Week 2: Grand Teton, Bozeman, and Yellowstone

DAY 8: May 26th

1,390 miles driven; 13.5 miles hiked; 4 states

After staying up late due to a persistent nosebleed (which came back again this morning…), I slept in a bit before packing up and checking out of the hotel. I haven’t mentioned this much, but I spend a lot of time packing and unpacking and reorganizing. I’m constantly moving and living in such a small space means that things get messy quickly! I spent the morning in Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s hard to convey how beautiful the park is; pictures just don’t do it justice. After finding parking, I hiked from Bear Lake to Alberta Falls, 2.25 miles total.

I then drove two hours to Cheyenne, Wyoming, stopping at a Planet Fitness in Loveland for a quick shower on the way. The drive from RMNP to Loveland was gorgeous (and included a glimpse of a bear!), but there were so many twists and turns that I started feeling carsick, even as the driver. Driving through Wyoming was much less eventful. I spent a few minutes walking around downtown Cheyenne before continuing on another forty minutes to my campsite for the night.

I’m spending the night in a dispersed camping area in Medicine Bow National Forest. It’s quite dry and windy, but the scenery is stunning. The rock formations almost look too perfect to be real! I have a long day of driving planned for tomorrow, so I’m hoping to get some solid rest tonight.

DAY 9: May 27th

1,805 miles driven; 13.5 miles hiked; 4 states

So much for getting a solid rest! Not long after finishing last night’s post, I turned to find that my previously staked-down tent had been picked up and thrown by the wind. The wind was strong – the tent wasn’t empty, and I got dragged around trying to hold on. After trying and failing to re-stake the tent in a way that would hold, I disassembled it enough to stuff in the back of Toothless. I obviously hadn’t planned on sleeping in my car, so it took a while to find a good position. I eventually fell asleep curled up in the back, though the night was cold and uncomfortable overall. My neck and knees aren’t too happy with me, but it definitely could be worse!

Today was a very long driving day. I started by driving three-and-a-half hours to Rock Springs, Wyoming, where I stopped to refuel and grab some food. The drive was flat, boring, and heavily trafficked by trucks. The three-hour drive from Rock Springs to Jackson, however, was much more peaceful. There were few other cars on the road, and Northwestern Wyoming is absolutely gorgeous. After a quick stop, I continued to my campsite.

I’m spending the night in a dispersed campground in Bridger-Teton National Forest. Unfortunately, while I’m camping only ten miles from Jackson Town Square, the drive is challenging. Navigating nine winding miles of unpaved roads up a mountain in a two-wheel-drive vehicle is not fun. This might have been the most stressed I’ve been so far – I had a good cry once I finally arrived 45 minutes later. The view, however, makes it all worth it.

I’m going to take the next few days pretty slow. I’m planning on spending tomorrow around camp (it’s so beautiful!) before continuing to Grand Teton National Park. Unfortunately, Memorial Day weekend isn’t a great time to avoid crowds, so I’ll probably stay around here a little longer than initially planned and go on to Yellowstone later next week.

DAY 10: May 28th

1,805 miles driven; 14 miles hiked; 4 states

Despite a decent sleep, morale today is low. I struggle more when I slow down. When I’m moving, when I have a goal and a purpose, it’s easier to keep the depression at bay. Right now, I just feel… gross. I’m tired. My lips are horribly chapped, I haven’t been able to breathe for days, and I keep getting nosebleeds. It’s cold and windy and buggy outside. Food supplies are dwindling, so I’m eating mostly bars, nuts, goldfish, and chocolate chips. Everything is coated in dust and grime. I would really like a shower and some clean clothes. These are problems that are solvable (and will hopefully be solved soon!), but it’s still tough. Sometimes even picturesque scenery isn’t enough to drag me out from the darkness.

Speaking of the scenery, though, I did hike around where I’m camping for a while this morning. The views truly are stunning. I honestly felt like I was playing a video game – I couldn’t convince myself it was real!

After a morning of hiking and reading, I had an unsuccessful first attempt at camp cooking (you’d think boiling pasta would be impossible to mess up, but I did it!) and watched Avengers: Endgame. It’s going to be a cold night, with predicted temperatures below freezing, but I’m hoping tomorrow will be better. Doing some laundry, taking a shower, and getting more food certainly can’t hurt!

DAY 11: May 29th

1,865 miles driven; 14 miles hiked; 4 states

After sleeping until 10:30 AM, I packed up and began the treacherous drive back to town. Going down was easier than going up (partly because I knew what to expect), but I’ve still never been more grateful to reach a maintained dirt road with just a few potholes.

Today was a day for chores. I started by picking up some much-needed groceries, then went to a local recreation center for a shower. It’s amazing how much better it feels to be clean! I spent the afternoon doing laundry at a laundromat in the area. After filling up on gas and stopping by Quiznos for dinner, I headed out to find a campsite for the night.

Unfortunately, there was a controlled burn in progress near the area I had planned on finding dispersed camping. I’m struggling to breathe enough without added smoke, so I ended up going with a paid campsite in Grand Teton National Park. I’ve been spoiled by free camping, so $42 feels like a lot, but it is ~luxurious~ – there are sinks and flushable toilets and tables and bear-resistant food lockers! It’s definitely the loudest and most crowded area I’ve stayed in and I don’t have cell service, but it’s still a nice place to settle down for the night.

DAY 12: May 30th

2,195 miles driven; 18.5 miles hiked; 6 states

This morning was cold. The sun rises here around 5:45 AM, but it was still only around 35° at 8:00. It was difficult to extract myself from my warm sleeping bag! My fingers were very cold by the time I had packed up camp.

I started the day by hiking 4.5 miles, primarily on Taggart Lake Loop. The hike was nice, though getting a nosebleed halfway through was not ideal…

I was all over the place today, both figuratively and literally. I did not intend for today to be a driving day, but I ended up spending more than six hours on the road. After my hike, I drove around three hours to Henrys Lake in Idaho, where I had planned on spending the night. One note from the road – I passed a giant potato on a trailer advertising the Spud Drive-In Theatre. Only in Idaho, I guess! Unfortunately, I didn’t get great vibes from Henrys Lake, and my car was immediately swarmed by mosquitos after I parked. I didn’t have a backup plan, so I ended up driving to West Yellowstone, Montana, and then on to Livingston, Montana, where I found a hotel for the night. Honestly, I think three to four nights of consecutive camping might be my limit. I’m very much looking forward to sleeping in a proper bed!

DAY 13: May 31th

2,250 miles driven; 18.5 miles hiked; 6 states

Not feeling great today, both physically and mentally. I got a solid ten hours of sleep, but I’m still exhausted. I took today to try to recharge. Sometimes you need a day to not do much!

After a slow morning, I drove to Bozeman to visit the Museum of the Rockies, which houses one of the largest collections of dinosaur fossils in the United States. It was nice to spend an hour learning more about the people and animals who have lived near the Rocky Mountains over the last 500 million years!

I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around downtown Bozeman. Unfortunately, I felt very nauseated by this point, so I didn’t stay long, but I stopped for a yummy sandwich at the Co-op. After returning to the hotel, I spent the evening relaxing and trying to make some plans for the next few days.

DAY 14: June 1st

2,435 miles driven; 20 miles hiked; 6 states

I spent today exploring Yellowstone. After packing up, I drove an hour to Roosevelt Arch, located just outside the north entrance to the park.

My first stop inside Yellowstone was at Mammoth Springs, where I walked around and admired the remarkable natural formations.

I spent most of the day driving through the park, stopping at various overlooks along the way. While the hot springs are beautiful, the rotten egg smell radiating from them was nauseating and made me legitimately gag. Unfortunately, the park is quite crowded, so I ended up not visiting all of the places I planned to. I’ve never been a fan of crowds, but I’m particularly wary of them after living through a pandemic. Just driving past caused an immediate stress response! It was a shame to not see iconic features such as Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic Spring, but it ultimately wasn’t worth an anxiety attack.

Options for places to stay are almost all booked, so trying to find lodging as I go has been challenging. Luckily, I managed to snag a spot in Canyon Campground in Yellowstone. After a long day of driving, I checked into the campground and set up camp. I’ve gotten much faster at this – practice helps (and it’s significantly easier without intense winds!).

After a short rest, I headed out for a quick hike at the North Rim of the Yellowstone Canyon. The hike wasn’t particularly enjoyable, as the path was swarming with people, but the views were incredible.

Reflection

After two weeks on the road, I wanted to take a moment to reflect. It’s been incredible, but it’s also been hard. I’m ready to get to the coast. I’ve debated sharing this, but hey, let’s reduce stigma. It’s time to be fully transparent: I live with social anxiety and chronic depression. This past year has been… difficult. Honestly, one of my main motivations for taking on this adventure was the hope that traveling would help me find joy again. And it has. But it doesn’t always.

Depression creeps up on you. You might notice as a few snowflakes drift down and land on your outstretched palm, but it’s barely any time at all before you’re engulfed in the blizzard.

In a way, it’s harder to have bad days while in these incredible places. I’m so grateful to have these opportunities. To be here. But I do feel an expectation that I should be happy. I’m in Yellowstone! I might never be here again! I don’t have any reason to feel down! Of course, that’s not how depression works. It’s frustrating and disappointing to be unable to experience joy when I’m in places that should create it. But that’s the problem with the geographic cure – you always bring yourself with you.

“Solo travel not only pushes you out of your comfort zone, it also pushes you out of the zone of others’ expectations.”

– Suzy Strutner

I’ve found the separation from outside expectations incredibly freeing. Social interactions have little to no pressure. It doesn’t matter what I look like. It doesn’t matter what other people think about me. There’s some pressure from sharing the journey, but what I do is ultimately up to me. It’s a wonderful gift to be free from the burden of living up to the expectations of others.

On another note, here are some of the lessons I’ve learned so far:

1. Proper food storage is critical.
2. French braids are wonderful. Quick and easy to do, keeps hair out of your face, comfortable while driving, and looks fine with or without a hat. I rarely french braided my hair before this trip, but it’s now my go-to hairstyle.
3. Don’t underestimate the power of a shower. It’s amazing how much being clean can boost the mood.
4. Remember to eat properly. I’ve never been much of a food person, eating more for sustenance than for enjoyment. It’s been easy to let food fall to the wayside as I focus on other critical needs, but being properly nourished is important!
5. Having some stability is key. The stress of not knowing where you’re going to sleep at night is intense. Flexibility is good, but plans are beneficial.
6. Making plans is time-consuming. There are so many decisions to make! I have to make sure to dedicate a couple of hours every few days to sit down and figure out my next steps.

On to the next week! 🙂

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I’m breaking up my posts by week. If you’d like to keep following along, look for my Week 3 post!