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The Yellowstone region is the magical center of the universe. I first intuitively realized this when I was six years old on the first of many family summer vacations to the park. Every time I go back, when I get close to the park it hits me, and I can physically feel why the place is so special.
It became sort of a standing joke when I was growing up to ask Chris where our family should go on vacation. The answer was always "Yellowstone". I got my way more often than not too.
I was lucky enough to live and work in the park three summers and two winters. I worked housekeeping for TW/Amfac. I took hundreds of pictures during those three years. You can see a few of them. Or you can read about a few of the more interesting things that happened when I was there. I found a few special secret places, but hey, if I told you and the rest of the world about them then they wouldn't be so special and secret anymore would they?
Or, try the interactive geyser crossword puzzle. Warning - you will need java, so make sure you have java turned on in your web browser. AOLers may need to minimize the AOL window and fire up Internet Explorer or Netscape. Click around on the puzzle to figure it out, it's not difficult. If it won't work for you, or you prefer the pen and paper approach, or want to print out the puzzle to keep the kids occupied for about ten minutes on your next trip to Yellowstone, use this list of clues and this answer key, along with either this puzzle grid (a windows meta file) or if your computer doesn't do windows meta files use the plain old gif puzzle grid. I know that will work, but it is a bit fuzzier.
Will I get back to Yellowstone? Probably. If I win the lottery I want a secluded little house (with a greenhouse for the orchids and such) along US191 in the Gallatin River Canyon. Otherwise I might end up doing at least another year or two working for the slave drivers at Amfac. Then maybe some time back in school for something more practical than a masters in biology. Something where I can get a real job with a real paycheck, live in Bozeman again, or maybe even closer. Then guess where I will be most weekends.
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Go here for a page of Yellowstone links: Related Links
You can even add your own!!!
Essential reading material for any Yellowstone trip:
The Geysers of Yellowstone by T Scott Bryan
Death in Yellowstone by Lee Whittlesey
The above can be purchased from the Yellowstone Association Store, a non-profit that helps the park.
Also there are several book about bear attacks - The Night of the Grizzly (mainly about Glacier Park) and another most excellent book I read last summer, called The Mark of the Grizzly. Be sure to get one especially if camping, it makes for a much more exciting experience.
A guide that tells about every little attraction as you go down the road is a must, that way you don't drive past anything. My local library recently got a copy of Yellowstone Treasures, a most excellent book of this type. So now I can recommend one. It's the sort of book that makes me want to go back and drive every mile of road and stop at all the obscure little places I missed. Before I found it I only had an old one of this type, a Parkway's Series guide or some such, that we got for filling the car with gas one year many many years ago.
Whatever interests you - history, native americans, birds, geology, it helps a lot if you
know more about what you are looking at.
