Day Six: Yellowstone to Tetons

West Yellowstone, WY to Idaho Falls, ID
West Yellowstone, WY to Idaho Falls, ID

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Day Six was another whirlwind of exciting scenery. We drove the second half of Yellowstone’s main scenic loop, then down through the Grand Tetons, and finally stopped for dinner in Jackson before continuing to our hotel in Idaho Falls, ID.

The theme of our day at Yellowstone was geothermal activity–Old Faithful is just one of the park’s ~10,000 thermal features! Activity below Earth’s surface manifests itself in Yellowstone in many ways, ranging from geysers to hot springs to bubbling mud pits. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves…

My personal favorite sight: the Grand Prismatic Spring. It's the largest hot spring in the US and third largest in the world. Its gorgeous colors come from pigmented bacteria and microbes that grow in and around the water!
The Grand Prismatic Spring was my personal favorite. It’s the largest hot spring in the US and third largest in the world. Its gorgeous colors come from pigmented bacteria and microbes that grow in and around the water!
Another hot spring
Checking out another hot spring!

A few more Yellowstone pics:

Next, we headed south through Grand Teton National Park. I had no idea what to expect, but what a beautiful surprise it was! Shortly after entering the park, we had a stunning view of the majestic Tetons, lined up like dominoes behind a perfectly smooth Jackson Lake.

Tetons behind a veil of smoke from regional wildfires.
Tetons behind a veil of smoke from regional wildfires.
Another gorgeous view across the lake.
Another gorgeous view across the lake.

The Teton drive actually ended up being more spectacular than the driving in Yellowstone (though there are more “attractions” to stop and see in the latter). Both the lack of traffic and the open road in the Tetons allowed us to appreciate gorgeous views the entire way.

We stopped for a delicious meal at The Kitchen, in Jackson, before landing in Idaho Falls for the night (new state count: 7). Day Seven will take us through Utah and part of Nevada!

Elk antler archway in the Jackson's central square.
Elk antler archway in the Jackson’s central square.

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