Island Park Fun and Beauty

On July 31st, Lyle and I had the opportunity to go do some playing. We hopped in the pickup and just started driving. We had no idea where we would end up. In conversation it came up that Lyle had never been to Cave Falls. So that is where we made our first stop. It was a little sad that such a popular land mark in the southwest corner of Yellostone Park had to be put on a no access (to the cave) basis because of falling boulders from the cliff above the cave. The cliff can be seen on the left side of the falls, and the cave is located at the bottom of the falls. Pictures could be taken from inside the cave, of the falls, in the past. I hope they make it accessible again.

Our next stop was up near Mesa Falls. While driving, I told Lyle about an old railroad tunnel in theat vicinity. He had never heard of it, so we naturally had to make a stop and hike down to it.

This picture is the first glimpse of the tunnel as you round the bend in the trail.

When the tunnel came into full view, it became painfully obvious we would not have the opportunity to walk through it. Jolene and I had walked through it several years ago. Now when you look at the following picture, you can see a timber had fallen some time in the past and they have fenced it off to public access. When we walked up closer, we could see a cave-in had occured about half way down the tunnel. I guess after 102 years, the timbers had to rot out at some time.

We could still walk around the canyon side of the tunnel to the other end, but the journey through the tunnel would have been more memorable.

By this time we were getting kinda hungry, so we made tracks to Ponds Lodge and had a hamburger for lunch.

From there, I decided to take Lyle out Shotgun Valley road toward Spencer. About 11 miles out this road is where an old gentleman lives that we had done work for in the past.

Just a few miles past his place, we turned off the main road and started back up into the mountains to the north. The road was rough, winding and steep. The higher we got, the more beautiful it became. Near the top, we came to an area covered with wild flowers, the most prominent being the Indian Paintbrush. There were acres of flowers to be seen. All the wild flowers at the lower elevations were already past the blooming stage. Up here it was absolutely glorious.

In among all these flowers, I noticed one I had never before seen. It was the most unique flower in the whole area and when I got home I had to find out just what it was. I picked one to show the wives, hoping it would last long enough to let them see the whole blossom. What I didn't know, is the toughness of wild flowers. The one I picked had a bloom and two buds. When I got it home, I put it in an glass of water, and the other two buds blossomed during the next week.

After spending some time up on top, we decided it was time to head home. But no trip would be complete without a stop at the Frost Top in Ashton for a root beer float. Then home and the computer. I had to know what kind of flower I brought home.

It took several hours of searching web sites and pictures, but I finally found out it is a "Meriposa Lily". Sometimes, because of its shape, it is called a three petal tulip. I think meriposa lily suits it much better.

TTFN