A Grizzly Encounter, Museum of the Rockies and Palisade Falls

Meet Bella, the Grizzly. Bella was rescued as an orphan in Dry Creek, Alaska, and now lives in Bozeman, Montana at Grizzly Encounter. I had passed Grizzly Encounter multiple times during drives to/from Livingston and Bozeman, but had never stopped to visit. I'm so glad that this trip, we did. It was love at first sight for me and Bella. Truly, I could have watched her play all day.

To learn more about Montana Grizzly Encounter, visit www.grizzlyencounter.org. Such an incredible place for rescued grizzlies...and definitely worth a stop if your travels take you to Bozeman.





Check out those feet!

 

Surprisingly, Charlie was more interested in the goats at the entrance. She picked every dandelion she could get her hands on and fed hundreds to the goats. She'd squeal each time they nibbled her finger.



 

 

After Grizzly Encounter, we gallivanted to Museum of the Rockies, also in Bozeman. And BONUS - because we are members of Science Museum Oklahoma, admission was FREE. Museum of the Rockies was a fabulous museum, and we hit the jackpot - special exhibits included GUITAR: THE INSTRUMENT THAT ROCKED THE WORLD (you can imagine Sam's delight walking in and seeing over 60 guitars) and the SIEBEL DINOSAUR COMPLEX, the country's largest collection of North American dinosaur fossils. The boys were in heaven. There was even a children's discovery zone, EXPLORE YELLOWSTONE, with lots of hand-on play and learning for Charlie.

 

 

Charlie LOVED this kitchen (I did too) and would still be there "cooking" if we hadn't dragged her out.

And finally, we hit Palisade Falls Trail in Gallatin National Forest. Palisade Falls is a short 1.1 mile out and back trail that leads to a beautiful waterfall. It was at this waterfall that Henry decided rock climbing would be his sport. Like Charlie in her kitchen, Henry would still be scaling rocks at Palisade Falls if given the choice.

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

The view looking out from the waterfall.

 

You have to look hard to find Henry and Sam in the pictures that follow. But they're there. I prayed many, many times for no broken bones while they explored.

 

 

 

Little bit and I enjoyed watching her brothers climb from a safe, level distance.

 

Conqueror of Palisade Falls.

Our road to home.

 

 

Back in Paradise, chatting it up with our neighbors.

 

Henry tried to invite them to dinner. They let him get surprisingly close.