On our first full day here, we decided to drive up to Yellowstone Park. We have been here before, but not for several years. We never tire of looking at the Tetons as we drive by.

The view from Oxbow Junction is always gorgeous.

Jon and Caroline at the entrance to Yellowstone Park.

It didn't take long before we started seeing animals inside the Park. Here we saw a big group of female elk with their babies.

Some of the elk are right along the road--easy to see. *

Once we got into Hayden Valley, there were bison everywhere. You have to be careful because they often decide to cross the road right in front of you. Several followed this old guy, just a few feet from our car. *

After they crossed, they walked along the side of our car. This picture was taken out the window while I was still sitting in the car.

This picture might not look like much, but it was the most exciting event of the day. We saw a grizzly bear walk into the water and then swim all the way across the Yellowstone River. We had to drive a ways before we could park and take a picture back at the bear (but we were much closer than this picture for most of his swim).

And here the grizzly is climbing out of the river on the other side. Neither Jon or Caroline had ever seen a grizzly before, but we saw two today. (The other one was only a dot in the distance--and needed a spotting scope to see it at all.)