- Morning tour of the lava wasteland of the Craters of the Moon
- Buy supplies for the next 7 days
- Continue to the famous Yellowstone National Park
- Sighting of the first bison, elk deer and geysers
- Dramatic evening atmosphere at the famous colorful Grand Prismatic Spring
The clouds have moved overnight and we wake up in the most beautiful weather. At half past seven we start the Craters-of-the-Moon-Drive. The path leads through the barren volcanic landscape with various stops at special features such as old volcanic cones, lava fields and underground lava tunnels. With a short ascent on a hill, we can take a look at the sheer endless expanse.
Then we start our journey to Yellowstone. On the way we write ourselves a shopping list for the next 6 days in Yellowstone and Teton National Park. In Rexburg we buy the necessary supplies and continue our journey towards West Yellowstone. While driving through parts of the Targhee National Forests, we even catch a glimpse of a fork-horned antelope. After refueling, visiting the Visitors Center and buying a national park annual pass, nothing stands in the way of the adventure. We make a bet which animal we will see first. The answer is not long in coming. In one of the extensive, meandering river valleys, a herd of bison grazes, which makes me the winner of a beer. From the Madison junction we drive northwards to the Norris Campground, which to our surprise is already fully booked. Since spring is only slowly arriving on the Yellowstone plateau, many campgrounds and roads are still closed. This means we have to go back the same route to the simple Madison Campground.
We'll be on our way again, after all, we want to take advantage of the good weather and the evening hours promise more animal sightings. We are impressed by the wonderful primeval landscape. Again and again we see bisons and later the first geysers. A herd of mighty elk deer can also be seen. The clouds that have drawn up create a breathtaking atmosphere. We drive and visit the extensive Lower and Midway Geyser Basins. During the latter, we visit the famous colorful Grand Prismatic Spring. The water inside glows turquoise, bacteria have accumulated at the edges, which make the water appear yellow and later red and white. What a beautiful sight. Since we are slowly getting hungry and the sun has set soon, we drive back to the camp. Because it has to be done quickly, we cook our fajitas on the gas stove.
