Showing posts with label dayhike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dayhike. Show all posts

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Yellowstone Interlude (2024)

 July 30 - 31, 2024

In between my Winds trip and my Hidden Creek trip, I spent a night in Yellowstone. I was able to get  one night in a cabin at Lake Lodge. So I drove up from Dubois through the south entrance of Yellowstone and headed to the Hayden Valley for a day hike on the Mary Mountain Trail. 

I knew that the Hayden Valley is closed to off-trail hiking in the summer (sign below), but my understanding is the Mary Mountain Trail should be fine (bottom of sign).


I got to the trailhead and this is what I found, argh!!

I would not have seen much, but I wanted to do a stretch of this trail. No what?

Driving towards the Falls, this guy was trotting along on the side of the road.

I decided to do a loop on the Wapiti Trail, in retrospect, I wish I had gone south on the Howard Eaton. 

When the animal notices you, you are too close. This is 200mm lens and heavily cropped and this guy was noticing me, actually seemed annoyed by my presence. I moved down the trail away from him ...

... and he decided to follow me. He actually come over to the trail and started coming in my direction. I stepped off into some trees and he stared a bit and then went off doing his thing. And I continued along the trail.

It started to sprinkle as I got to Clear Lake where I ran into these two on the far side of the lake.


Clear Lake is very pretty with a very blue/green color. 

This guy decided to pose for a minute. 

Almost back to the trailhead, looking south.

And then I decided to be a tourist and check out the Lower Falls. 



I was hoping for a nice sunset as I drove through Hayden Valley, but there were too many clouds.


Found these guys in either Elk Antler or Trout Creek. I thought they were beavers at first and then saw the tails, never seen a muskrat before. 


I did not need to be in Cody until dinner time and had not really planned this part of the trip, so I wasn't sure what to do to kill time. When I woke up early, I decided to head back to the Falls to enjoy with fewer crowds. This time, I went to the North Rim.


Yellowstone River through Hayden Valley


Then over to Storm Point for a short hike. I did not know there were marmots in Yellowstone, actually, I had never thought about it before. 

There were tons of them out near the point. 

Hard to argue with this view

Looking towards Fishing Bridge

And east towards the Absorkas and the East Entrance


As I got close to the entrance, I decided to pull over and enjoy one more look at the lake, pulled out my chair and a book and just enjoyed for an hour or so. Then off to Cody and the next adventure.


Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Spring in Kentucky (Part 2)

 Dayhike with my youngest on May 22 in the Red River Gorge


Umbrella Magnolia

Mountain Laurel

View from Hanson's Point

Mountain Laurel



Umbrella Magnolia


Two-Headed Bug


Saturday, May 10, 2025

Spring in Kentucky

 A couple dayhikes in the Red River Gorge at the end of April and beginning of May

April 23 - Bison Way Trailhead

Trilliums




Blue Phlox and Triliums


Dogwood




Mayapple

The Mayapple flower is tucked under the big leaves, very easy to miss

Geranium

Iris


Long-spurred Violet

Gladie Creek

My favorite photo of the day

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail?

Zebra Swallowtails? and one Pipevine Swallowtail? in the back


Wild Strawberry

Regwort?

Robin's Plantain?


April 28 - Auxier Ridge/Double Arch Trailhead

Pink Lady Slipper


Mountain Laurel buds

Yellow Lady Slipper


Black Locust flowers

Dogwood

Geranium

Trillium

Iris

Some sort of Violet

Coreopsis?



Courthouse Rock


May 6 - Rough Trail Trailhead on Chimney Top Road

Jump Rock in the Red River

Red River

Mountain Laurel




The view from Hansons Point