It is still exhilarating to think that we visited Yellowstone national park. After our visit to Glacier National Park, Marius and I headed down through Montana to meet our friends Rysia and Peter just outside Missoula, Montana.
– Theunis (Trip) Rysia, Marius and Peter, behind us Yellowstone National Park
The drive from Glazier took pas Flathead Lake, this is one of the cleanest lakes in the world, the water is crystal clear. We spotted a board next to the road that said “National Bison Range” and having never seen bison in real life we headed there. The National Bison Range (NBR) is a National Wildlife Refuge located in western Montana established in 1908 to provide a sanctuary for the American bison. We saw over 300 Bison and Marius was able to take some really good photos.
– A Bison, up close and personal
– Rolling hills of Montana from the NBS
After spending a few days in Missoula we headed out to Lolo hot springs on the Mud Creek, setting up our tent we headed to the local pub. By the time we had a few beers Rysia and Peter arrived and introduced us to Rysia’s cousin Janusz, he was visiting Rysia from Poland and joining us to Yellowstone. That night as we settled into our tent the weather turned for the worst, it started raining and the temperature in the valley dropped. The next morning we woke up and everything around us was completely soaked and it was icy cold.
– Downtown Missoula, a must visit if you are in Montana
– Downtown Missoula
With our gear speed in the back of our truck we headed to Yellowstone West, the journey heading over the town of Butte, took us through Connor and Chief Joseph Pass across the continental divide, we encounter ice rain snow and Rysia even stopped us on a piece of road that we sure has not seen a car in years.
– Chief Joseph Pass
– Rysia and Marius posing in the middle of the road 😉
We came across the abandoned town of Bannack in Montana. Founded in 1862 and named after the local Bannock Indians, it was the site of a major gold discovery in 1862, and served as the capital of Montana Territory briefly in 1864, until the capital was moved to Virginia City. Bannack continued as a mining town, though with a dwindling population. The last residents left in the 1970s.
Rysia tried out the American school system and Marius and Peter were obsessed with the old time loo system.
– Entry sign into Bannack
– The abandoned ghost town of Bannack
– Marius and Peter outside the Town hall and church
– Rysia getting some studies in
After a few stops we eventually saw Yellowstone on the horizon, Marius and I were planning on staying in the National park campsite but by the tie we arrived in West Yellowstone, it was snowing.
– Yellowstone National Park, you can see the snow-capped mountains.
