As part of our trip to Montana in June of 2002, we visited drove from Billings, Montana to Yellowstone. Both the drive through the mountains and the famous sites within the National Park were breathtaking.
Favourite spots:
The quaint little mountain towns between Billings and Yellowstone (such as Red Lodge) made the drive more interesting. But when we drove up through the mountains through Beartooth Pass, the scenery grabbed our attention and kept it. It really did feel as if we were at the top of the world, with the mountain lakes and the deep snowdrifts on either side of the road. The drive was almost more incredible than Yellowstone itself.
What's really great:
In the park, the Lodge at Old Faithful was an unexpected treat. We spent our time there while waiting for the next activity from the geyser. At the park service store, I bought a National Parks passport, which is a fun thing to keep track of the parks you've been to if you travel around the United States. Stopping the bus on the way there for a snowball fight in June was also memorable, as was spotting a mother black bear and her two cubs once we'd arrived at the park.
Sights:
We entered Yellowstone from the northeast and took the big loop around to all the major attractions. We saw the Grand Canyon and Lower Falls of Yellowstone from Artist's Point - a must see. We drove along Yellowstone Lake and picknicked by a nearby stream, seeing lots of bison on our way. We made the obligatory visit to Old Faithful. I learned (when comparing my pictures to the ones my brother took) that for the full experience, stand far back from the geyser and the seating around it's edge - it looks larger and more impressive from farther away. We also stopped by Mammoth Hot Springs, which is a bit of a climb. You'll be rewarded by a great photo-op of the strangely colored formations and the landscape below.
Accommodations:
While we didn't stay at Yellowstone overnight, I would've loved to have stayed at the Lodge at Old Faithful. It's a charming, rustic building right next to the park's main attraction. My mother had plently of stories to tell when we returned about childhood trips to that lodge, and to the smaller campsites in the park, where she accidently brushed up against a bear rummaging through the trash!
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