I'm a city girl, or so I have always thought. I love art museums and galleries, trendy restaurants, diversity, and the endless opportunities cities seem to provide. However, a recent trip to Yellowstone National Park showed me that while I may enjoy cities, I also love soaring vistas, interacting with wildlife, and marveling at nature. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my trip, and it made me realize how the stereotypes we categorize ourselves by can limit us. So I encourage everyone to try things out of their comfort zone. Intentionally put yourself in situations that don't fit with the identity you've built for yourself, you might quickly see that identity expand.
Here is my Yellowstone Cheat Sheet:
Make Sure You Have The Right Gear: My family and I went to Yellowstone at the end of May. Because of the crispness of the late spring and the lack of crowds, the animals haven't retreated from the main areas, and they have their babies with them. Also, the volcanic activity is more visible when it has recently rained. But the weather is cold, wet, and unpredictable. Make sure to bring comfortable, waterproof walking shoes, an umbrella, a plastic raincoat if you plan to hike, water bottle, pack at least one scarf, wool socks, and two pairs of gloves. Also, I'd recommend packing lunches each day because food inside the park is expensive and scarce.
Fun Day Trips: Jackson Hole and Dinner with Bar T 5 Covered Wagon Cookout. Jackson Hole is a truly adorable town filled with rustic charm, art galleries, and boutique shops. The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar with its saddle seating is a local icon. The town square can be entered through antler arches. If you're in Jackson Hole and want a different dinner experience try Bart T5 they take you in covered wagons into Grand Teton National Park and feed you an old west style dinner with live entertainment. There is audience participation and you may be lucky (or depending on your level of introversion unlucky) enough to be called upon.
Bear World is a fantastic experience. There is a gated area you are allowed to drive through filled with black bears and a few grizzlies. The only rule is you must be driving at least 3 miles an hour or the bears will climb on your car and pop your tires! Inside they have pins with baby bears which you can schedule to bottle feed! Bottle feeding the baby bears was by far the highlight of the trip. You get to feed a few different cubs and pet them while they eat! They also have a few moose, bison, elk, and a petting zoo. Bear World is located in Rexburg, Idaho.
If a bunch of cars are pulled to the side of the road, there is an animal close by. Save yourself the trouble and just park as soon as you can.
Bring Music in the Car: Yellowstone National Park is 3,468 mi², you will be doing a lot of driving and will want background music to keep everyone entertained rather than being at the mercy of the radio.
My Favorite Sights: Of course, everyone knows about Old Faithful, but there are so many other incredible things to see: The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is worth the trip alone. After standing gaping at it for ten minutes I said, "Well, I don't know how long we can just stand here, but how do you walk away from the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" The walls of the mountain are swirled with varying colors and there is a gorgeous waterfall. Artists' Point is an excellent place to enjoy the view. Lake Yellowstone 's smooth blue water is nestled in high mountain peaks.
Ask People Where They're From: Yellowstone attracts visitors from around the world and brings in summer help from all over. One of the best aspects of the trip was hearing everyone's stories. We met people from 7 different countries and 14 different US states.
Check in with Rangers: Whether they're on the side of the road, in a station, or museum, they have extra information on what's in front of you, trail maps, and shortcuts through the park.
Places To Eat:
Lake Yellowstone Hotel: Delicious food, historic location, stunning views of the lake. This is about as decadent as it gets in the park.
The Geyser Grill: (in West Yellowstone, Montana) cute location, friendly staff, buffalo sirloin is to live for.
