Buffalo Bill) developed.  He wanted lodges placed along the byway for those visiting YNP.  He built them 'day's travel' apart, back early 1900s meant about every 10 miles because people traveled by stagecoach.  Wapiti Lodge is very modern so we think maybe the original one is no longer in existence and the modern one replaces it.  Pahaska Teepee Lodge - what character.  There is a new lodge in front with a gift shop but go around to back of Teepee and you see the original hunting lodge that Cody built for his winter months of hunting and fishing.

Dining area of Lodge

Original bar from 1904

Inside Hunting Lodge

Had 8 sleeping rooms upstairs and 4 on main level

Traveled into the park and stopped at a pretty little waterfall and turned around to look at the mountains and saw snow still clinging to the tops.  Moved up and over Sylvan Pass and past Sylvan Lake towards Yellowstone Lake.  Amazed at how badly past fires have wiped out the forest.  One area looked pretty new in burn pattern, did not see any undergrowth.

Lots of waterfalls

Riding over Sylvan Pass - elevation 9530

Snow still clings on mountain

Sylvan Lake

Looked like fresh wildfire

Stopped at the Fishing Bridge Inn and got a cup of coffee, went to the visitor's center, then headed back.  Stopped by an area called Steamboat Point where active geysers are spewing into the air.  Stunk big time of sulphur.  Said that this area was among the hottest temperature recorded in the park.  You could hear the venting of the steam even though we were standing up on the roadway looking down at the vent.

Pelicans resting by Pelican Creek

Yellowstone Lake - and yes, it is raining again

Reminded us of Lake Erie only much deeper (410 feet at deepest)

Yellowstone River emptying into Yellowstone Lake - on Fishing Bridge

Could hear the hissing and smell the vent before we could see it

Yellowstone National Park is enormous.  And beautiful.  Looked for wildlife, only saw a large mule deer by the roadway.  No moose, no bear, no buffalo, did see swans and American White Pelicans.  Did see beautiful scenery, just stunning. At one point on our travel back we came across over 2 dozen American White Pelicans floating in the Shoshone River.  Strange to see a pelican here, but they are a fixture on Yellowstone Lake.  We often see them flying around by us here at the campground since the Shoshone River is right behind us.

American White Pelican

Passed the pagoda that looms over the roadway about 2 miles from our campground.  It is the Smith mansion, never completed, the builder (a man by the name of Smith) fell to his death from the balcony.  No electricity, hap-hazard additions, Mr. Smith worked on this 'thing' on weekends and evenings for 20 years, never completing it.  He had 2 children who remember living in the house during the summer months, they said it was fun to live there.  Sad story.  His widow/ex-wife is trying to raise money to complete the house and make it into a museum.  She isn't having much luck.

An interesting fact - all camping must be in hard-covered RV meaning no tents.  Many posters and warnings about bear activity.  And - we saw tents set up - would never take the chance like that.