Westward Ho! Mammoth & Stagecoaches! (Days 25-26)
Yellowstone isn't just one park, but a collection of many different, incredible worlds rolled into one!
Day 25: A New Yellowstone & Mammoth's Otherworldly Beauty
We said goodbye to the Fishing Bridge area and headed north toward Mammoth Hot Springs. The journey itself was an adventure, and we found that even the "in-between" places here are magical. We pulled over at a random picnic area, and the kids could have played for hours in the amazing woods.
But when we arrived at Mammoth, it was breathtaking. We had no idea such a strange and beautiful place existed! The terraced hot springs are otherworldly; they simply have to be seen to be believed. Our campsite was equally stunning, situated on a hillside with a view that was completely different from anything else we’d seen. It truly felt like we had entered a whole new park.
Day 26: A Stagecoach Ride & More Surprises
Today, the kids got to experience a Christmas present in June: a stagecoach ride through Pleasant Valley! It was a fantastic way to get a taste of old-west history without the splurge of the full chuckwagon dinner (a great tip for other families!). The kids loved riding up top in the "tally-ho" seats, even in the rain.
Afterward, we drove through the "Bear-a-muda triangle" and were rewarded with a black bear sighting! We also popped into Gardiner, MT, to see the iconic Roosevelt Arch. The day ended with a picnic dinner at Lava Creek, a serene spot we had all to ourselves, complete with a beautiful waterfall and meadows of wildflowers. Once again, it was a completely different, completely amazing slice of Yellowstone.
From otherworldly mineral springs to historic stagecoach rides and serene waterfall picnics, this park continues to surprise and delight us at every turn.
