If you’re thinking about taking a trip out west, I recommend stopping in Wyoming. I believe it is one of the prettiest places I’ve ever seen in my life. Having visited there both in the summer and the winter, I would say no matter what the season, you are surrounded by spectacular views. From the majestic mountains topped with snow to the raging rivers, the sights are unbelievable. In the summer season the wild flowers are amazing in the open meadows, and if you’re lucky maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of an elk or a moose.
My first trip to Wyoming was back when my daughters were just four and two years old. My mother had moved to Wyoming in 1989, so it had given us a perfect vacationing spot. Yellowstone National Park is a place everyone should visit. I remember just standing in awe of it all at first, just taking in the beauty. The park is so big it’s impossible to see it all in on one day. The roar of the cascading waterfalls, Old Faithful erupting, and watching the wildlife in their natural setting, are all sights that should be seen at some point in your life.
A few years later, my husband and I had the opportunity to snowmobile across the park. We entered the park on the east side at Cody and rode through to West Yellowstone, Montana, the west entrance. Seeing the park in the winter season gives you a whole new look at the park. Taking the sleds through gave us time to see more of the sights that I hadn’t seen on my first trip. We drove past little sheds with snow piled as high as they were tall. It was so neat to see the hot springs steaming and the geysers blowing.
Riding sleds across the park was nice, but it was nothing like the trip we had the next day. I have sung the song “Winter Wonderland” many times, but now I was actually in one. One of our friends, who lived in Wyoming, knew of some places way back in the mountains, that most people don’t know about. It was all virgin snow as they call it. The snow was so deep that we were even with the pine tree tops. It was like we were in a snow globe.
My next visit out west I got to fly there. Seeing the area from the sky for the first time was cool. The Grand Tetons were gorgeous through the clouds. It was almost like being in a dream. I landed in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. If you’ve never heard of Jackson Hole, it is a huge tourist town that reminds me of our Wisconsin Dells. It is located in a valley so it is a popular spot for skiing. If you’re not a skier you can still take a tram way up the mountainside and look down over the town. Little shops line the streets and they even have a “watering hole” that has real saddles for barstools.
Throughout the years I’ve had many opportunities to visit Wyoming and every trip out there allowed me to see something that I hadn’t seen before. My mom has since returned to this area so the trips don’t happen as often. Someday my husband and I would like to return to that area and retire.