Camping with Greg

Recently I've gone on a couple camping trips with Greg.  He owns a nearby bed and breakfast and wanted to have some time off from working.  He and I have been friends for several years.  I was available so we went to Tom Miner Basin on August 26-27, and then we went to Rock Creek September 7-8.

The last time I camped in Tom Miner Basin, Adam and I hiked through some of the petrified forest.  This time we didn't do any significant hiking, but we definitely relaxed and talked in front of the campfire.  There were a few people at the campsite that night, but there were plenty of spaces for us all.  Greg cooked some chicken, corn, and potatoes.  The evening was pretty nice.

The next morning, we walked for a short time toward the interpretive trail in Tom Miner Basin.  Since he had to be back at work early in the afternoon, we didn't go very far from the camp, but it was good to do a little walking.

This past weekend we went to Rock Creek Campground, which I hadn't been to before, but he had.  It's a small campground that doesn't require payment, but does have picnic tables, bear boxes, fire rings, an outhouse, and a corral.  It's nice because of the dense Englemann spruce forest there.  That night we also cooked some chicken and talked around the campfire before going to bed that night.

Rock Creek Campground

On Saturday morning, we got up and had breakfast before going hiking.  We went on the main trail there, which I will call the Rock Creek Trail.  It meandered into a beautiful meadow where we crossed the creek.

Greg hikes up the Rock Creek Trail.

A mountains stands behind a trail marker along the Rock Creek Trail.

A trail marker in front of a mountain along the Rock Creek Trail

Rock Creek

Rock Creek

From there we hiked above the creek and were able to see Steamboat Mountain, Twin Peaks, and the Ramshorn Peak.  The trail I went on with Adam at Tom Miner Basin goes along Ramshorn Peak on the south side.  Greg and I were on the north side of the mountain.  We saw a petrified tree standing in a cliff behind us.  I estimate it was about five feet tall.  We decided because of its precarious position from us that we wouldn't go see it up close.

Steamboat Mountain

A petrified tree on a cliff near our trail

We eventually came to another trail intersection and went north along what I will call the Gallatin Petrified Forest Trail (trails out here are basically labeled as numbers).  We didn't go very far on it before we stopped and had lunch.

Greg stands in front of Fortress Mountain.

Silhouette of Trees

We rested a bit before going back to our campsite.  I'd estimate that we hiked a total of 10 miles.

A large piece of petrified wood we saw on the way back to the campsite

We made some hot dogs and then packed all of our stuff in the dark and drove home.

There are a few trails out there, and a lot of things to discover out there.  It's such a beautiful forest.  I'd love to go back to that area of the Gallatin National Forest again.  I saw on our map that we passed a lake (which we couldn't see from the trail) as well as a large basin fairly close to where we were.  There's a lot of potential for discovery there.  Plus, the area is littered with petrified wood and jasper.  I'm a sucker for those things, so it's definitely something I want to go back to.

We had a great time together, and I enjoyed getting out in nature once again.

I'm along the Rock Creek Trail.