As the sun sets we spot a very nice bull elk on our way back to Grant Village. Our campsite is located near a large concentration of elk and we listen to their distinctive mating calls well into the early hours of the morning. Temperatures at night are in the low 30s making for perfect sleeping weather and we don’t bother to put the fly on the tent so we can enjoy the magnificent star field.
Our final destination for the day is the Grand Prismatic Spring. The colors are extraordinary but I am unsatisfied with the point of view. I locate a vantage point in the distant hills and make a mental note of the optimal shooting location. The perfect photo will have to wait for another day.
After returning to our car we drive from the GTNP to Yellowstone where we make camp at the Grant Village campground before continuing on to the Upper Geyser Basin. There we enjoy Old Faithful and a one hour walk before settling down to diner at the Old Faithful Inn.
Our return hike takes only 4 1/2 hours with a lunch break at this beautiful meadow. As we approach Jenny Lake we are delighted to learn that the boat shuttle people have decided to operate for an additional day since the weather is so nice. Although we were mentally prepared for that last 2 miles around the lake the boat ride was a very welcomed short cut.
As we begin our descent, our packs are a little lighter (less water and food) but our hike will be 2 miles longer because we will not have the benefit of the Lake Jenny boat shuttle. We are on the trail by 8AM and the weather once again is perfect.
Jeanine woke me up this morning insisting she heard a bear outside of our tent. After warming the bear repellent to ensure proper operation, I venture outside only to discover this bull moose, his mate, and their baby having breakfast next to the creek by which we are camped. As I approached for a better closeup, I made eye contact with the bull and decided that further advancement was ill-advised. The family continued to dine as Jeanine and I broke camp and had our own breakfast.