California is on fire.
Probably the whole state based on the amount of smoke in Salt Lake City.
We were worried about the smoke ruining our time up north, but decided to push on through since it looked less smoky in Yellowstone and the weather was supposed to clear in a few days.
So after getting the repaired RV back, we hit the road toward Wyoming. Know what Wyoming has little of? People. Towns. Cell service. So we ended up buying an old school paper map to help us navigate our course. I have to admit, I really love a paper map. Phones are super convenient, of course, but there’s something about unfolding the awkwardly large paper map to plot a course that I enjoy. Exploring funny town names, following the course of a river through multiple states, concocting ways to get from A to B that look interesting, scenic, or different…these are things that Google maps just can’t capture in the same manner as a good old map. $7 well spent as I’ve gotten much amusement from that map.
After nearly 6 hours of driving, we found a campsite along the Snake River in Wyoming, just over the border from Idaho.
This was the first time I’d gone camping without reserving a site in advance. I didn’t realize how many campgrounds the Forest Service maintains, and I didn’t know how easy it would be to find one. Worst case, I knew that we could pull over almost anywhere in a National Forest and camp, but in bear country there is something appealing about being with other people. In the end, it was actually super easy to get a site (although I’m glad we arrived when we did – within an hour of our arrival the place was full).
Next on the agenda: Grand Teton National Park. I don’t recall being terribly impressed by Grand Teton National Park last time I went, and the same is true this time (but the location along Yellowstone’s southern entrance makes it hard to skip entirely). The Tetons are impressive mountains, and I am sure if I enjoyed mountain climbing I’d be more impressed by them, but as a sea-level gal, they just aren’t quite my thing. The smoke did nothing to help their cause. I enjoyed seeing them, but I wouldn’t make the trip all that way to Wyoming just for the Tetons.
We did put in about 4 miles of hiking out to Taggart Lake. It was well worth it, as nothing rivals the beauty of a mountain lake. This lake had an emerald hue that was particularly striking.
It was also on this hike that I first heard others in my party express an interest in doing more hiking and camping at home. Especially now that we have a base camp alongside the White Mountain National Forest, there are countless options and rest assured, I’m striking while the iron is hot and making plans to do some New England hiking this autumn!
We made it up to Yellowstone in time to make dinner at camp and go to bed. Knowing what Yellowstone has to offer, we knew we had some full days ahead of us!
Vacation Days 