After leaving Nebraska, we had two hard days of driving through South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. We got a taste of the Badlands while driving over the scenic loop just off I-90. The scenery was beautiful and we definitely want to return for a longer visit. After one night in Gillette, WY, we stopped at a very nice campground south of Livingston, MT. We were only 30 miles from the entrance to Yellowstone and had three days to rest and relax since we had driven so far on the previous two days. The campground was along the Yellowstone River in the middle of a beautiful valley and surrounded by mountains. We attended church in Gardiner, MT before driving through Yellowstone. The park is so beautiful, especially the Canyon at Artist's Point. We arrived home quite exhausted and ready to rest on Monday. On the Fourth of July, we drove into Livingston for groceries and discovered a craft show in the park. It was such fun viewing the crafts as well as the artists who have a certain personality all their own. The Montana cowboy is quite distinctive with his handbar mustache and squashed cowboy hat.
For lunch we were guests at the 12th annual Fiesta Potluck at the campground. The owners cooked chicken fajitas and the campers contributed dishes for the potluck. After a wonderful meal, we spent the afternoon napping and preparing to drive to Kalispell in the morning.