We played in a snowfield, swam in a crystal-clear river, followed spawning trout upstream, spied a few hundred buffalo, and feasted at a chuck wagon cookout ... and that was just the first day of our Yellowstone vacation. Over the next three days, my family road-tripped through the heart of our country's oldest national park, packing our vacation with all kinds of outdoor adventures. I'll never forget touring Yellowstone by car as a kid with my family. 
Last June, I was able to bring that experience full circle, taking my own three kids and a friend on this classic trip. And although the park is huge - about the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined - you can drive right to most of its best-known landmarks on well-marked roads, which allowed us to see them all in a long weekend.
On the following pages, you'll find a scrapbook of our trip. Keep in mind that we explored more trails, discovered more picnic spots, and counted more creatures in our four days than we could fit on these pages. So if our photos leave you wanting more, check out the "If You Go" information in this article and consider taking your own family on a quintessential road tour of America's Wild West.
Taking in the View
From Rock Creek Vista Point, along Beartooth Highway, we took the first of many roadside breaks to enjoy the incredible view. Here we are, right to left: me, Al; my son Sawyer, age 13; my daughter, Ruby, 11; Ruby's friend Sumner, also 11; my wife, Marypat; and my other son, Eli, 15.
Playing in Summer Snow
There's no way we could have driven past the lure of snowfields, which lingered even in June on Beartooth Plateau - the kids wouldn't allow it.
Walking the Trail to Trout Lake
Cutthroat trout spawn in this trailside creek in early summer, and we must have timed it just right. Ruby and Sumner shucked their shoes to stalk the dark fish upstream, determined to catch one (impossible!). Later, we stopped at an ancient Douglas Fir, dubbed "the grandmother tree" by Ruby. It took all six of us to encircle it!
Braking for Wildlife
Herds of bison often bring park traffic to a standstill. The kids leaned out the windows to take pictures from a wary distance. "Look how cute he is," Ruby cooed, pointing to this little red calf.
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