Colter Bay, Grand Teton National Park

Colter Bay and the Tetons in afternoon sunshine!  We moved our camper south back to the Tetons and enjoyed a sun-drenched walk around Colter Bay during our last afternoon of this fabulous vacation.

Canoes for rent.

Towards the end of our walk, it clouded up again and eventually rained some more but that was ok.  We completed our journey with warm hearts and a grateful attitude for friends and the stunning beauty of nature.

You will find many more beautiful skies from around the world at SkyWatchFriday, check it out!

On the 4th of July we are heading back to a different part of Wyoming for a two week camping trip in the Big Horn Mountains.  Expect more pictures of  big, wonderful Wyoming!!

Where IS it?

On another roadside stop, we saw this coyote looking for something.  I was able to shoot the pictures right from the truck window.  Fortunately my zoom (only a 300mm) was already attached.  Our little miniature Schnauzer stayed quiet.  He must have sensed he might be prey as well.

I didn't catch the cute little hop the coyote made while searching for what was probably a mouse but we really enjoyed watching the hunt, however unsuccessful it might have been.  

Photo Safari on our last morning in Yellowstone

Back at Fishing Bridge very early in the morning.  

We signed up for a first for us--a photo safari.  We arrived at 5:30 a.m. at the Lake Hotel with an open but groggy mind.  A photographer took us to some nice places and gave us some tips on shooting.  It was interesting and helpful.

Swallows I think, she told us, but like I said it was very early.

Our restored Yellowstone "bus."

"This coffee tastes like shit."  We are coffee snobs.  We buy fresh roasted beans and grind them ourselves.  Need I say more?

Exquisite light and clouds make for more amazing pictures.

We were trying to catch a rainbow at the bottom of the falls at 9:30 a.m.  The sun wasn't too cooperative but it was worth a try.  A pale rainbow did emerge but my camera didn't pick it up. Susan's point and shoot did but I don't have a copy of her picture.

Right at the end of our tour, our guide spotted a pile of cars, knowing it had to be something good and it was--another grizzly.

And finally, a Swainson's hawk flew over head just before we ended our tour. What a morning!

River Otter

The thumbnails look dark, but if you click on the pictures you can see the river otter eating a freshly caught fish.

I'm not always around water in my alpine desert home but there is a lot of water in Yellowstone National Park. For more watery vistas, check out Watery Wednesday.

More animal shots

Lots of geese were everywhere.

This big horn sheep was resting not too far from where we saw the bear.

There are many herds of elk near Mammoth Hot Springs.  It was fun to see the babies.  The rangers said that if you saw a young elk, you might see a bear close behind but we luckily that time we didn't.

Gardiner, Montana is a little tourist town just outside the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

This was my world not to long ago.  For other glimpses of places from around the globe, check out My World Tuesday.

Up close and personal with geysers

A warning sign about the fragility of the ground off the boardwalks, but look at how pretty it can be!

Lots of other people like macro shots and post them at Lisa's Chaos, check here!

North of Fishing Bridge

In an effort to see as much of the park as possible, we headed north towards Mammoth Hot Springs.  The Dragon's Mouth Spring scared the snot out of our kids when they were little because of the roaring sounds coming out of the cave.  

We pulled over here for a pit stop and it's a good place to see where a fire burned the forest and then how it comes back.  Apparently lodgepole pine trees can remain standing for up to 25 years after they have been burned.  The park doesn't cut the timber down because it provides habitat and fertilizer for the forest and its animals.

Skipper needed a pit stop too.

Yellowstone Falls

The happy campers in front of Yellowstone Falls.  The falls drop over 300 feet (91.4m).  The river has carved out an amazing canyon.  In certain light the rocks look yellow, hence the name Yellow Stone.

The intensity and power of the water going over the falls just cannot be shown in a picture. Believe me, I tried!  I took a million pictures but none of them capture the water's energy. When I got home it occurred to me that I could have taken a video with my cell phone.  Maybe next time.

The woman in this picture was very afraid to look over the falls even with a fence in front of her!  You do feel like you could get pulled over by the force but it's safe.

There are so many other scenic places around the world, check here for more at Scenic Sunday.