Trip to West Yellowstone

Today we drove to West Yellowstone to vist the shops there and to see the scenery along our way.  It was a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky when we left in the morning.   West Yellowstone is a very busy entrance to YNP and there are so many shops to visit.  We stopped into a little bakery for some coffee and a cinnamon pastry that was definitely made from scratch. Our drive to and from there was gorgeous as usual.  Driving along the Madison River we saw such amazing views and peaceful scenes.  We saw some elk but they were quite a ways off the road.    

This is the Gibbon Falls on the Gibbon River.

A restful spot along the Madison River.

We met some prairie dogs there.

As you get closer to Mammoth Hot Springs you come across a large area of rocks that were pushed out of the ground.  These rocks seem so out of place since they are a very stark contrast to the other landscapes.

We get to see this beautiful view every time we drive back to Gardiner from a day in the park.  We never tire of it since it seems different each time depending on the weather, the sunlight, or the time of day.

The rock formation on the right is called Castle Rock.  This is also along the route back to Gardiner on the side of a steep craggy mountain.

And here is our final destination - Gardiner, MT.  

After a day of touring we decide to play a game of dominoes - and guess who won??