Half the Fun is Getting There! On the Road to Yellowstone

Posted on November 2, 2021 by

23 Comments

Some destinations are better than others and certainly Yellowstone is one of those. Still, half the fun of any road trip is getting there!

We left Seattle after Labor Day and headed east on I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass where I never get tired of the views.

But the mountains don’t last forever and it wasn’t long before we crossed the mighty Columbia River

welcomed to the other side by wild horses! The Wild Horses Monument, officially called Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies, looks so real I updated this post so you’d know it’s a sculpture.

Then we were in a strange wasteland where all was barren and full of sagebrush, and creatures from outer space dominated the landscape. No wait, they’re wind turbines!

Windfarms have sprung up everywhere – harnessing the wind for power – and not I hope wiping out bird populations.

After riding through the desert of the Evergreen State the trees finally reappeared near Spokane and soon after we entered into Idaho.

Time to stretch our legs in Wallace!

Established in 1884, Wallace sits at an elevation of 2,728 ft. and boasts a population of 925. Self described Silver Capital of the World, over 1.2 billion ounces of silver have been mined there. A fun town nestled in the mountains, we loved walking on its historic streets.

(Click on pictures in the gallery to enlarge.)

We visited the old train station – now a museum –

and admired the Stardust Motel – at least its kitschy sign.

Later on we spent the night in Missoula, and the next day took the road less traveled through Montana

enjoying the ghost towns of Nevada City and Virginia City – more on that here if you missed it.

We arrived in Yellowstone that afternoon, welcomed by a herd of buffalo and their young, ready for more adventures.

I’ve already shared some pictures from our trip – Yellowstone in Color – but I only scratched the surface and suspect there’ll be more to come.

~ Susanne

Category: National Parks, TravelTags: , , , , , , , ,

23 Comments on “Half the Fun is Getting There! On the Road to Yellowstone”

  1. I’ve done a similar trip on the back of a motorcycle and loved it. That wild horse sculpture is something else. I couldn’t believe my eyes. At first I actually thought it was a real herd of wild horses but then they didn’t move. Your picture is great. Thanks for the great memories.

      • Thanks so much! They are amazing sculptures and certainly look real! I almost wondered if I should go back and modify my text, but I think it’s okay as this generates more comments. 😄

    • Ah, I fooled you! Those wild horses overlooking the Columbia are sculptures. They are life like and realistic, though! But I do believe wild horses still exist in the Southwest though I’ve not seen them. And I’ll check out your link! Thanks!

      • Don’t feel bad. The first time I saw them I thought they were real, too! In fact I went back and updated my post with the name of the monument, Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies as the comments indicate many others thought they were real horses. 🙂

  7. Lovely tour Suzanne. I loved that drive through eastern Washington into Montana and Idaho. When I had time, I’d always take the back roads, miles of deserted rural highway and passing through little podunk towns.

  8. I have never been there! The wild horse sculpture is amazing! We only have one wind turbine here but lots of solar fields. Have a great day!!

    • Yellowstone is one of my favorite places and the road trip getting there is just as fun! Thanks for dropping by! 🙂

  9. Oh, I just love this sort of trip – it’s exactly why we come to the US every few years! Stunning scenery, quirky photo opps (I love the motel sign and the horses sculpture) and roads that seem to go on forever 😀

    • Thank you so much! I love a good road trip and this was a special one. 🙂 There’s so much to see and do in the West and with a destination like Yellowstone you can’t go wrong! 🙂

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