A full night of rest in the crisp mountain air was just what we needed before our first full day in the park. After waiting for the rest of our party (my mom, dad and sister) it was off to the park. Our first destination was Lamar Valley, an area known for its wild life viewing. The drive there is often full of wildlife as well and this trip did not disappoint. In the matter of a few hours we saw a lone male black bear, plenty of bison, a female black bear with two cubs and lots of friendly ravens looking to get some goods from people.

Bull Bison with a few hitch hiking friends

Our first bear sighting of the trip. This lone male black bear was too busy searching for bugs and plants to care about us.

A young bull moose just starting to grow his antlers back out.

Mama black bear keeping watch. You can barely see them but she had 2 cubs napping in the sage with her.

Why hello Mister Raven.

After the drive out to Lamar Valley, we decided to take Mt. Washburn over to the Canyon to explore other areas of the park. Washburn is the last section of road to open in Yellowstone and that generally happens just before Memorial Day weekend. This was the case for our visit. The road opened only the day before our arrival and it was obvious why. We went from clear meadows and hillsides to thick snow banks and a May snow storm. No complaints here though, it was gorgeous!

May snow storm over Mt. Washburn

The Canyon area was busy but a great place for us to stop for lunch and a break. We had planned to go down to the Upper and Lower Falls but that seemed to be where everyone else was. So we took a drive through Hayden Valley while the weather was cloudy and a bit dreary (this weather is often great for finding wildlife) and when that didn’t pan out we headed to Norris Junction. Lucky for us this was the trick! We came across a female grizzly with her yearling cub. My parents had seen this pair the weekend before close to the same area and had hoped she might be in the area again. Patience and the cool, cloudy weather paid off. We sat for a good 45 minutes in our car and watched her root around for grubs, plants and more while her cub nuzzled her, tried to get her to play and then sat down to play with his or her back paws.

Mama Grizzly and her yearling…

Mama keeps an eye out while the little guy sits and plays with his feet.

We finally had to pull ourselves away from the mama grizzly and move on. The day was flying by and we needed to get back to Mammoth for dinner. As we drove the clouds began to disappear and before we knew it, we were enjoying a beautiful sun filled late afternoon near the Golden Gate area. Here we came across a large herd of female bison and lots of Red Dogs… aka baby bison. Some of them looked to be only a few days old, still having their umbilical cords attached. The moms were rolling in their wallows, grazing and nursing their young while the little ones were bounding and playing with one another. Another spot where we sat for a long time, photographing and watching.

Afternoon sun on Electric Peak

Yes, no bicycle riding ladies and gents!

The babies were out in force, like this little cutie that wanted to play and not follow mom.

Gentle Giant

Sweet Little Red Dog

Sometimes people think its crazy, that will all of our visits in my lifetime, that we stop to watch the bison. Sure, they are everywhere in Yellowstone but they are still fascinating. Such powerful, yet gentle looking giants. That is, as long as you leave them alone and create a threat. Like any mama, they will defend themselves and their young. I do know that when I photograph them, I always want a clear and up close picture of their faces. There is something about their eyes. I feel like you can see right into their souls. It does not matter how many times I visit, these animals always impress me.

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