If I Were Going...: Yellowstone

Here's what you come for

So, now we were off to Yellowstone National Park, with hopes of seeing some BEARS. Where it had been sunny (but a bit cool) in Grand Teton, it was a bit gloomier and colder in Yellowstone.

It’s a tough season to plan for. Last year, when we went just a week or so later, it was blazing hot. This year, we had snow! Yep, we had some flurries a few times and then, on our second day there, we had a full-on snowstorm.

That was unexpected!

It was bit dicey for driving, but not terrible.

Lodging

We tried new lodging this time, partially just to try something new, partially because many lodges hadn’t opened for the season yet, partially because you take what you can get and partially because some of the available lodging was way more expensive.

This time we stayed in two nights in the Frontier Cabins at Old Faithful. I knew about the Old faithful Inn and the Snow Lodge, but I wasn’t even aware there were cabins at Old Faithful. They are tucked behind the cafeteria.

Our humble abode

One cabin had a double bed and a small bath (Caty took that one) and one had a double and a single with no bath. I wasn’t thrilled that there was no bath, but there was a sink and I was able to shower in Caty’s room while Scott went to the shower house. Had it not been cold and snowy, walking to the toilet wouldn’t have been bad, although I am always a bit leery of walking around in a place with Bears and Bison.

It was a bit of a walk to the facilities

But, we survived.

We stayed the last night in Silver Gate at Silver Gate Lodging, which nice rooms with good access to the Lamar Valley and the Log Cabin Restaurant, which Scott loves for trout.

Always late to open

After two years of being closed, we knew that Tower Road (which links our two favorite wildlife areas, the Lamar and Hayden Valleys, together) was opening in 2022. Unfortunately, the opening day (which was not set when we booked rooms) was right after our visit. So, we still had to circle a bit.

But, the circling exposed us to wildlife we might not have seen had we concentrated solely on Lamar and Hayden. We saw lots of interesting things between Norris and Mammoth. I’ll talk about them in future posts.

We did decide that, in the future, we should do Yellowstone first because it is better for Bears and that will prevent us from chomping at the bit while in Grand Teton. Plus, it makes the drive home shorter. Caty had a long day going home from Silver Gate.

Old Faithful

We didn’t spend much time in the thermal areas, primarily because they are hard to photograph in cold weather – unless you like lots and lots of steam.

The steamy Norris Geyser Basin

But, of course, we did go to watch Old Faithful erupt on the morning after the snowstorm.

Old Faithful erupts

We thought it might be interesting in snow, without thinking that all the snow near the geyser would already be melted.

No snow on the geyser base

We did see a Bison in the snow near our cabin.

We were shooting photos of the snow for a long time before we saw it

And, another Mountain Bluebird, brilliantly contrasting against the snow.

I guess it was Bluebird season

Plus, I saw a juvenile Cassin’s Sparrow (it took me awhile to ID that one) ...

Cassin's Sparrow

... and some Brown-headed Cowbirds hanging out by Old Faithful ...

Birds in the snow

More Birds

I generally don’t have great luck with birds at Yellowstone, with the exception of a fairly abundant collection of raptors and waterfowl (so, did I just contradict myself?). This time was so-so. We did see a Sora in the reeds in a small pond at the beginning of the Lamar Valley. I had only seen one Sora before and this was a better photo (not great, but better).

Look at that bright yellow bill

Nearby was a Yellow-headed Blackbird. And, that was about it.

One of nature's prettiest birds

Animals

Of course, when you go to Yellowstone, you see Bison ...

Grazing by the river

Lots of them ...

Bison herd

This time of year, there are two things you can count on: tons (literally!) of Bison calves …

Mama with a sleepy baby

… AKA “red dogs” …

Some were so new that they still had umbilical cords attached

… and adults that have not yet fully lost their heavy winter coats, giving them a very scruffy look …

With the weather we had, he still needed that coat

But, at least Bison are a reliable “see” in both Lamar and Hayden Valleys …

Some relatively peaceful play

Some of the other animal the area is known for are much harder to come by. Moose, for example. I rarely see them in Yellowstone. But, Caty and I got a quick glimpse of a running cow near some Grizzlies in Norris …

Hardly a sighting

... and, then, Scott found a beautiful cow …

A close encounter

… in a beautiful environment near the Northeast Entrance …

It looks like fall, but it isn't (that's new growth)

Always a treat …

She didn't seem to mind us

And, of course, we saw a couple of Yellow-bellied Marmots ...

Cute little guy

Bears

But, the big question is did we see Bears? Yes. Lots of them. In total about 24 Black Bears …

A mom and a two-year-old

… and eight Grizzlies (Scott saw 11) …

At least we saw lots of Bears (even if the babies were hiding)

But, alas! No Grizzly COYs. It's shame because people were posting photos of some adorable babies in the area where we were seeing the big Bears.

In future posts, I will talk about all the Black Bears and a particularly dramatic Grizzly sighting. But, let me mention the pretty collared Grizzly that Caty and I saw near Norris …