Yellowstone's Bechler Meadow

It’s a bit colder than I had anticipated -- 41 degrees at noon and below freezing at night.  The forecast promises warmer days so we get our backcountry camping permit for Bechler Meadow.  The ranger tells us to expect the marshes we will hike through to be soggy, up over our boots.   Grizzlies and black bear both roam, but we are prepared!  

With our packs on our backs, we walk along the Bechler River.  The sun sparkles on the rushing water, which is so clear you can see the rocks and plants on the bottom. 

We don’t see any other hikers, but a couple of people on horseback pass us by. 

After about five miles, we enter an enormous meadow where golden grass gleams in every direction.  

It is not as wet as we had expected. We cross a footbridge over the one large stream in our path.

At our campsite, we set up the kitchen and string our bags high to keep them away from the bears.  Across the meadow a huge moose saunters towards the woods.  

To the southeast, the Teton Mountains fill the horizon and we set our tent to get a full view.

In our sleeping bags by 9 pm, we hear animals barking, then a pack of wolves somewhere up in the canyon commences to howl.  Wow!  We toss and turn, shivering, much of the night as the temperatures nosedive.  In the morning, our tent is covered in frost.

We welcome the morning sun, eager to warm ourselves up. 

By noon we are sweating as we hike back to our van. Next stop: Montana.