Experiencing Yellowstone National Park in three days is possible with some planning. I scheduled our visit for the first weekend in autumn based on a suggestion in the National Geographic Guide to the National Parks. Just prior to going, more time was spent on the park website at www.nps.gov/yell studying an interactive map, watching online videos, and reading the park newspaper for current information. We landed Thursday at Jackson Hole just as the sun was setting over the Tetons (a spectacular bonus for our airfare), and picked up a rental car at the airport. Our first night stay was in the Best Western Lodge at Jackson Hole, a beautiful property decorated with mischievous bears and raccoons, and staffed by friendly professionals. Waking up early Friday morning, due to the two hour time difference from our east coast home, we had a delicious breakfast at the lodge and headed out. The weather forecast called for clear skies, cold nights, and daytime temperatures in the 60s and 70s all weekend. Entering Grand Teton National Park cost $25, a fee that provided access to both parks for seven days. After a short drive enjoying mountain scenery, we came upon several vehicles stopped on the side of the road with occupants lined up behind cameras on tripods photographing a wolf. We snapped a few pictures and continued on, then stopped at the Colter Bay convenience store to buy a gallon of drinking water and some buffalo jerky, for provisions. Entering the south entrance to Yellowstone, we made our first stop at West Thumb Geyser Basin. The trail guide, available for a 50 cent donation, was very helpful for our self-guided tour. After walking around awhile our next priority was finding something more to eat, so we headed for the Old Faithful area and had a nice lunch at the lodge cafeteria while overlooking the geyser as the crowd gathered. After eating, we were outside just in time to witness the “every hour and a half or so” Old Faithful eruption. A few minutes later we were fortunate to also experience a five minute long eruption of Beehive Geyser, which only occurs a couple of times each day. We toured the Old Faithful Inn, then the Visitor Education Center where a ranger provided good advice on sights to see along our way to the west entrance. Satisfied we had made our planned stops for the day we took our time and stopped at Fountain Paint Pot and Firehole Canyon Drive before exiting at West Yellowstone for the night. Dining at Sydney’s Mountain Bistro, we enjoyed spinach salad with strawberry vinaigrette and elk tenderloin. Saturday we were up early again and, after a quick breakfast, back in the park well before sunrise. Having noticed the previous evening where elk were congregating, we were still surprised to drive close to one walking along and then across the road in front of our now stopped car. At Artist Paintpots, I didn’t feel comfortable walking around so early in the morning with only a few other people in the area; so we moved along. The day’s priority was the Canyon area starting in the Education Center; a beautiful facility with informative video presentations, a model of the park and other displays. Planning to only see the North Rim, we descended down Brink of Lower Falls Trail, and back up. After enough exercise for one day we made stops at Lookout Point, Grand View, Inspiration Point, and drove by Glacial Boulder before returning to Canyon Village for lunch at the diner, and gift shopping. Fearing we might be missing something, we backtracked to Brink of the Upper Falls (a short walk), and Artist Point; the most magnificent view of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Satisfied now, we started for the north entrance, making stops at Tower Fall, Petrified Tree, and Mammoth Hot Springs Upper Terrace Drive, before heading to Gardiner. Outlaw’s Pizza take-out and relaxing in the room was in order after this long day. Sunday breakfast at Yellowstone Mine Restaurant and we were on our way back to the Mammoth area. A bull elk wandering the streets and lawns of Fort Yellowstone under the watchful eyes of rangers and visitor’s cameras started the day. We toured the Albright Visitor Center, stopped at Liberty Cap, and took a short walk to view the Lower Terrace before departing. Southbound, a pullout provided a distant view of Norris Geyser Basin, before turning east toward Canyon Junction on our way to Lake Village. The road south of Mud Volcano along the Yellowstone River was overrun with bison. While stopped and waiting for a herd to cross the road, we watched a coyote stalking something in the grass not far off. Walking across Fishing Bridge allowed us to see trout suspended in the clear river water near grass beds. Trout just happened to be the lunch special at Lake Lodge, where we dined with a nice view of Yellowstone Lake. One more stop at the Grant Village gift shop, and we completed the Grand Loop and were heading back through Grand Teton to Jackson for our final evening. The fall colors were now noticeably more spectacular than a few days earlier. In less than four hundred miles over three long days, with no crowds to speak of, we saw most of the main features of this incredible area.
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