{"id":4092,"date":"2014-09-06T08:15:45","date_gmt":"2014-09-06T12:15:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/?p=4092"},"modified":"2023-07-02T20:38:42","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T00:38:42","slug":"day-1-yellowstone-elephant-back-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/4092","title":{"rendered":"Day 1 Yellowstone – Elephant Back Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anxious to get out and explore Yellowstone we stopped at the Grant Village Visitor Center for some information. We wanted to do some light hiking and the Ranger gave us several options.<\/p>\n

One was a short 2 mile round trip loop and the other was a 4 mile loop. 2 miles sounded to short for us, and the 4 mile loop only had a gain of 800 ft. Piece of cake we thought.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We were greeted with towering lodge pole pines and the most wonderful smell!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As soon as we entered the forest there it was. The warmth of the sunshine, acting like a warmer under a pot of potpourri, brought out the sweetest pine scent I have ever smelled.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The trail is very well maintained, but steep in places. Only an 800 ft gain the trail guide said. Really? The guide failed to mention that it would be all in one spot!!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hmmm. Perhaps it is the elevation (7800 ft) and lack of air, that is making our hearts feel like they are going to pound out of our chests and not that we are VERY out of shape. Yeah that has got to be it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I told John that if he did collapse on the trail he could look at the pretty birdies without straining his neck. High above us on the trail a Clark\u2019s nutcracker was enjoying his meal.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There was a lot of bear sign along the trail but we didn\u2019t see any. Not sure if I\u2019m disappointed or not. We were too out of breath to have run away anyhow.<\/p>\n

The view from the vista at the top was worth the heart pounding hike. It is a panoramic view of Yellowstone lake.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Our hike off the mountain offered us periodic views of the lake, combined with the sweet pine smell, I hardly noticed the soreness in my muscles.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It felt good to get out hiking again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anxious to get out and explore Yellowstone we stopped at the Grant Village Visitor Center for some information. We wanted to do some light hiking and the Ranger gave us several options. One was a short 2 mile round trip loop and the other was a 4 mile loop. 2 miles sounded to short for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4076,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-container-style":"default","site-container-layout":"default","site-sidebar-layout":"default","disable-article-header":"default","disable-site-header":"default","disable-site-footer":"default","disable-content-area-spacing":"default","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[294,295,292,293],"class_list":["post-4092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-elephant-trail","tag-grant-village","tag-wyoming","tag-yellowstone"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3160.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3hvz5-140","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4183,"url":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/4183","url_meta":{"origin":4092,"position":0},"title":"Day 3–Fire in the Hole!","author":"Wendy","date":"September 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"We\u2019ve moved from Grant Village to Madison campground. The campsite looks the same, we are squeezed between two trees, and in addition we have no Internet, no satellite, no cell service. When you have scenery like this in your backyard, it hardly matters. It was getting late in the day\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/category\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3282.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3282.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3282.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3282.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4074,"url":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/4074","url_meta":{"origin":4092,"position":1},"title":"Tourists Again","author":"Wendy","date":"September 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"After 4 months working as camphosts, it feels good to be tourists again. Leaving Huntsville, UT we headed north on what we hoped was going to be a scenic trip and we weren\u2019t disappointed. Shortly after entering Wyoming and before reaching the Grand Teton National Park we saw signs of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/category\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4135,"url":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/4135","url_meta":{"origin":4092,"position":2},"title":"Day 2–Miscellaneous Sightseeing","author":"Wendy","date":"September 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"OMG!!!! I feel like someone beat my legs with a stick! Un-freakin\u2019-believable how much this hurts!!! John said he feels about the same. We are SO out of shape. I don\u2019t want to take one step today. Definitely no hikes today. Elephant Back trail kicked our butts!!! We will be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/category\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3227.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3227.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3227.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3227.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4161,"url":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/4161","url_meta":{"origin":4092,"position":3},"title":"Day 2–Mud Volcano","author":"Wendy","date":"September 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Our sore legs are feeling a little better now. Apparently a bit of walking around is actually doing us some good. I\u2019ll quit whining. Our next stop is Mud Volcano. Yellowstone itself is a volcano. After its eruption 640,000 years ago the land collapsed creating a caldera which filled with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/category\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3251.jpg?fit=1024%2C753&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3251.jpg?fit=1024%2C753&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3251.jpg?fit=1024%2C753&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3251.jpg?fit=1024%2C753&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4366,"url":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/4366","url_meta":{"origin":4092,"position":4},"title":"Day 6–Fountain Paint Pot","author":"Wendy","date":"September 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"As we made our way home from Mammoth to Madison the sky began clearing and even though the temperature was still dropping we decided we could visit one more feature. Mudpots vary with the season. In spring they are thin and watery from abundant rain and snow. By late summer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/category\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC_0914.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC_0914.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC_0914.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC_0914.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4350,"url":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/4350","url_meta":{"origin":4092,"position":5},"title":"Day 6–Canyon","author":"Wendy","date":"September 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is our last day in Yellowstone and we woke up to frost \/ snow covered everything.\u00a0 It was quite beautiful, with the frost forming on the grasses and trees surrounding the hot springs\u2026but\u2026It is freakin\u2019 cold!! All bundled up off we go to: All down the canyon there were\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/archives\/category\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3908.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3908.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3908.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_3908.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4092"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14508,"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4092\/revisions\/14508"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.2dogsbarkin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}