September 16th, 2009
Warmer weather came in so we decided it was time to hike the south rim of the canyon here in Yellowstone. As we arrived in the parking lot to start our hike, the path was blocked by a huge bison. It is definitely his turf and we decided it was best to hike around him. The hike was a great combination of meadow, forest, steep climbs, and magnificent views. We met a women who counted every step down to the first vista view. Chris, worked around the southern rim one summer doing trail restoration. We appreciated all the work he and the crew did to keep this trail clean and safe....especially with the 320 some steps down and back up to the main trail. It was definitely worth the huffing and puffing for the view. The first picture of the waterfalls is from that vista point.
We decided to continue on down the rim to get a more 'faraway' look at the many waterfalls and rustic river. Yellowstone Lake empties to a sprawling river for good fly fishing, but suddenly falls drops off into the canyon in a series of amazing waterfalls. The days hike was one of the highlights of our trip so far. We stopped at the visitor's center at Canyon Village for a few information movie shorts and a walk through the museum. Again, the overwhelming awe of venturing and camping in the crater of an ancient volcano!
Of course, our day trip would not be complete without driving through the high meadows where the 'buffalo roam'. Skip call them overgrown rodents-they are everywhere! Good to know their numbers are always increasing. My pet peeve is all the 'looky lous' who stop in the middle of the road to take pictures of the bison. Why don't they just park at the pull offs instead of blocking traffic. The park rangers were a little frustrated with some of these 'tourists'...don't blame them. At the visitors center they show a film where a bison suddenly butts a little girl up in the air (to prove their unpredictability and to warn people to keep their distance)...graphic, but I think necessary. However, I don't think a lot of them have seen the video.
