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Travel and Adventure Exploring Lake Yellowstone |
Ifirst came to Yellowstone National Park in 1972 after I read a National Geographic article about her upcoming 100th birthday. Yellowstone was the first national park anywhere and was a tremendous success with the American public. For a long time it was known as Wonderland. Railroads and stage coaches brought the tourists in while luxury hotels, like the Old Faithful Inn and the above pictured Lake Hotel on Lake Yellowstone, catered to their needs. I enjoyed touring the park in most of my previous visits. In 1988 though fires devastated Yellowstone. The scars still remain. It saddened me to see the park gradually decline from neglect, fire and radical environmental politics. I was pleasantly surprised at the Lake Hotel.
The Lake Hotel's comfortable sitting room Thinning the trees would improve the view |
The elegant Lake Hotel lobby |
The Lake Yellowstone Hotel and all of the other Yellowstone Park accommodation services are under new management. A firm called Xanterra replaced TWA services and last year, Hamilton Stores. When I walked up the hotel stairs I noticed how neat and clean everything was; a dramatic difference from years past. Employees wore pressed uniforms, were attentive and polite. Everyone called me sir. I booked a room quickly and picked up a double latte in a small coffee shop off the lobby.
A few minutes later and with some trepidation I opened the door to my room. The last time I checked into a Yellowstone hotel the room lacked all plumbing. The bed was cast iron and like the dilapidated furniture looked like it was from the 19th century. The carpet was threadbare and the room dimly lighted by one bare overhead bulb. I opened the door to this room and was greeted by warm desert shades of pink and tan. The setting sun softly streamed through the large western windows. The carpet was new and soft. My drapes matched the bedding and the walls. I peeked around the room and found a new, working sink with hot and cold water. A full sized shower and bath with a flush toilet were in the attached bathroom. A phone with an Internet connection sat on a stand next to the door. No television and no candy on my pillow though. Still I was pleased and I slept well that night.
Iwalked a quarter mile to the Lake Lodge for breakfast. Lake Lodge is a large log cabin constructed from Yellowstone Lodgepole Pines. It is a beautiful building on the inside and is another pleasant place to stay when overnighting at Yellowstone Lake. The cafeteria style food is good and moderately priced. I met two guys from Poland who were working for the summer cooking meals at the lodge. They fed me well and I learned a few new words in Polish.
The lobby in Lake Lodge |
The lobby fireplace in Lake Lodge |
In the morning I went for a boat ride on the Lake Queen II. From the first time I saw Yellowstone Lake I wanted to visit the three islands within it. Today we traveled to Stevenson Island. We sat offshore for awhile watching eagles and listening to our guide talk about a famous steamship that was scuttled here in the early 1900s. The owner could never get a permit from the Park authorities to operate the vessel. He finally gave up and left the passenger ship anchored near Stevenson Island. Eventually the ice crushed its hull and pushed it ashore. Then the boilers were scavenged for the Lake Hotel. Finally it was burned to its waterline. The lower hull still adorns the island shore.
Steamship wreck on Stevenson Island |
Yellowstone Lake Hotel with a "natural" lawn |
As we pulled into the Bay Bridge Marina my watch turned to 12 noon. I found a picnic table and made myself lunch of peanut butter and blueberry jam on whole wheat bread. It is often said that Connecticut is the land of steady habits. That may be true because I've been eating the same lunch since I was 16 and I still enjoy it. In fact under the warm sun and in the fresh mountain air, my peanut butter and jelly sandwich tasted even better than usual.
Next on my agenda was a visit to The Old Faithful Inn which one person called "the world's largest log cabin". An earthquake once weakened it and the Inn almost burned to the ground in 1988. Like the rest of Yellowstone, the Old Faithful Inn suffered years of neglect. 2004 was the 100th anniversary of the Inn. I wondered what the future held for it as I drove around West Thumb and headed north towards Old Faithful.
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Page 8 On the Road to Yellowstone Lake |
Tim's Life Main Table of Contents |
Travel Section Table of Contents |
Page 10 To Be Written... |
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