Indian Creek. Photo was taken behind our campsite in Yellowstone NP.
(July 14-19 2019) Sometimes you have to talk to people, lots of people. That’s one way you learn. Observing is another. Between the two, we figured out the best strategy of getting an un-reserved campsite in the middle of Yellowstone National Park in peak season. For those that know, that knowledge can be worth its weight in gold. On the first morning we passed the gatehouse of Indian Creek campground at around 7:30 and started surveying the sites by reading peoples site tickets (looking for departure dates.). Slowly we circled, waiting...watching. It's, "Dog eat dog" out there.
Yvette saw it first. A man and woman both getting into their vehicle which was hooked to their trailer. "LOOK, THEY'RE ABOUT TO LEAVE!" Yvette exclaimed. Quickly I calculated where I needed to be in the loop (it's one-way) and how fast to drive to arrive just at the right moment to swoop in and claim our piece of land...err...site. SUCCESS! Nailed it! And that’s how it’s done.
Even the rain didn't keep us from celebrating.
Okay, maybe it didn’t come off quite as dramatic as all that, but darn close. I do remember the look we gave each other when we got out of the truck after we had backed into the spot. One of mutual admiration. Even the camp host smiled and gave us a thumbs up at a job well done as he whizzed by in his eco-friendly electric gator.
We unhooked the trailer, and set-up our camp. The weather was perfect and we were in a no generator zone. When it was light, you were up, when it was dark the campfires were lit and that’s about all you heard. Oh, and the plenty of owls of course.
Bison roamed freely almost everywhere. We've been told this was a great calving year.
A mile or more in the distance, 500mm, and blowing the photo up considerably, this was about as close as we got to a Grizzly. And "she" had her head down. Photo was taken near Swan Lake.
Lots of photos here so I am going to put them in galleries. So click on them, and scroll through. I’ll try and put captions to as many as possible. What did we see.? Grizzly, Black Bear, Coyote, Elk, Deer and lots more. Probably one of our favorite places thus far. If any of you ever plan to come here, plan on coming for two weeks. But plan wayyyy in advance in order to secure lodging either in, or outside the park.
Great hike along the Indian Creek
Swan Lake. (Note, two swans a swimming.)
Black Bear without a care.
Bison having a little lunch.
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