On our third (and last) day, Phil and Gary did a 3 mile round trip hike to Fossil Forest to see many specimens of fossilized trees dating from a time when the Yellowstone area was subtropical. Here, Phil poses between two fossilized tree trunks; a third one is visible in the distance at the top left of the picture. Although the hike distance was short there is a 1,350 foot elevation gain (and loss), mostly concentrated in a short and very steep section. Phil's guide book referred to it as “a long session on a StairMaster set at 10.” They finished the hike in good time in spite of difficulties finding the trail and the gruelling trip up and down the steep section.

On the night of October 2 weather switched from Summer to late Fall. We drove home from Yellowstone in 80°F temperatures and woke at home the next morning to find snow on the ground. It continued to snow off and on for 4 days, with temperatures as low as 15°F at night.

This 3-day trip brought our cumulative days on the road to 77. The RoadTrek finished its third season with a bit over 50,000 miles on the odometer.