Yellowstone Too
A Model T journey through Wyoming and Montana
Beginning in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on September 6th – 2010
The tour began with a get together in Jackson, Wyoming, at our motel and a visit to a BBQ chuck wagon dinner
with entertainment by Western singers later that evening.
On Tuesday we were off to spend 4 nights in Yellowstone National Park.
We headed north out of Jackson through the Grand Teton National Park.
A side loop took us past Jenny Lake, String Lake, and Jackson Lake. The String Lake loop
was very nice and definitely worth taking. We left the Tetons and headed
north into Yellowstone National Park, and to our cabins at Yellowstone Lake.
Wednesday we headed north to Canyon to see the Grand Canyon of the
Yellowstone. On the way we stopped at the Mud Volcano, and then
drove to Inspiration Point on the North Rim Drive and Artist's Point on South Rim Drive.
In the afternoon we were back at the cabins for a Yellow Bus tour of Yellowstone
Lake and the surrounding area.
Thursday we were off to Old Faithful and toured many of the nearby geysers and
thermal features including: Biscuit, Black Sand, Midway, and Fountain Paint Pot.
A little further north we took Firehole Lake Drive and Firehole Canyon Drive.
Both were very scenic and great roads for our Ts. Then it was back to Old
Faithful to wait with the crowd for its next eruption. That night we
stayed in the Old Faithful Cabins behind the Lodge.
Friday we traveled to Mammoth Hot Springs at the north end of the park.
In the afternoon Lee Whittlesey, Yellowstone National Park Historian, rode with us
down to Gardiner, Montana, and give us a tour of the Park Antique Vehicle Storage Facility located in Gardiner.
Then it was back up the hill to Mammoth to stay in the Mammoth Hotel Cabins.
On Saturday we had an exciting drive out the Northeast entrance of the park
going over Beartooth Pass, at almost 11,000', before heading down to Red Lodge, Montana for two nights.
Monday we headed out into Wyoming's coal mining country, across the Bighorn River,
then up the 10%+ grades into the Bighorn Mountains to 9,000', staying in an isolated mountain lodge in Burgess Junction.
Tuesday we drove down out of the Bighorns through Shell Canyon.
After a stop at Shell Canyon Falls, it was 25 more miles of downhill to Greybull and the Bighorn River at 3800'.
We continued along the Bighorn River to spend the night in Thermopolis.
Wednesday we continued down river through the narrow Wind River Canyon and then
on to Riverton before heading uphill to Lander. Lander has a wonderful historical museum and
is the home of the Eagle Bronze Foundry. Eagle Bronze invited us to visit and
we were able to watch a pouring while we were there. The owners later
treated the entire tour group to a very nice reception at their gallery in
Lander.
Thursday, was our longest day. We headed back uphill to South Pass City,
which sits at the crossroads of the Oregon and Immigrant Trails and Pony Express Routes.
South Pass City, at 7800', is a Wyoming State Park, which essentially sits on
the Continental Divide. We were given a tour of the Carissa Gold
mine, circa 1860s, and were able to drive into the town in our Ts to tour the
restored buildings and have a picnic lunch. Then it was downhill into the arid
plains of Wyoming to Pinedale. Pinedale is the home of the Museum of the Mountain Man,
which celebrates the men who trapped and hunted in the American West from about 1825 to 1840.
Friday we headed back along the Hoback and Snake Rivers to Jackson. That
afternoon the entire group drove to a nearby park where Jim and Carol Sanford
restated their vows, and Rose and David Dare were married. Then it was
back to the hotel for a final banquet. It was a fantastic tour, and we
were really sad to see it end. We met a fabulous group of people that we
hope to be touring with again soon.