We knew from previous visits that Yellowstone's Hayden Valley was a prime place to see bison, especially in the evening. And as it turns out, so does everybody else. We made it our business to make our trips take us through Hayden just after suppertime. It was crowded with car pulling over to yank out cameras, and we saw one car that went over the edge of the road not in a designated turn out (no one hurt, but if the car went much further it was going down a steep hill) . The Park Rangers were taking pictures and the car was scraped on the side, so maybe it was a the result of a side swipe.
It also was clear that some folks had this Hayden Valley thing down to a science. Spotting scopes, long lenses, and bag chairs set up in the best places for viewing. The animals did not disappoint. Lots of elk, antelope, deer, and herds of bison.
We enjoyed bison near, we enjoyed bison far, we enjoyed bison playing, and running near our car! Bison kind of scoot as they run and they move FAST! We had the experience of having a herd split into groups on both sides of the road, and having a couple of males disagree on what side of the road whom should be on. It got sorted out but not before a couple of young guys came barrelling across the plain, and cutting through the parking area where we were to get back to where they should be.
The Hayden Valley is beautiful in its own right with subtle colors of green sage, yellow grasses, green trees, brown valley sides and big blue skies. Add a few wild animals and it is wonderful.
One of our big learnings was that Hayden is not the only beautiful valley. In our explorations of thermal features (aka driving Steve to yet another river so he can try to fish) we got to explore other valleys with wildlife. I would put the Lamar Valley in the northeast corner on a par with Hayden, big beautiful with lost of animals and especially bison (see upcoming story).
We got to see a wolf in the Norris geyser basin! Light gray, just turning and heading into the woods. We heard multiple stories one day of an elk that had died near the road in Hayden and wolves coming down to take care of the carcass. A grizzly also came for lunch, and that was enough for the Rangers as people with rocks for brains were running up with cameras and they had to take the carcass away.
Where were we? Steve was annoying trout!
It also was clear that some folks had this Hayden Valley thing down to a science. Spotting scopes, long lenses, and bag chairs set up in the best places for viewing. The animals did not disappoint. Lots of elk, antelope, deer, and herds of bison.
We enjoyed bison near, we enjoyed bison far, we enjoyed bison playing, and running near our car! Bison kind of scoot as they run and they move FAST! We had the experience of having a herd split into groups on both sides of the road, and having a couple of males disagree on what side of the road whom should be on. It got sorted out but not before a couple of young guys came barrelling across the plain, and cutting through the parking area where we were to get back to where they should be.
The Hayden Valley is beautiful in its own right with subtle colors of green sage, yellow grasses, green trees, brown valley sides and big blue skies. Add a few wild animals and it is wonderful.
One of our big learnings was that Hayden is not the only beautiful valley. In our explorations of thermal features (aka driving Steve to yet another river so he can try to fish) we got to explore other valleys with wildlife. I would put the Lamar Valley in the northeast corner on a par with Hayden, big beautiful with lost of animals and especially bison (see upcoming story).
We got to see a wolf in the Norris geyser basin! Light gray, just turning and heading into the woods. We heard multiple stories one day of an elk that had died near the road in Hayden and wolves coming down to take care of the carcass. A grizzly also came for lunch, and that was enough for the Rangers as people with rocks for brains were running up with cameras and they had to take the carcass away.
Where were we? Steve was annoying trout!
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