This area is high in the mountains and the original folk built their homes in the mountain side and raised sheep and cattle down below in the valley. They also farmed crops and there were relics dating back to 600ad. We walked down to one area and wow again.
More amazing sandstone formations that have been created after exposure to the weather elements
Wow what can I say. We spent the night here and had dinner out in the desert surrounded by some wonderful formations and then watched the sunrise the next morning between some of the most photographed.
Monument Valley is on the Navajo reservation lands and our dinner had been prepared and served by local folk. After dinner one of the tribesmen spoke and sung for us and we were able to ask questions. It was very interesting to hear their story.
The John Wayne western She Wore a Yellow Ribbon was filmed out here along with another 30 odd but the Duke's cabin in the film was behind our hotel so of course one of his biggest fans had to meet him.
This NP is outside Rapid City and was very different. The formations are mainly siltstone and sandstone and very crumbly. They are eroding and will eventually disappear
Bear Country is a privately run reserve for animals that folk don't always get to see. It is just outside Rapid City where we are spending 2 nights.
On our full day here we visited the reserve this morning when feeding was to take place and the animals were all cooperating with being on display.
The bus drives around the reserve and we don't get off until we reach the nursery section. Great time filming the black bear cubs especially.
Our intrepid tour director Joseph ready for buffalo/bison sightings, and we did
Scenes from our guided tour around part of the geothermal area
In Jackson Hole the town square has archways of antler at each corner of the square. It is now illegal to collect antler, the Boy Scouts have the right to collect antler from the national park and are paid for this and the funds they receive go to purchase feed for the animals for during the winter. This ensures that the animals stay within the park for the whole year. Antler is quite heavy as we were able to hold a piece at one of the Visitor Centres.
Every afternoon at 6pm in the square they have a shoot out as this area is well known for 'cowboys' and the home of westerns.
It was interesting to see the reaction of the young kids who in some cases were upset by the 'gunfire'. Really displayed the difference in our 'pretend' roles of childhood.
The first for USA this park was gazetted in 1872 and is huuuuuge. We stayed 2 nights at a hotel right on the edge of one of the lakes in the park and even though through the day was quite warm at night and early morning it became quite cool.
We enjoyed a guided walk around Yellowstone Lake with mud pots, steaming hot pools and a strong sulphur smell.
Our full day in the park was spent doing a bus trip around what is called the park's loop road, a distance of nearly 300 miles.
This took us to see other vistas of the park and also had us at Old Faithful geyser in time for us to witness an eruption. These are now expected every 90 mins, it used to be under an hour.
There are false alarms as enticers before the geyser blows forth.
Some photos from the park showing the various rock formations and one of the tunnels dug by hand in the 1940's for the road.
