A Little History
Yellowstone became the first national park in the United States when President Ulysses S. Grant signed it into law on March 1, 1872. Its Grand Loop Road traces a giant figure eight of roughly 142 miles through the park. The upper loop links Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower-Roosevelt, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Norris Geyser Basin, home to some of the park’s hottest and most changeable thermal features. All of it sits atop one of the largest volcanic systems on Earth.
Our Visit
First, to fill you in on some missing details: Lola and I left Oreville Campground bright and early on the 13th of June. We arrived at our first off-grid campsite of the trip around 2 or 3 p.m. Then we set up camp on the side of a mountain, along with a few other adventurers. After that, we took pictures and video, in awe of the amazing beauty of this place!
If you came to TheBeardedPug.net though the front door, you’ve already seen one of the videos from this campsite, here’s the other. I did also attempt to grab some night sky lapse video, but it didn’t turn out very good.
Coffee First, Then the Yellowstone Upper Loop
Now, on to the meat and potatoes: the top loop of Yellowstone, also known as the Yellowstone Upper Loop! We woke up with the sun, not caring or even knowing what time it was. Next, we packed up camp and headed south to start the loop. First, though: coffee in Gardiner!
After getting caffeinated (and whoaaaa boy, were we; Lola was given a pup cup as well), we headed toward the entrance.
At the Gate
We got to the gate, and the lady asked for the fee: 35 bucks. I went to use my card, but apparently they don’t take cards. So she offered me the new national parks pass instead. I politely passed on that one. Let’s just say I’m not a fan of the face printed on the new card, and I told her so. She gave a short smirk and waved us on through. 🤣
Letting the Photos Do the Talking
At this point, I’ll just let the media speak for itself. Honestly, you lose your words seeing all this amazing beauty. Most of the day was simply driving around and taking pictures anyway.
Again, Lola wasn’t allowed on any boardwalks. Instead, she supervised from the truck window and napped between stops. So, without further ado…
A New, Even More Isolated Campsite
After finishing the top loop, Lola and I had intended to go back to that same off-grid site. However, we got distracted in Gardiner after lunch, and we found a different spot: an even MORE isolated location!
Planning your own drive around the Yellowstone Upper Loop? The National Park Service’s Yellowstone site has maps and current road conditions.
Next stop: Yellowstone’s Lower Loop →
Enjoying the adventures?
Buy my human a coffee for the long drives, or buy me a biscuit. 25% of your purchase goes to local rescues & shelters. — Lola 🐾
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