Today was a relatively short drive from Red Lodge to the North Entrance of Yellowstone. But lots of climbing and hair pin turns then lots of down hill with beautiful views at every turn! Here’s a great view from the Rock Creek Vista.

On the way down we stopped briefly for this beautiful mountain lake.

We continued on to Island Lake Campground, where we could hike around island lake.

It was so quiet and deserted, and the signs at the trailhead were sufficiently cautionary, that after about a half mile we decided we would not go all the way around the lake.

I also really like the contrast between the grasses in the open areas and the grasses back in the trees in this picture.

Our campground in Yellowstone, Slough Creek, is quite remote and has some similar bear signs, but all 17 sites are full so we are not alone. The campground also does not have water, and since we didn’t want to haul a full water tank over the mountains this morning we had to drive to the Tower Falls campground and get our water there. This involved sitting through quite a bit of road construction both was as Tower Falls was 8 miles past the turn off for our campground.

Our campground is at the end of a 3 mile gravel road, but it is well worth it! Here is the view from our campsite! We are right on the edge of Slough Creek, with beautiful views, although you can tell it was burned by a forest fire not too long ago.

Tomorrow morning is an early morning, we are meeting a guide at 6 to go in search of wildlife!