Gardiner, Montana and Yellowstone's Original Entrance

Well, this bodes well for our visit.  While I'm checking in at the Rodeway Inn and Suites in Gardiner, Montana, Granpa is snapping photos of a deer friend.

We really enjoyed our stay here.  We'd do it again in a heartbeat. 

But just around the corner is the northern entrance to Yellowstone.  

We've been to Yellowstone umpteen times and this is the very first that we've seen these guys!

Yup, mountain goats.  But we're still looking for Yellowstone's Big Horn Sheep.  Maybe someday.

Yeah, for most people Yellowstone is about the volcanic geysers.  They're cool, but it's the animals we really come for.  Of all the National Parks we've been to, Yellowstone is the one guaranteed to show us some animals.  Animals like, well, this cinnamon colored Black Bear just moseying along the side of the road.

See?  You don't even have to get out of the car in Yellowstone to see fantastic critters.  Here.  Here's a better shot.

Well, let me get my goofy arm out of the way!

Bears just love to graze on wildflowers.  What's amazing is that there ARE wildflowers in Yellowstone in July!  But there are always buffalo (well, actually American bison).  

  

And waterfalls.  This would be Kepler Cascades.                  And more buffalo.

Some Canadian Geese.

Trumpeter Swan.

And Elk bucks with velvet still on their antlers.  Nice 'n fuzzy lookin', huh?  But this is just a young buck.

This would be "daddy."

And that would be day one of this particular trip to Yellowstone.