Yellowstone NP Day Three

Danny and Cymy swimming in the Yellowstone River

Sunday June 24th: Today we decided to talk a drive around the South Loop road. As we entered the park we enjoyed the Bison herds and passed the Madison River Elk herd again in their usual haunts. Driving on south past Old Faithful we wound through the forest and up over the National Divide, 8800 feet at this point, and down the eastern side toward West Thumb. We turned left there and drove back northward along the Yellowstone Lake, which was beautiful to view the Rocky Mountains over its blue waters. We continued along the lake shore drive to the end and turned to travel westward again along the Yellowstone River. Saw a Coyote trotting along the road toward us so we slowed to a stop to let it go on by. Another Elk herd was grazing in a meadow, the buck here had large antlers, the largest that we had yet seen. We finally stopped for a picnic lunch along the river. While Carolyn set up the sandwiches I took Danny and Cymy for a swim. The water was so cold that they were shivering after twenty minutes so we toweled them dry and had a picnic. A hawk circled the river and screeched at the world and a group of Trumpeter Swans were a short distance down river on a small island. We looked them up in the Park guide to make sure what they were. After lunch we drove on around the north side of the South loop and back to the campground. A really enjoyable day.