Getting Ready for Yellowstone!

I am finally getting back to Yellowstone this summer.  I have been out there about 12 summers.  OK, it has been 5 years since I fished Yellowstone but the old dog remembers where to stay and where to fish.

I have been tying flies all day.  I have a large box of dry flies and a large box of wet flies.  Here are some of the flies I have been working on.

                                           



That shot isn't too clear but you can see some I've tied so far.

I will be sharing flies with Dr. Robb who is moving to Indy to start his practice, so I better have a bunch tied.

These are the wet flies and the next rainy day I'll work on the dry flies.

Here is a map of Yellowstone.

  

If you look in the upper right hand corner of the map you will seethe Northeast Entrance.  That is the one that I'll be taking into the park.  It will take me through Cooke City and Silvergate and to the Fee Station for the park.  I have a Golden Age Passport so I will get in free and get half priced camping during the two week stay.  We will try to camp out side the park and enter early in the morning so we can get a campsite.  I want to camp at Pebble Creek Campgound where I always stay.  I know the camphosts, who are from Lockhaven, PA.  They will let me know who is leaving that day.  Pebble Creek Campground  only has 30 sites so it is hard to get a spot.  It is located at 6,900 ft. elevation and has a nice creek running beside it.

You can click on this You-Tube video of Yellowstone to see more sites and pictures.

                                            

www.youtube.com/watch?v=luPLv0rhaOQ

I love visiting in Yellowstone.  From Pebble Creek, you pass through the beautiful Lamar Valley, which is home to bison, elk, coyote, grizzly, and wolf. 

The Lamar is River is a great cutthroat  trout fishery.  It is catch and release.  Then you cross over the Yellowstone River and arrive at Roosevelt Lodge.  I stayed there in cabins the first few years of visiting. The rocking chairs on the front porch of the rustic lodge are one of my favorite spots to be in mid-day.  You can see the distant mountains and watch the tourists come and go while sipping a cold one.

Heading south from Roosevelt is Tower Falls, which is a nice hike.  Then you gothrough Canyon Village, which has a nice museum to visit.  Great store with supplies here.  Then on down to Fishing Bridge to see the spawning cutthrouts.  No fishing allowed here.  Yellowstone Lake is next, then you can head west to Old Faithful Lodge.  Have lunch in here and admire the beautiful wood finishings and structure of this great old lodge.  Then head outside to see Old Faithful.

If you notice on the map, Yellowstone roads are in a large figure eight..  Head north and you will see the Lower Geyser Basin and walk beside fragile fumeroles and geyers.  Further north you will pass Norris Geyser Basin and then on to Mammoth Hot Springs, which was the original park headquarters.

There is so much to see that you need at least a week to see everything.  The average stay is only 2-3 days and believe me, you can't do it justice in a couple of days.


When I get back in late August, I'll publish more on Yellowstone.  Stay tuned for more  'Up North' Adventures in the next month before I leave.