Day Trip to Yellowstone

My wonderful mother informed me a few weeks ago that April 17-25th is National Park Week, and that during this amazing week you get free admission to any National Park! You can find more information here: http://www.nps.gov/npweek/

So Saturday afternoon, Tyler and I took the hour and a half journey from Rexburg to West Yellowstone to take advantage of the free admission.

We were greeted by the following warnings:




I can't decide which is more ridiculous...the graphic picture of someone on the end of antlers...or the fact that obviously no one takes it seriously because we saw plenty of people outside their vehicles trying to get closer pictures of the animals.

Only about one third of the park is actually open at this time of year. Some of the roads won't open until May or June. The temperature dropped about twenty degrees from Rexburg to West Yellowstone. And we were greeted by plenty of snow on the ground.


I think a lot of the animals may still have been hibernating but we did see Geese (they are the very small specks at the bottom of the picture)...


and Bison...


The Bison even got up close and personal. I just want you to know that these two pictures you are about to see are right outside the car without any zooming. (And, if I'm being completely honest with myself, I was scared to have them so close! Whenever they looked me in the eye, I felt like they were saying, "yeah, I could take her.")



We also found a couple Elk (left hand side of the photo)!


The weather was gorgeous and so was the scenery.


Whenever I have the opportunity to go through the mountains, see copious amounts of trees, or be around any part of nature that is mostly untouched by human hands, I am reminded of the beauty that God has given his children to enjoy.


And here is an unsuccessful attempt of getting both Tyler and I together in a picture...