Yellowstone Family Trip-7

A float trip down the Yellowstone River at 11:30 was today’s adventure. We had to get out to the small town of Gardiner, MT. Situated near the north entrance to the park, it is somewhere between an 80 and 120-minute drive time, depending on traffic. We left about 9, and there was little traffic. We arrived in Mammoth about 10, so we stopped and stretched our legs before driving the 5 miles down to Gardiner. We found the Yellowstone Raft Company and checked in.

Our raft guide, Clay, showed up, and we checked out water shoes and life jackets before boarding the bus to the put-in spot a few miles downriver. There were about 40 people and 6 rafts and guides. From the put-in spot, rafts were unloaded, and then the nine of us joined Clay in our boat and shoved off into the current. The river was running at 5,300 cfs (2.4 million gal per minute) and was a cool 53°. The air temperature was in the mid-70s with mostly sunny skies.

The current was moving about 5 mph, and we floated lazily along. Since this was a float trip and not a white-water trip, Clay kept us out of the worst of the rapids, but we did catch a little spray along the way. Clay was knowledgeable and entertaining, and we all had a good time.

After about an hour and a quarter, we arrived at the put-out spot and Clay beached our raft. The rafts were loaded, and we took the bus back to town. After turning in all our gear and saying farewell to Clay, we drove over to what may be the only park in Gardiner for a picnic lunch.

After lunch, we made our way over to the 1903 Roosevelt Arch entrance to Yellowstone Park. Built by the Army at Fort Yellowstone in 1903 and dedicated by President Teddy Roosevelt, who laid the cornerstone. It is built of local basalt, stands 50 ft high, and can be seen for miles.

Then it was back to West Yellowstone for our last night here.