JUNE 10th LAMAR VALLEY

June 10^th  Lamar Valley

Today is a day to do some housekeeping chores. Chick took the truck for an oil change and I did laundry.

Once again it was a beautiful day, we decided to try once more to find Lost Lake (the one guarded successfully a couple of days by the world’s largest, meanest bison.).  This time we had success and not only FOUND  Lost Lake, but ended up giving directions to at least 3 groups of hikers who had no idea where they were.  We decided we might consider a job as park ranger.

LOST LAKE TRAIL

LOST LAKE TRAIL

LOST LAKE

LOST LAKE

Traveling down the Lamar Valley to once again check on the bison carcass we found no mammals partaking but got to watch a beautiful bald eagle on the kill.  And of course the inevitable ravens.

Continuing down the road we saw a tiny bear cub too far away to get a picture of. These guys are so cute you can’t imagine.

LAMAR RIVER VALLEY AND ABSAROKA MTNS

HEADING TO THE RIVER TO FISH

VIEW OF LAMAR VALLEY AND ABSAROKA MTNS  FROM LAMAR RIVER BANK

BANK OF LAMAR RIVER

We stopped for Chick to try his hand at fishing the Lamar River and to for the first time to actually stand beside the river instead of seeing it from afar.  It is one thing to see the bison from the road. It is another to stand just across a medium sized river from them.  Trust me I kept an eye on them while Chick fished.  I watched a hawk swoop down and snatch a fish from the river and stop on the bank to enjoy it.

BISON ON THE BANK A FEW FEET FROM ME ACROSS THE RIVER

STONES ON THE RIVERBANK

VISITORS ON THE RIVER BANK

Next stop was Tower Falls to look at the Yellowstone River crash hundreds of feet down.  This is a tourist site that even the most out of shape tourist can enjoy….200 feet from the source of ice cream and souvenirs.  We had avoided it for years because of the quantity and quality of the tourists but it was such a beautiful day, we joined the crowd.  Because of the unusually raining spring the waterfall was outstanding.   Nature is beautiful in spite of tourists.

TOWER FALLS

TOWER FALLS

YELLOWSTONE RIVER BELOW THE FALLS

CALCITE WALLS ABOVE THE RIVER

So, like all the other tourists, we also had some more Wilcoxsen ice cream (there is a common thread here..this Montana ice cream is truly the best we have ever found!)

Exhausted from a busy half day in the beautiful Lamar Valley we went home, napped and had supper.