On from Yellowstone

The road from Yellowstone to Cody, WY is gorgeous.  We had planned to take Bear Tooth Highway north to Billings, MT but decided to cut down on driving and go east with my parents.  There is something very reassuring about following someone else while driving through mountains for the first time.  Anyway, we were not disappointed in the scenery.

This picnic lunch wins the award for most likely to meet a bear.  Is that why the two youngest felt compelled to eat with their blankets nearby?

 Another reason to be thankful we did not take Bear Tooth: Eric felt most white knuckled when driving (or should I say winding?) through the Bighorn Mountains.  It was magnificent!  And yet another waterfall greeted us at a rest stop.

After a stay in Sheridan, WY, we parted ways with my parents who headed home while we continued on to Devils Tower.  This is where the rock climbing began.

You can see eagles flying around the top of the tower, and we spotted deer on the most remote side.  If you ever go, walk on the trail around the base.  It was great!  At one point we stopped, listened, and heard nothing but the sounds of nature.

 Mount Rushmore!  It was far different here than I had imagined; very scenic in and around the entire area.  This is the Black Hills, after all.  (Of course, I did know what the monument itself looked like!)

 We asked for the ranger booklets, and the kids really got intrigued looking for answers.  It really helped them learn a lot--even Josiah got into it.

Ok, this really does count as a field trip!