On Road to Old Faithful: Madison River Campground

We decided to take another visit back to Old Faithful to see areas we had missed on the earlier quick trip. Finished up the evening with a walk along the rivers at our campground to enjoy the sunset in an amazing setting. The historic Old Faithful Inn Wolf on the way to Old Faithful Firehole River in Firehole Canyon Firehole River in Firehole Canyon Gibbon River on the left, Firehole River on the right, converge here to create the Madison Madison River just below convergence of Gibbon and Firehole Rivers

Norris Geyser Basin: Yellowstone National Park (YNP)

Toured a different area today to visit some of the geysers and other thermal features of the park. After spending a good part of the day in West Yellowstone to update the blog, etc., we toured the area between our campground and the Norris Geyser Basin. We hiked around the basin to view some of the geysers and other thermal features. Big Daddy's harem Big Daddy Virginia Cascade on Gibbon River Emerald Pool Steamboat Geyser Cistern Pool

Lamar Valley: Yellowstone National Park (YNP)

Probably our favorite area of YNP is the more remote, less visited Lamar Valley in the northeast corner of the park. We devoted an entire day to re-visit this area and it was incredible! We visited other points of interest on the way, and we were rewarded with more fantastic scenery and wildlife. Wildlife Report: Black bears, wolves, coyotes, antelope, bison herds, elk, grouse. We were within 25-yards of a black bear, coyotes cross in front of our car, and we were able to see wolves thru spotting scope that nice folks offer to use. Fishing Report: I was able to fish for a couple of hours and was rewarded with a personal best. A 17" Yellowstone Cutthroat that is the largest and most beautiful cutthroat in my experience. Also caught another 14" cutthroat and missed a couple more in this size range. Caught in the Lamar River in the Valley of the same name - what an experience! And wouldn't you know that I didn't take my camera this time - you do believe me don't you? After I got out of the river, we were pleased to meet and visit with Rich and Julie Schaaf. Rich has property across the White River from our property and his brother used to guide there. Rich is a professional photographer with a unique approach to his prime subject, flyfishing. His work has appeared with some of the best on Midcurrent. com. Rich's website is eastforkfly.com. He has some very interesting and quality images of our sport. It was getting late on our return to camp, so we stopped for dinner at the Mammoth Springs Restaurant. The dinner was good and we had window seats overlooking the old parade grounds, where we were entertained by an excited bull elk that was bugling and running off younger bull competitors and rounding up his harem when they strayed. Undine Falls Black bear on road to Tower Falls Tower Falls "Bear Rock" on Blacktail Plateau Drive Yellowstone River on Tower Falls Road Lamar Valley Lamar River: where I caught the cutthroats Lamar River Dusk at the pass in to Mammoth

Crowds: but not as bad as "In Season"

Any time I enter the water to fish, people stop and congregate to witness my angling wizardry, as demonstrated in the pics above. Well, not quite the story. Anytime wildlife is spotted, traffic snarls, people are everywhere trying to get "the shot". What is incredible to us is the fact that despite verbal warnings from rangers, posters plastered everywhere in multiple languages, folks just prove over and over that you can't idiot-proof anything. Some have cameras with lenses that are the size of fire extinguishers, capable to detailing a pimple on a gnat's butt from 100-yards distance - yet they still have to get as close as they can, even following the prey into the woods. Warnings are to stay 100 yards from wolves and bears, and 25 yards from all others, most often bison and elk. With a very active bear population and elk in their rut, the poor rangers have their hands full dashing all over the place to protect the moron classes.