July 2 - Bunsen Peak Hike - Mammoth - Jr Ranger

We hiked up Bunsen Peak just south of Mammoth on the north west corner of the park. It was just over 2.2 miles up to the peak at 8,585 feet in elevation. That was a 1,300 feet climb from the trailhead. The view was great and we had sandwiches at the top. We were very cautious because there was a bear with 4 cubs spotted at Swan Lake that week. Swan Lake is about 5 miles south of Bunsen Peak. We didn’t see the bears but we did see a really nice fox on the way down. I wasn’t able to get the camera going in time but everyone got a really good look at it so I guess you had to be there.

Then we drove up to Mammoth Hot Springs to have ice cream and look at the terraces. The terraces were a little disappointing because the water level was pretty low so they weren’t able to see them glisten in the sun like they normally do. Then it was back down to Madison to be sworn in as Junior Rangers by our friends, Jay & Sandi Mengal. They are the same naturalists that they boys met at Tuckahoe State Park two years ago. Jay & Sandi are going to be back at Tuckahoe next summer. Hopefully we’ll be able to get the boys down there again then. We saw a coyote on the drive home and I was able to get a photo of it.
Back to the motorhome, showers and then we all met Jay & Sandi for pizza in West Yellowstone.

That is the peak that we hiked up.

You can just make out our minivan in the parking lot next to the road below.