Inspiring travel stories, tips, and guides from a couple exploring the world one destination at a time.
Beginnings can be bittersweet. They are often brought on by change, and in our situation, it was the passing of our beloved dog Jake, our ever present companion. Michael’s father passed away almost two years ago, before that it was his mother. Not long ago, Sandy’s aunt De passed, before that her father and other relatives. We are at the age in life when our friends and family are older and end of life is ever present.
Last Updated: May 4, 2026
We don’t always take the direct route home from Yellowstone, and this trip was proof of it. After one of our latest-season stays in Gardiner — businesses closing, temperatures dropping well below freezing each night, and several surprise snowfalls reminding us that late autumn in Montana is not the time to linger — we mapped a route south through Wyoming and into Colorado to visit as much of Michael’s family as we could reach. Jake was a good sport through the cold weather and ready to move again. From Colorado we continued east across the plains to Amarillo before cutting west through Albuquerque, stopping in the Arizona high country, and finishing the winter migration at Yuma for the drive home to San Diego.
Gardiner is a popular destination for visitors to Yellowstone, as it offers easy access to many of the park’s most popular attractions, including Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, the Lamar Valley and plenty of animals.
Coyotes are the most abundant canine in Yellowstone National Park. They are intelligent and adaptable animals, and they can be found throughout the park, in a variety of habitats.
Yellowstone National Park is home to one of the largest populations of grizzly bears in the United States. These majestic creatures play an important role in the park’s ecosystem, and are a must see attraction for visitors.
The east entrance is less traveled but still has so much to see. The east entrance goes from Cody, Wyoming to Fishing Bridge. Most of the grizzly bears that we saw on this trip were in this area.
