As we continued on our journey through Yellowstone National Park on Day 2 of our trip, it was early afternoon and we were starving. We had planned to stop earlier but, with so much to see and the bison traffic jam we encountered, we were behind schedule. If you missed any of our “Living in the Moment” posts, check them out here: Just After Take Off, Day 1, Day 2 Mammoth Hot Spring, Day 2 Traffic Jam, Day 2 Undine Falls and Lava Creek.
Finding good food and a great place to eat is a real challenge in most National Parks. Yellowstone is no exception. The park is huge and the number of places available for food are small. In addition, the menu options are limited. The solution sounds like a pain in the rear end but it’s not. All it takes is a little planning, a couple of stops for supplies after picking up the rental vehicle and you’re set for the entire vacation. More on that in a later post.
It was sunny and the temperature was in the 60’s with the wind blowing 5-10 mph and gusts up to 15 mph. In other words, the weather was perfect for a picnic. It was close to 2 pm and we hadn’t eaten since 8 am that morning. Now the challenge was finding the perfect spot. The search continued for such a place where we could get some shelter from the wind to be able to use our MSR Pocket Rocket. It’s an awesome little stove, that when compacted, fits in the palm of your hand. We stopped at every turnout but nothing was just right. At one of the turnouts we saw this beautiful Pronghorn Antelope. Hunger pangs aside, we had to stop and get some photos since he posed up for us.
Finally, we came to an intersection with a dirt gravel road that said Slough Creek Campground, BINGO. Driving down the campground road, we found a perfect spot with a view above Slough Creek.
We pulled over, adjusted the van so that we blocked the wind on the passenger’s side and set up to cook lunch. The view of the valley and creek were absolutely beautiful. This was our spot!
We unloaded the van with the gear & food that was going to be prepared. Grilled cheese, fresh corn on the cob and an apple was on the menu. Frank began preparing the stove while I prepped the food. This menu would have tasted great at home but, food tastes so much better outside where you’re surrounded by mountains, a lake, the ocean or any place that makes you forget about all the troubles of the world. We took our time and savored every bite, view and moment. Our first lunch in Yellowstone National Park couldn’t have been more magical!
More to come next stop Trout Lake! We are still on Day 2! What???
Our Eyes Open 
Comments
12 responses to “Living in the Moment – Day 2 – Lamar Valley – Slough Creek”
Very Cool! I love Yellowstone!
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We do too
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Whenever my husband and I take a road trip, having a picnic along the way has always been on of our favorite parts of travel. We have discovered similarly beautiful spots, and it’s simply nice to sit a while and absorb the atmosphere. We hardly ever eat at restaurants during our trips.
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Us too. In 10 days, we ate out 3 times. All were for breakfast when we stayed in a hotel & not in a B&B. It’s just better & since we eat mostly organic, it makes more sense. 😊
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Lucky Yogi Bear didn’t steal your picnic basket.
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Heyyy Boo Boo!
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Seems like you had a great time. Your post brings back happy memories. Yellowstone’s my favourite place in the USA – have visited 6 times from the UK. Last year we finally spotted wolves for the first time, in Lamar Valley!
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We didn’t see any wolves. One lone coyote. We loved it too. It was our first time & certainly not our last. I’m glad I could take you back & hope you get back there soon. 😊
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I did a blog of last year’s Yellowstone trip. If it’s of interest you can see my account of when we spotted the wolf here: https://yellowstoneplatypus.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/yellowstone-highlights-wolves-at-last/ The blog covers lots of other stuff you’ll have encountered during your visit, including, of course, the wonderful bison. I had a lot to say about bison: https://yellowstoneplatypus.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/yellowstone-highlights-bison-the-heavyweight-superstars-of-yellowstone/ I do hope you get back to Yellowstone again – it’s a truly magical place.
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Yummy! Cheese looking delicious 👌😋
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Our favorite combo is Muenster & jack.
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Okay! Good to listen about your Combo !!
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