Tetons - Badlands of SD

Our next stop was Coulter Bay Campground on the shores of Jackson Lake in the Tetons. The scenery here is spectacular as the valley abuts the Tetons with no foothills in between. The weather was cool and damp with some snow. We visited a couple of our old haunts when we used to ski at Jackson Hole in 1970s. We drove through snow on our way over the pass heading east.  We drove across WY and stopped in the Badlands of SD for a couple of days. 

Entering the Tetons from Yellowstone

Tetons in the clouds

Jenny Lake

One of our old ski hangouts at Jackson Hole

Another hangout from the 70s in Jackson

Snow at Coulter Bay

Tetons

Saying goodbye to the Tetons

Snowing in the mountains in September

Time for the snowplow

We camped in the Badlands NP for a couple of days visiting the Nike missile site - a chilling reminder of how close we came to oblivion during the Cold War.

At the campground in the Badlands

Desolation

Big Horn

Big Horn

Kestrel looking for a lunch of prairie dog

Pronghorn

Sunset in the Badlands of SD

Sunset over the Badlands

Yellowstone

What can you say about our oldest national park. It is big (2.2 million acres). It has amazing variety - geysers, hot springs, alpine lakes, wildlife, an amazing canyon and mountains. We explored a large portion of the park during our nine day stay. We camped at Grant Village on the south end of Yellowstone Lake and traveled all over the park. The weather was cool and dry most days (27 degrees one night and the dew point was in the low 30s). The fire danger was moderate so campfires were allowed.

The North (Roosevelt) Gate

An inscription at the top reads "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.” President Theodore Roosevelt, who happened to be vacationing in the park, spoke at the ceremony to lay the cornerstone in 1903.

Bison taking a swim in the Yellowstone River

Bison out for a walk

Boiling pool

A few people waiting for Old Faithful

Old Faithful showing off

Kayaking on Yellowstone Lake

Bison napping near a fume pot

Yellowstone River entering the canyon

Lower Falls (308' high)

The canyon

Mammoth Hot Springs

Coyote looking for breakfast

Mountain goat up high

Osprey in nest

Bull elk giving me the evil eye

The Abyss at West Geyser Basin

Daisy Geyser

Paint Pots

The fireplace in Old Faithful Lodge