Day 11: Into the Wild (or Yellowstone National Park)!

The motel was a pleasure to leave, although the alternative was worse, as it rained a bit during the night. Eager to get started with a hot bath, we headed for the thermal springs north of Thermopolis. The only reason the city is were it is (as the surroundings are not very inviting). The baths were really nice and after the bath we felt the detour to Thermopolis was worth it. We also took a walk through the park to see the travertine formations and the spring itself (see pictures above and below).

Next stop was the western town of Cody, to have lunch and to have a look at a museum. The city presents itself as the gate to Yellowstone, but is also known for being named after Buffalo Bill. The museum was great, as it housed actually several museums. We saw the one on Buffalo Bill (where Jan was urged to sit on a saddle, below), one on the natural history of Yellowstone and one on Lewis and Clarke (more about them when we get to Montana). Although Buffalo Bill probably was a huge celebrity and all that, the natural history museum was really great. A nice preparation for the park itself.

We arrived in the park in the afternoon and drove to Canyon Village, where Jan had booked a cottage in advance (a good idea, as it is quite crowded in the summer). We decided to explore the immediate surroundings of Canyon Village, and drove for the nearby waterfalls. Quite impressing, at least for a Dane. Going to bed that night we were eager to explore the park the following day.