The "88" fires killed or consumed millions of trees
Finding the wildlife is easy..... look for the guys with the "spotter scopes". One couple, who shared their scope with us, had been watching a single Grizzly for 3 1/2 hours!!!
I think there is a Wyoming State law that requires one to visit "Old Faithful" if you enter Yellowstone
Geothermal activity is everywhere - in the hills; in the valleys; in the meadows. BTW that black spec is a lone Bison. Double click if you don't believe me!
Our first view of the Tetons through golden Cottonwood and Aspens
We finally added "Meeses" to the listI am at a loss as to how to describe Yellowstone. It is a special place! It is classified as an active volcano although there have been no lava flows of any kind for 70,000 years and, the last eruption was 640,000 years ago. However, with a caldera measuring 50 miles by 35 miles, it has a huge area of geothermal activity including geysers, mudpots, fumaroles and hot springs. Lots of steam wherever you look! In 1988 several fires united to burn over 36% of the park’s 2,200,000 acres (about the size of Connecticut) leaving are eerie legacy of skeletal trees, most of which have not fallen in almost 20 years. Because it is such a high, dry environment (average altitude 8,000 ft), the wood does not rot quickly.
Oh…… and there are a few animals!! In one day we saw grizzly bears, black bears, rutting elk, pronghorn antelope, mule-deer, wolves, coyote, bison, bighorn sheep and a 40 year old eagles’s nest (the nest is 40……not the eagle). What …….. no moose yet?? There is rushing water everywhere although, like many places lately, water levels are dangerously low. We have been surprised at how much of the area is high mountain meadow and grassland but, now we know what attracts all the wildlife! Hide in the forests, graze in the grasslands ……. A perfect life! Also…… it’s mating season ……… Hubba hubba!
The town of Moose, Wyoming was so named for the abundance of ……….. (how many guesses will you need for this one?) …….. moose in the area therefore, on day 2 we had no difficulty filling our moose sighting quota. We again saw herds of elk, bison and pronghorns (the locals drop the “antelope” and just call them pronghorns ……. gotta be cool and in-the-know). We have never seen such abundant wildlife anywhere! The tour guides call it the Serengeti of North America. We damn near hit a red fox as it jumped in front of our car.
We also drove south of Yellowstone into Grand Teton National Park. There is not so much wildlife here except for the town of Moose, which is outside the southern park gate however, the beauty of the Tetons is all that is required. The highest peak, Grand Teton is majestic and, we got to see it just before the forecasted bad weather arrived and the clouds began to shroud it.
Thank you Ulysses S. Grant (not Teddy Roosevelt as many think) for having the foresight to designate this place as the first national park. It’s special!
Oh…… and there are a few animals!! In one day we saw grizzly bears, black bears, rutting elk, pronghorn antelope, mule-deer, wolves, coyote, bison, bighorn sheep and a 40 year old eagles’s nest (the nest is 40……not the eagle). What …….. no moose yet?? There is rushing water everywhere although, like many places lately, water levels are dangerously low. We have been surprised at how much of the area is high mountain meadow and grassland but, now we know what attracts all the wildlife! Hide in the forests, graze in the grasslands ……. A perfect life! Also…… it’s mating season ……… Hubba hubba!
The town of Moose, Wyoming was so named for the abundance of ……….. (how many guesses will you need for this one?) …….. moose in the area therefore, on day 2 we had no difficulty filling our moose sighting quota. We again saw herds of elk, bison and pronghorns (the locals drop the “antelope” and just call them pronghorns ……. gotta be cool and in-the-know). We have never seen such abundant wildlife anywhere! The tour guides call it the Serengeti of North America. We damn near hit a red fox as it jumped in front of our car.
We also drove south of Yellowstone into Grand Teton National Park. There is not so much wildlife here except for the town of Moose, which is outside the southern park gate however, the beauty of the Tetons is all that is required. The highest peak, Grand Teton is majestic and, we got to see it just before the forecasted bad weather arrived and the clouds began to shroud it.
Thank you Ulysses S. Grant (not Teddy Roosevelt as many think) for having the foresight to designate this place as the first national park. It’s special!
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