Dining While in Yellowstone

In preparing for 10-12 days on the road, and eating out of a cooler and box of dry goods, it's a challenge to know what you're going to feel like eating on any given day while also assuring food doesn't spoil or go to waste.  I've done this trip enough times that I have a pretty good idea of how to approach packing.  This photo is of my "bacon & eggs" breakfast while heading over the "new" Gardiner Road from Mammoth.  I didn't want to get into town hungry because my will power to avoid my favorite little local bakery might not be good enough to keep me away.

I also owe a HUGE thank you to David for preparing homemade goodies like these to supplement the boxed goods I take with me.  But as good as I plan on being once away from home, I almost always have a day or two, where I crave a nice sit down meal or good steak.  And this trip was no different.
On my Sunday in Yellowstone, I was missing our weekend pancakes tradition.  By the time I got to my "go to place" in West Yellowstone, they were already to their lunch menu so I had to find an alternative.  Fortunate for me, the Running Bear Pancake House served breakfast all day . . . but also closed at 2p.  When I got there, they had a short wait that went fast.  I thoroughly enjoyed my pancake and ham.  I had enough leftover ham to enjoy it with cheese on crackers the next morning!

But my dining highlight in Yellowstone was the Cowboy Cookout offered by park concessionaire Xanterra.  At approximately $75pp (inclusive of tax & tip) the "all you care to eat" western buffet is an entertaining evening in the great outdoors.  Guests (roughly 150 total) are taken to the cowboy cookout camp either on horseback or by horse drawn wagons.  The ride is roughly 45-60 minutes depending on your chosen mode of transportation.

The wagon ride have a driver plus a guide, who help to pass the time with stories about the area and wildlife.  We were lucky to see pronghorn, bison and a decent sized black bear on our ride out to camp.

Once at camp, guests are encouraged to find a picnic table and get comfy.  The mosquitoes were around, but not too bad.  Beverages included ice tea or lemonade, with a tub of soft drinks on ice for dinner. 

Steaks were grilled on open flame, with all of the cookout accompaniments you'd expect.  After folks had a first trip through the buffet line, those still hungry were invited back for another steak while they lasted.

For me the steak, potato salad, baked beans, cornbread and apple cobbler was more than enough!  I was very happy with my meal and the company at my picnic table.  Traveling solo, I have to be open and friendly enough to be comfortable making new friends.  At my table was a family from Dayton.  Wearing my Midwest Region US Youth Soccer jacket was an immediate conversation starter since their son was a U14 player from Ohio South Soccer.  They were a fun family to dine with and share stories about our time so far in the park.

After dinner, there was singing and storytelling around the campfire as the other ranch hands cleaned up camp for departure.  It was a delightful evening, which ended when we got back to the Roosevelt Corral around 8:15p.