Yellowstone UnPacked: The Headwaters Of Our Journey
Long before waters churn through the “Old Man River” Mississippi, or roll muddy and wild through the Missouri, they begin quietly—falling as snowflakes high in the mountains. They gather silently on ridgelines, melt into trickles, and come together in alpine streams. These are the headwaters—the sacred beginnings of something far greater. And so it is with this blog.
Welcome to Yellowstone Unpacked, the headwaters of a journey I’ve long dreamed of starting.
My name is Mike Power, a native of Cody, Wyoming, born and raised just downstream from the East and Northeast Gates of Yellowstone National Park. These lands—the North Fork of the Shoshone, the Absarokas, the hidden basins and bright meadows—are the source of who I am. This is where I have chosen to raise my family, and invest my life.
Just as rivers begin their long course with snowmelt and sunlight, this blog has been forming in quiet places for years, pooling behind the dams of daily life, waiting for the right moment to flow forward.
Like many headwaters, Yellowstone Unpacked may begin small, but it carries with it the energy and clarity of something fresh. My hope is that it will gather strength as it goes—fed by experience, curiosity, and the stories of the land and people that make this region so special.
Through this blog, I’ll guide you past the iconic geysers and crowded overlooks and into Yellowstone’s hidden channels—quiet trails, overlooked turnouts, lesser-known restaurants, and authentic local experiences. I especially want to focus on the gateway communities that provide the lodging and base camps for people around the world, and hopefully, YOU to access the wonders of Yellowstone.
As a science teacher, I’ll also bring an educator’s lens to the park’s geology, wildlife, and ecology, helping you not just see Yellowstone, but understand it.
Eventually, I hope to bring in new tributaries—contributors with local knowledge from other gateways, voices that will help this current grow wider and more powerful. But for now, these are the first ripples.
Standing at the headwaters, it’s impossible to predict every bend and fork this blog will take. But that’s part of the adventure. Each post will be a new stretch of river—sometimes swift, sometimes meandering, always moving toward something greater.
Thank you for dipping your hand in these first, fresh waters. Let’s set off together and Unpack Yellowstone—one current, one discovery, one unforgettable moment at a time.
If you would like to join me on this journey, and Unpack the Yellowstone Region, SUBSCRIBE for updated posts HERE:
If you have ideas for new adventures and activities, COMMENT BELOW!
