Arrival at Gardiner, MT

The Roosevelt Arch - Original entrance to Yellowstone Park, built in 1903 at a cost of $10,000



Picture taken from our campsite. The fence is the boundary of the campground.



For only the second time on this vacation we had rain (the prior rain was on the 4th of July in Forks). Our reward was a rainbow.



More local residents coming up to the campground.


Date: Sunday, July 18th
Day: 65
RV Miles: 6,009
Location: Gardiner, Montana (about 600 feet from the Roosevelt Arch)
Elevation: 5,403

We left Missoula, Montana about 9AM and arrived here in the early afternoon. Gardiner is the Northwest entrance to Yellowstone and originally was the only entrance to Yellowstone. The Roosevelt Arch guards this entrance to the park. The Arch got its name because President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone in 1903 and later that year he returned for the dedication of the arch.

Larry tells me that the roads in Yellowstone are set in a figure-eight pattern and tomorrow we will do the lower loop and see the geysers and bubbling pots.

On the trip here, Larry and Marsha chatted extensively about the trip. Larry is feeling road-weary, but Marsha isn’t. Marsha put things in perspective as she usually does. The remaining stops on the trip are here at Yellowstone and then it’s the Black Hills. Larry has been to both, so they hold no anticipation for him, but to Marsha they are still fresh and new; hence the difference.

They spent the afternoon and evening looking for things Larry has never seen at these two destinations and succeeded in making a list or points to visit that Larry has never seen. Looks like they will be doing some hiking in Yellowstone to get to points such as the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Yellowstone Falls and a few other places. (I think doggie day-care is going to be in Sasha and my future.) In addition, a road trip to the “top of the world,” considered by some including Charles Kuralt as the most beautiful drive in the United States and trips to Deadwood, South Dakota are now on the docket.

The Beartooth highway to “the top of the world” was described by Charles Kuralt as, ” This legendary section of road, part of U.S. Highway 212, connects the tiny Montana towns of Cooke City and Red Lodge. In between is Wyoming/Montana wilderness as vast and beautiful as anyone could imagine.”

That got Larry’s blood pumping again.