Thermopolis, Tetons and Yellowstone 26-28 Sept

A long lie in was followed by a hot shower, hot tea and hot croissants. Then we were on the road again on Highway 16 West through the Bighorn Mountains and the Cloud Forest Mountains, the tallest mountains in the range had snow on their peaks and the road wound its way up and down past amazing scenery (will the wonders ever end!!!!!!!) The highest point was 9666 feet and we were nearly blown off our feet. There were several alpine plants which I attempted to take photos of for Katie, but I haven't a clue what they were and they seemed a bit dried up and past it to me!
You'll have to look at the photos (again) to try and get an idea of all the fantastic scenery.
A lake in a valley near the high pass gave us an opportunity for a short walk before we wend our way down the other side through a path cut by a river, with 180 degree turns. We had intended to whizz to Thermopolis; home of the largest hot springs in the world; but the views were so breathtaking that the 100 miles took us more than 41/2 hours. Finally we arrived at Hot Springs National Park and we went into the pool. So sulphurous and really hot in places; up to 104 F.... I need to find out what that is in C.... but too hot for me to get into! We soaked and swam for nearly 2 hours and then went out to walk up and find the source of the waters. The sun was bright red in the sky but still fairly high at 5pm; I've never seen anything like it before. Amazingly, the hot spring is just an opening about 5m squared but it pumps out 3,600,000 gallons a day apparently AND WHAT A STINK.... I couldn't stay next to it for long. The water flows through pools that over thousands of years have deposited salts and made a beautiful cliff face over which the water tumbles down into the Wind River (we are going to follow its course tomorrow) that contains huge fish; some 2ft long that we could see.
Having not eaten since breakfast we were starving and have stopped in a little restaurant in the town. There is only one waiter when there are usually 3 so the poor guy is rushed off his feet as the place seems to be really popular. So far we have had home made bread and soup which was great and our steaks are on their way!!
Food was excellent and we found that the restaurant was full of people who had been forced to come this way because of a forest fire in Yellowstone that has blocked off one route, the alternative has roadworks that have completely blocked that way too, so instead of being able to get out of the park south anyone who came in from the North were forced out east and into Thermopolis. Hopefully by the time we get there in 2 days the fire will have been got under control so that we can see all we want to. We are going in by the South which, if the fire is still blocking the road, means we will have to leave West without seeing the North end of the park. At least Old Faithful is on the route we will be able to see.
Sunday.. after a night on the back streets of Thermopolis we refueled with both gas (petrol) and gas (propane) and headed off along the Wind River Canyon, South, then West, then North. A beautifully clear river which tumbles over the rocks and was full of fly fishermen. We followed the river for over 140 miles and rose up through Boyeen State Park where there is a huge reservoir that just goes on and on for over 15 miles, the Shoshone National Forest which peaks at around 9658 feet and is the point at which a divide in the watershed is formed so that instead of following the Wind River any further up its course we now followed the Pacific Creek downstream on the other side of the mountains. We drove about 60 miles along a really high plain that was basically desert, really dry but with all sorts of shades of grey, yellow, orange and brown, the trees up there were also turning to their autumn colours so again more breathtaking views with the Teton mountains in the distance. We just can't get anywhere fast at the moment because we have to keep on stopping to admire the views.
Finally we reached the borders of the Grand Teton State Park (which joins on to the Southern end of Yellowstone), we were lucky enough to get the last spot (more people here who have been sent the wrong way by the Yellowstone fire and giving us mixed messages about the state of the road) in a campsite right next to Jackson Lake (another huge reservoir, that looks bigger than the Boyeen one on the map but we will have to see tomorrow when we drive on past). We are near the dam end so Tris and Celso went to the river below to fish while I cooked chicken stew in the van! They didn't catch anything but had a few bites whilst people around them were bagging huge trout with fly fishing gear!
After a really cold night we were back down at the river again to have our hot tea and hot croissants by the water then on Northwards towards Yellowstone. The Tetons are an incredible range of mountains. There was a fault running North South through Wyoming that was ruptured through an earthquake. The Western side went up and the Eastern side sank (about 4 times as far as the West had gone up). Over the years the risen side has weathered leaving striking towering mountains (complete with snow capped peaks).
And you all know about Yellowstone, woods and plains, the caldera with its towering sides, and of course the Geysers. We had some really close encounters with male, female and young elk, a grouse, chipmunks and squirrels, we watched Old Faithful blast steam into the sky and were steamed by several other Geysers. We wondered at waterfalls and bubbling rivers with crystal clear waters, knobbly trees, the smoke from the fire that prevented our route North (now covering more than 90,000 acres and being allowed to burn except for in built up areas; apparently it started by a lightening strike), the new growth trees amongst the tall dead firs from a fire in 1988, the brown and yellows of the grasslands and the colours of the algae and bacterial growths around the hot springs.
Although we only passed about 40 miles through Yellowstone we took the whole day to do it and arrived in West Yellowstone (a small town on the edge of the park in Montana (another state to add to our tally) after dark to hook up in a little camping park with Wifi, electric and water (our first of any of those for 4 days), so it's time for showers and bit of relaxing to try to sort out all the things we have seen.