Yellowstone Canyon area

The Canyon area of Yellowstone National Park includes a village of shops and lodges, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, and Hayden Valley:

Caynon map

Canyon Visitor Education Center:

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

We saw these stickers, and (later) bought the Grand Teton and Yellowstone ones for the back of our truck canopy:

Stickers

Canyon store

Otter Creek picnic area:

Otter Creek picnic area

We found our initials carved on the table — no, we didn’t do that:

Otter Creek picnic area

Otter Creek picnic area

Otter Creek picnic area

Otter Creek picnic area

Reversing GIF of a bison having a dust bath:

Reversing GIF of a bison having a dust bath

Chittenden Bridge view of Yellowstone River:

Chittenden Bridge view of Yellowstone River:

Chittenden Bridge view of Yellowstone River:

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone:

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Bison in Hayden Valley:

Binson in Hayden Valley

Binson in Hayden Valley

Hayden Valley

Binson in Hayden Valley

Bison on the road:

Bison on the road

Bison on the road

Mud Volcano area:

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Bison on the road:

Bison on the road

Bison on the road

Bison on the road

Check out the video from this area, including some cute otters.

Yellowstone Madison area

Heading north from Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park takes us to the Midway Geyser Basin (including one of our favorite places, the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring), Lower Geyser Basin, and Madison:

Madison map

The tiny Madison Information Station:

Madison Information Station

Madison Information Station

Madison amphitheater:

Madison amphitheater

Firehole Canyon waterfall:

Firehole Canyon waterfall

Firehole river:

Firehole river

Fountain Paint Pots area:

Fountain Paint Pots area

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Fountain Paint Pots

Nez Perce picnic area:

Nez Perce picnic area

Nez Perce picnic area

Nez Perce picnic area

Midway Geyser Basin:

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin

Grand Prismatic Spring:

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

Midway Geyser Basin

Grand Prismatic overlook via Fairy Falls trail:

Grand Prismatic overlook via Fairy Falls trail

Grand Prismatic overlook via Fairy Falls trail

Grand Prismatic overlook via Fairy Falls trail

Grand Prismatic overlook

Grand Prismatic overlook

Grand Prismatic overlook

Grand Prismatic overlook

Grand Prismatic overlook

Grand Prismatic overlook

Grand Prismatic overlook via Fairy Falls trail

Biscuit Basin:

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin

Next, see a video from this area.

Yellowstone Old Faithful area

We continue our tour of Yellowstone National Park with the popular Old Faithful area:

Old Faithful map

Old Faithful Visitor Education Center:

Old Faithful Visitor Education Center

Old Faithful Visitor Education Center

Old Faithful Visitor Education Center

Old Faithful Visitor Education Center

Old Faithful Visitor Education Center

Old Faithful General Store:

Old Faithful General Store

Old Faithful Inn:

Old Faithful Inn

Old Faithful Inn

Old Faithful Inn

Old Faithful Inn

Old Faithful Inn

Old Faithful Inn

We had dinner at the Old Faithful Inn dining room, another reservation-only restaurant:

Old Faithful Inn dining room

Old Faithful Inn dining room

Old Faithful Inn dining room

Beverage menu:

Beverage menu

Dinner menu:

Dinner menu

Appetizers:

Appetizers

Mains:

Mains

Dessert menu:

Dessert menu

Dessert:

Dessert

Old Faithful Post Office, where we mailed a Grand Prismatic Spring postcard to Mom:

Old Faithful post office with Grand Prismatic Spring postcard

Old Faithful geyser:

Old Faithful geyser

On another day:

Old Faithful geyser

A bison wandering through near the geyser:

Bison

Looking back at the inn from Old Faithful geyser basin:

Old Faithful geyser basin, looking back at the inn

Hiking around the geyser basin; there’s more to the Old Faithful area than that popular geyser:

Old Faithful geyser basin

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

River

River

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

The Black Sand Basin is also nearby:

Black Sand Basin

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

Geyser

See also a video from this area.

Snake River whitewater rafting

While staying in Alpine, Wyoming, we did a whitewater rafting experience on the Snake River. My first time.

The rafting trip was between West Table Boat Ramp and Sheep Gulch Boat Ramp:

A nice thing about staying at Alpine Valley RV Resort was a van to take us to the starting point, instead of having to go all the way to Jackson. We had the van to ourselves:

Van

Everyone else arrived by bus from Jackson:

Bus

Boats:

Boats

Jenn with a life vest:

Jenn with life vest

Ready to go:

Jenn and David

On the river:

On the river

Selfie:

Selfie

Rafting

Swimming stop:

Swimming stop

Our guide:

Our guide

Pulling people back in:

Pulling people back in

Rafting

Rapids

GIFs:

GIF

GIF

GIF

Beaver den:

Beaver den

A slo-mo video of going over some rapids:

Professional pictures; Jenn and I are at the back:

Rafting

Rafting

Rafting

Rafting

Rafting

Rafting

Rafting

Rafting

Finishing:

Finishing

Us afterwards:

Jenn and David afterwards

Baseball: Mariners at Athletics

While staying north of San Francisco, our Seattle Mariners happened to be in Oakland, so we attended a game.

Rooted in Oakland… but not for much longer, as they are planning to move to Las Vegas:

Rooted in Oakland

Tailgating:

Tailgating

The Coliseum:

Coliseum

A peek of the field:

A peek of the field

Looking back from our seats:

Looking back from our seats

Selfie from our seats:

Selfie from our seats

We could see into the camera and ramp area, as the Mariners gave autographs on the way out:

Autographs

Autographs

Autographs

Autographs

Autographs

Play ball:

Baseball

Baseball

Baseball

We did a mobile order for food, which was a mistake; I spent over half an hour standing in line to pick up our food after the “ready” notification, while the ad hoc order line was moving much faster:

Mobile order line

Baseball

Baseball

Baseball

Baseball

Baseball

Finally, our chicken and fries:

Chicken and fries

Baseball

Baseball

Baseball

Some slow-mo videos:

Baseball

Baseball

Game

Baseball

Baseball

Baseball

Sweep:

Sweep

Mariners win!

Mariners win!

Mariners win!

Mariners win!

Mariners win!

Autographs:

Autographs

Autographs

Autographs

Autographs

Manager

Scores:

Scores

San Francisco North / Petaluma KOA

We stayed at San Francisco North / Petaluma KOA in Petaluma, California. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Another nice RV park in another wine country.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2023-04-30
  • Check out: 2023-05-07
  • 7 nights

Weather:

  • Cloudy and drizzle
  • High temps ranging between 58-64°F, lows around 43-47°F
  • Negligible wind in the shelter of redwood trees, apparently up to 25 MPH gusts nearby

Noise:

  • No freeway noise
  • No road noise
  • Distant train noise, rarely heard
  • Occasional neighbor noise (kids)

Site:

  • #17, back in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad; parked beside coach
  • Very unlevel; used blocks on front jacks
  • Medium site: about 40 feet long by about 40 feet wide
  • Swing seat, table & chairs, fire pit on nice concrete patio
  • Tall trees; shrubs and hedges between sites

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 55 PSI water, conveniently located
  • Loose sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 20 Mbps down, 5-14 Mbps up, 45-140 ms ping
  • AT&T: 11 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 35 ms ping
  • Verizon: 16 Mbps down, 10 Mbps up, 30 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpsters
  • Swimming pool
  • Petting zoo

Our review on Campground Reviews:

A bit expensive, but pleasant enough after the initial hurdles

We stayed for a week in a deluxe patio back-in site in the redwood grove. The beginning of our stay was not auspicious: firstly, my husband went to check us in but didn’t have his wallet, and they demanded ID, so I had to go in with my full wallet because they not only wanted ID but to also actually physically see the “card on file” and made me swipe it instead of just charging it from the computer.

Secondly, unlike most KOAs, we did not have an escort to show us to our site…which was occupied by a long-term resident. So we had to drive our rig back around to the office to get that sorted out. They were due to leave the following day, but we got the (almost) as good site next to it. So even though I’d paid the site lock fee (like a chump), I didn’t get the site I’d selected (and did not get a refund).

The site was unlevel front-to-back and was just big enough for our 40-foot motorhome. Any longer and we would have either 1) hit the berm behind the site or 2) had our nose out in the street.

However, once we settled in, we enjoyed our stay here. The large family groups were in another part of the park, and the redwood grove area was nice and quiet. We also enjoyed the hedges between the back-in sites, which provided some privacy on the lovely patio. We camped at San Francisco North / Petaluma KOA in a Motorhome.

Tip for Other Campers: The Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa is fun for Peanuts fans. Lots of fantastic wineries in the area. If you enjoy bubbly, definitely check out Iron Horse. Head to Muir Woods for a beautiful walk and take the scenic route along Hwy 1 back to camp.

Interactive map:

The RV park map; it says our site was #16, which was the one we had chosen (and paid the site lock fee to reserve), but when we pulled up to the site, it was occupied. So we went back to the office, and they reassigned us to the site next to it, #17:

Map

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

A nice fairly private patio, with shrubs and a hedge providing screening, and attractive stamped concrete:

Patio

Patio

Bear and fish stamps:

Bear and fish stamps

Our site

Not much clearance:

Not much clearance

Utilities; I used a water-weighted bag to secure the sewer, since it was unthreaded:

Utilities

This is site #16, which we were supposed to have, next to where we ended up; a bigger site, being on an angle, but otherwise much the same:

Next site

A free range peahen:

Peahen

Peahen

Peahen

Other sites:

Other sites

Most of the sites seem rather unlevel:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Entrance gate:

Entrance gate

Office:

Office

Office

Office

Petting farm:

Petting farm

Goats:

Goats

Goats

Goats

Goats

Goats

Goats

Jenn petting goats

Games:

Games

Deflated jump pad:

Deflated jump pad

Picnic area:

Picnic area

Picnic area

Chicken run:

Chicken run

Chickens and peacock:

Chickens and peacock

Chickens

Rooster and peacock:

Rooster and peacock

Chickens

Rooster

Chickens and peacock

Donkeys:

Donkeys

Donkeys

Dogrun:

Dogrun

Games:

Games

Feral cat:

Feral cat

Cabins:

Cabins

Cabins

Cabins

Cabins

Cabins

Covered seating:

Covered seating

Covered seating

Playground:

Playground