Moving On - Yellowstone National Park!

From Summer 2022

I've commented many times before that there are no strangers, only friends I have yet to meet. This is me with "Deb from Billings" . . . someone I met ironically in Yellowstone back in July 2012 while watching a black bear early one morning.  She along with her grandson and I, were the only people pulled over enjoying the bear as it nimbly walked the fallen trees along a dry creek bed.

Later that summer I had posted about my experiences on Trip Advisor (T/A) and that's when Deb & I reconnected.  We've been friends ever since and when out timing in Yellowstone has worked out we've gotten together.  The photo to the right was actually taken last summer while I was living/working in the park.

I share this as the backdrop to my camping experience in the Custer Gallatin National Forest south of Red Lodge.  Having friends who can provide reliable advice, greatly enhances the travel experience.  I consider Deb an expert on all things related to the Yellowstone and she is gracious enough to want to help others maximize their experiences.  She also volunteers as a "Destination Expert" for Yellowstone National Park on T/A.

I am thankful for her friendship and experience.  Her suggestion of the Parkside Campground was spot on for this trip and I'm grateful for her help whenever I have questions or seek advice.

This is a short video clip I took of what it is like "car camping" in my SUV.  As you can see, there's not a lot of room . . . but enough to sleep comfortably.  On this particular night, we had rain throughout the night.  For those of us who enjoy the sound of rain hitting a tin roof, such a night is like soothing music.  I slept soundly until what should have been sunrise, only we were socked in with dense fog and there was no sky or sun to be seen.

I had been planning and looking forward to driving into Yellowstone via the NE Entrance at Silver Gate via the Beartooth Highway.  Having only done that route a couple of times, I wanted to see what it looked like just a week after the road had been cleared of the winter snow. 

Unfortunately after driving about ten miles, I knew the pass would possibly be iced up and unsafe to continue.  So I turned around and headed back into Red Lodge to reassess my plan.

I decided to visit the local historical society's museum in town.  The Carbon County Historical Society has a wonderful collection that tells the story of this region.  I was especially happy to learn more about the Smith Mine Disaster, since the night before heading to Bear Creek Saloon & Steakhouse, I had seen the ghost town where the mine operated until that fateful morning in April 1943.

The Smith Mine Disaster is a humbling reminder of the dangers of mining, something we should never forget. The entire lower level of the museum is dedicated to telling the story of coal & hard rock mining in this region thanks to the financial and technical support received from the Stillwater Mining Co, who operates in this area.

 

There are several exhibits that help to tell the story of what life in the early days was like.  From the homesteaders who arrived in the 1800's, to the creation of the first US National Park, the collection at this museum is exceptional and well worth the $5 admission fee!

I was very happy that due to the morning weather, I was able to spend time here.  Unfortunately, the weather forecast wasn't getting any better so I ended up heading to Belfy for an alternate route to Yellowstone via Cody, WY and the East Entrance.

The drive through Cody was uneventful and had me arriving to the East Entrance around 2:30p.  I got checked into my campsite in the Bridge Bay Campground and immediately headed over to Fishing Bridge Campground for a paid shower.  Note that some of the campgrounds in Yellowstone have showers and are included in your campsite fee, while others like Bridge Bay don't.  The $5.25 paid for a shower was well worth it, especially since the savings at the campgrounds without showers are more than the price to pay for one elsewhere in the park.

For my time in Yellowstone, I had booked two nights here at Bridge Bay and then two nights up at Canyon Campground.  This would give me great access to all of the parts of the park I was planning to explore . . . especially the home territory of the grizzly bears known as Raspberry (momma) and Jam (her soon to be emancipated 3 year old "cub").

Raspberry & Jam - June 2023