Yellowstone Off-Season

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Spud

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So a mild winter lead to some road openings early, I checked conditions, weather looked good, so off for the first time into Yellowstone. I don't think I've ever been in the park this early (May 1).

"OMG, it's already motorcycle season again?!" (Island Park, ID, Henry's Fork of the Snake River.

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I went up through West Yellowstone, MT and around Yellowstone Lake. The lake is thawing.

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Parts are still iced over.

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After riding out of the East park entrance, I rode into Cody--always a good time with the cool tunnel going into town at Buffalo Bill Reservoir. Got gas in Cody, then onto the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, up and over Dead Indian Pass. I nearly had the whole road to myself (laughed as a UPS Van came by....what a route that would be!)

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Rode up on the sidewalk since no one was around.

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Did a little "adventure riding".

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Things got colder heading back west to Cooke City, MT, my destination for the night.

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Spent the night at the Alpine Motel (Cooke City--recommended). The town was dead. One restaurant had food--choice of a burger or pork-chop cooked on a grill outside. The burger was good. No food pics...

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Did I mention the town was dead? If you've ever been through here in the summer, you know how strange this is. It's a motorcycle mecca during the season, sitting at the foot of the Beartooth Highway (still closed).

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They ride motorcycles here in the winter also....

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Leaving Cooke City, headed back to the NE Park Entrance.

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There was not a wait to get in. In fact there was no one there at all.

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Who says the park is too crowded?

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Spring runoff...

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Lamar Valley--there were hundreds of bison, and a lot of other critters too...

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Looking back toward Cooke CIty in the Lamar Valley.

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Believe it or not, this little guy (girl?) was less than one hour old. A lot of calves are dropping right now, and a photographer told me he just watched this one not long before I got there. He said momma is a first-timer and she was a little confused at first, but figured it out pretty quick.

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Different calf--further down the road I had a momma and a new one cross the road--his (her?) cord was still dangling!

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This momma bear had 2 cubs, but they were hidden behind the trees.

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Back out through West Yellowstone after that, and home. Good start to the season
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Good stuff! Lucky you, to enjoy Yellowstone without the Disneyland tourists jamming everything up.
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My first trip there was about a week before Memorial Day. Hot, sunny weather, completely empty roads. You might say I got a false first impression of Yellowstone. At least until the weather got ugly two days later. And until I went back in the summer. sheesh. Great experience to be there at that magic time. Thanks.

 
Bastage! Wish I was there, some of the best roads in the country when not tourist season.

Good stuff Spud.

 
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Amazing weather for this time of year. I went in the first week of July around 5 or 6 years ago. Sleet and snow at higher elevations. Beartooth was closed. It's hard to predict what you will hit at higher elevations - you were lucky and I wasn't. At least the tourist traffic was relatively low the couple of days I was there.

 
Awesome! I need to get back up there soon, before the hords arrive for summer.

 
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