Day 106: Old Faithful Village in Yellowstone NP, Wyoming to Road 498 in Targhee NF, Idaho, ~25.5 miles, ~1,850+ miles total

Our room at Snow Lodge was definitely the best “camping” option available in the park. We woke this morning warm and dry with no mud puddles beneath our dry tent. We continue to marvel at being dry. Such luxury!

Staying in Old Faithful Village uniquely positioned us to walk through Upper Geyser Basin when few other visitors are out in the park. As we walked the boardwalks amid the hot springs and geysers we had the trail mostly to ourselves. All the better to savour admiring azure pools and gurgling caldrons without bumping into crowds with our packs.

A relaxed stroll with hot cocoa in hand and erupting geysers around every bend. We took great pleasure in this being part of the Continental Divide Trail. For all the miles the CDT travels through Yellowstone’s boggy lodgepole thickets, the trail also takes one here.

By mid-morning our slow meander brought us to the last of the Upper Basin hot springs and we returned to the park’s backcountry trails. Time to resume our thru-hikerness. Time t get on to Idaho.

An afternoon of showers, burned forests slowly transitioning, old logging roads and berms had us back to the CDT du jour. We camped off a spur Forest Service road on duff, well away from water. It felt good to camp where it suited us and be in Idaho.

We will remember our appreciation for being dry this morning and our stroll amid the geysers for a long time to come.

Gabriel walks the boardwalk near the Firehole River.

We couldn't have timed it better if we tried. We walked by Old Faithful just as it was erupting!

Sapphire Pool

Back to the CDT.

The last few miles in the park, much of the forest near the trail looks like this.

Mukmuk is ready for Idaho!

This is how we celebrate a new state!