To escape the Martin Luther King weekend crowds at the nearby ski resorts, we adjourned to West Yellowstone for a couple of nights to head to Yellowstone National Park. It was a very good experience without being mind blowing, but perhaps we had excessive expectations of the park, in part due to the guide frequently boasting that Yellowstone is the biggest AND best in the world when it comes to thermal features (despite never having been to Rotorua or Iceland or other parts of the world). It was also blizzarding at times during the day, which undoubtedly detracted from viewing some of the scenery.

The tour of Yellowstone National Park was with See Yellowstone in an antique snowcat which was pretty cool. Our guide added lots of great insights into the park along with some great stories, so that it wasn’t just a feast for the eyes but also a learning experience.

We saw lots of bison, some from afar and some up close but not personal. We probably saw more snowmobilers than wildlife, and they looked mighty cold!

Part way through the tour our guide dropped us off to go cross country skiing, which was an efficient way to see many of the thermal features. Unfortunately, a blizzard started which detracted a little from the enjoyment of leisurely watching geysers, and seeing where the board walk was above the hot pools, was difficult at times. Getting back into the warm snowcat a couple of hours later was bliss.

We stayed at the Brandin’ Iron Motel in West Yellowstone, which was a cheap and cheerful motel that was very comfortable in the midst of a blizzard. There weren’t a lot of options for eating in West Yellowstone as it seemed most of the touristy town was boarded up for winter, but it was adequate to get a burger and some Moose Drool beer.
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