which part of the park do you stay in to minimize drive time/maximize wildlife time?
I’m thinking Mammoth Springs but don’t really know.
I’m thinking Mammoth Springs but don’t really know.
You have 3 nights In Yellowstone
- Thread starter Stephen Berger
- Start date
If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).
I wish I had 3 nights in Yellowstone!
One thing to be aware of in Yellowstone this summer and next is that the road over Dunraven Pass from Tower Junction to Canyon is closed. This makes some drives around the park significantly longer. Wildlife viewing in the park has seasonal factors as well.
If you are looking for accommodations in the park Mammoth is the closest to the Lamar Valley but you can also consider Gardiner Mt just outside the north entrance to the park. Cooke City and Silver Gate Mt are at the east end of the Lamar Valley outside the northeast entrance and offer food and lodging options. The Lamar Valley is a good wildlife area and it is where I would be going to watch wolves and do a little fishing. The Lamar Valley is usually a good place to find wolves, bison, bear, and there are usually plenty of elk right in Mammoth. We have also seen plenty of wildlife on the drive from Mammoth out to the Lamar Valley.
The other option would be Canyon for in park lodging, you would be at the north end of Hayden Valley but a long drive from the Lamar Valley.
Don't forget drive times can be long in Yellowstone depending on lots of factors. Driving 20 miles could take you 30 minutes or it could take 2 hours you just never know.
There is a good chance to see wildlife almost anywhere in Yellowstone so be aware.
Have a great trip!
One thing to be aware of in Yellowstone this summer and next is that the road over Dunraven Pass from Tower Junction to Canyon is closed. This makes some drives around the park significantly longer. Wildlife viewing in the park has seasonal factors as well.
If you are looking for accommodations in the park Mammoth is the closest to the Lamar Valley but you can also consider Gardiner Mt just outside the north entrance to the park. Cooke City and Silver Gate Mt are at the east end of the Lamar Valley outside the northeast entrance and offer food and lodging options. The Lamar Valley is a good wildlife area and it is where I would be going to watch wolves and do a little fishing. The Lamar Valley is usually a good place to find wolves, bison, bear, and there are usually plenty of elk right in Mammoth. We have also seen plenty of wildlife on the drive from Mammoth out to the Lamar Valley.
The other option would be Canyon for in park lodging, you would be at the north end of Hayden Valley but a long drive from the Lamar Valley.
Don't forget drive times can be long in Yellowstone depending on lots of factors. Driving 20 miles could take you 30 minutes or it could take 2 hours you just never know.
There is a good chance to see wildlife almost anywhere in Yellowstone so be aware.
Have a great trip!
For me, I'd favor the Gardiner to Lamar Valley route. Probably 90% of my YNP wildlife shots are from along that route. I'd stay in Gardiner, and head out just before sunrise each morning. There are often animals as soon as you get into the park.
Thanks so much! I had no idea about Gardiner. I booked my stay there and feel excited about it (vs overwhelmed by the options).
Thank you for all the good info!! I chose Gardiner after your mention of it and Steve’s reply andI I’m feeling great about it.
It's where I stay on every trip. I'd stay more towards Old Faithful if I were interested in the geothermal features, but for wildlife Gardiner has treated me the best
D
Deleted member 115
Guest
Just know that during hunting season the park border is a slaughter at Gardiner. At least it used to be when the Elk numbers were large.
What Steve said...of if you want to stay in the park either Mammoth or whatever is closest to the NE entrance past Lamar.
Yep there are often Mountain Goats 5 minutes into the park. Larmar Valley is a great place and Hayden Valley is good as well if you get bored of Lamar.
THE best place to stay in the park in Roosevelt Lodge (cabins). You are right in the middle of all the action. Otherwise the Gardiner to the Lamar Valley. If you camp Slough Creek is perfect ( I stay there the most).
I have a couple of hundred days in the park and the Lamar Valley is the place! The other great area is driving down the Yellowstone river from Fishing Bridge is also excellent. Of course, along the river is super, but there are some great bluffs to stand on and you can see a LONG way. You probably won't get a good shot, but you will see bears.
Ask around about bears feeding on a carcass.
Remember, YNP is a huge place and it takes a LONG time to get from anywhere to somewhere else! And I strongly advise against driving at night, running into a large critter is NO fun!
By the way,..the most dangerous animal in the Park: The moose! Followed by Bison. Then by bad drivers!
I have a couple of hundred days in the park and the Lamar Valley is the place! The other great area is driving down the Yellowstone river from Fishing Bridge is also excellent. Of course, along the river is super, but there are some great bluffs to stand on and you can see a LONG way. You probably won't get a good shot, but you will see bears.
Ask around about bears feeding on a carcass.
Remember, YNP is a huge place and it takes a LONG time to get from anywhere to somewhere else! And I strongly advise against driving at night, running into a large critter is NO fun!
By the way,..the most dangerous animal in the Park: The moose! Followed by Bison. Then by bad drivers!
More Yellowstone thoughts, my favorite place on earth!
Early and late is of course the best time!
I agree with Andrew, Roosevelt Lodge is a great place to stay, we love the rustic setting. We had two sets of reservations this summer that were both cancelled because Roosevelt did not open this year.
The route from Gardiner to Cook City has the potential for all kinds of wildlife. Once you leave Mammoth there is not much in the way of services until you get all the way out to Cooke City. The filling station at Tower Junction (Roosevelt Lodge) was open in August but nothing else. Lots of picnic areas with pit toilets along the route are available but not much else. You turn at Tower Junction to head out the Lamar Valley to Silver Gate/Cooke City at the north east entrance.
There is a short drive (less than ½ mile) to petrified tree just west of Tower Junction. We have found black bears up that short drive many times. It is always worth the drive.
The Slough Creek campground road is about 7 miles east of Tower Junction on your way out to the Lamar Valley. It has been a popular wolf watching area this summer, you will see all the spotting scopes. The Junction Butte pack has a rendezvous site west of the Slough Creek road, it is far off in the distance, but they are worth seeing. The pack is getting large, we have heard that there were 16 pups this year and they were all still alive as of mid-August. The pack is now about 30 wolves and travels through the Lamar Valley hunting. I have never gotten close enough to really take any good images of the wolves, but they are fun to watch. I have a Z6 and I put my 200-500 with 1.4TC on and then magnify the EVF to 200% to watch the wolves. It can be done with a D500 or other DSLR with the live view mode as well. It works pretty well as a spotting scope, but you can’t really take any images that way. If the spotting scopes are not there the wolves are not there!
We have also heard that the Junctions have been out further east in the Lamar Valley. There is a place they call the enclosure which is a fenced in Aspen tree study area. We have heard that there has been wolf viewing in that area as well.
The Yellowstone picnic area is just east of the Yellowstone River bridge as you head out to the Lamar Valley, we often see Big Horn Sheep near the picnic area. It can also be a great place for a midday nap!
We have been spotting more Moose out towards Silver Gate/Cooke City the past few years.
Check the cliffs on both sides of the road at the east side of the Lamar Valley for Mountain Goats. It actually becomes the Soda Butte Valley out closer to Cooke City, you will see the Soda Butte.
The Hayden Valley along the Yellowstone River is another great place to watch wildlife and the drive from Gardiner to Canyon Village at the north end of Hayden Valley is only about 40 miles. The problem is you are never sure how long that 40-mile drive will take in Yellowstone. I also enjoy the area east of Fishing Bridge (at the south end of Hayden Valley) called Mary’s Bay, we have watched grizzlies in that area several times as well.
Yes, finding the location of a carcass is helpful, bears and wolves will feed on the carcass throughout the day and will often stay in the area. If you see a group of wolf watchers (lots of spotting scopes) ask them, you will usually find someone willing to share information.
The wolf watchers have their own language and markers along the Mammoth/Lamar route. For instance, you will hear that the Slough Creek rendezvous site is near the Marge Simpson tree, and if you know where to look you will see a tree that looks like Marge Simpson. The wolf watchers use these names as if everyone knows them. The secret is that there is an app called Yellowstone SPOTR that has all the pullouts labeled and images of the mountain views labeled as well. It can be helpful if you hear of a carcass location.
Again, have a great trip! (and I will probably post again if something else comes to mind!)
Early and late is of course the best time!
I agree with Andrew, Roosevelt Lodge is a great place to stay, we love the rustic setting. We had two sets of reservations this summer that were both cancelled because Roosevelt did not open this year.
The route from Gardiner to Cook City has the potential for all kinds of wildlife. Once you leave Mammoth there is not much in the way of services until you get all the way out to Cooke City. The filling station at Tower Junction (Roosevelt Lodge) was open in August but nothing else. Lots of picnic areas with pit toilets along the route are available but not much else. You turn at Tower Junction to head out the Lamar Valley to Silver Gate/Cooke City at the north east entrance.
There is a short drive (less than ½ mile) to petrified tree just west of Tower Junction. We have found black bears up that short drive many times. It is always worth the drive.
The Slough Creek campground road is about 7 miles east of Tower Junction on your way out to the Lamar Valley. It has been a popular wolf watching area this summer, you will see all the spotting scopes. The Junction Butte pack has a rendezvous site west of the Slough Creek road, it is far off in the distance, but they are worth seeing. The pack is getting large, we have heard that there were 16 pups this year and they were all still alive as of mid-August. The pack is now about 30 wolves and travels through the Lamar Valley hunting. I have never gotten close enough to really take any good images of the wolves, but they are fun to watch. I have a Z6 and I put my 200-500 with 1.4TC on and then magnify the EVF to 200% to watch the wolves. It can be done with a D500 or other DSLR with the live view mode as well. It works pretty well as a spotting scope, but you can’t really take any images that way. If the spotting scopes are not there the wolves are not there!
We have also heard that the Junctions have been out further east in the Lamar Valley. There is a place they call the enclosure which is a fenced in Aspen tree study area. We have heard that there has been wolf viewing in that area as well.
The Yellowstone picnic area is just east of the Yellowstone River bridge as you head out to the Lamar Valley, we often see Big Horn Sheep near the picnic area. It can also be a great place for a midday nap!
We have been spotting more Moose out towards Silver Gate/Cooke City the past few years.
Check the cliffs on both sides of the road at the east side of the Lamar Valley for Mountain Goats. It actually becomes the Soda Butte Valley out closer to Cooke City, you will see the Soda Butte.
The Hayden Valley along the Yellowstone River is another great place to watch wildlife and the drive from Gardiner to Canyon Village at the north end of Hayden Valley is only about 40 miles. The problem is you are never sure how long that 40-mile drive will take in Yellowstone. I also enjoy the area east of Fishing Bridge (at the south end of Hayden Valley) called Mary’s Bay, we have watched grizzlies in that area several times as well.
Yes, finding the location of a carcass is helpful, bears and wolves will feed on the carcass throughout the day and will often stay in the area. If you see a group of wolf watchers (lots of spotting scopes) ask them, you will usually find someone willing to share information.
The wolf watchers have their own language and markers along the Mammoth/Lamar route. For instance, you will hear that the Slough Creek rendezvous site is near the Marge Simpson tree, and if you know where to look you will see a tree that looks like Marge Simpson. The wolf watchers use these names as if everyone knows them. The secret is that there is an app called Yellowstone SPOTR that has all the pullouts labeled and images of the mountain views labeled as well. It can be helpful if you hear of a carcass location.
Again, have a great trip! (and I will probably post again if something else comes to mind!)
Last edited:
This is amazing. Thank you!
I have been following this story a little this week.
https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-a...e-national-park-makes-feast-of-bull-elk-video
https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-a...e-national-park-makes-feast-of-bull-elk-video
D
Deleted member 115
Guest
Wow I would never go there(roadside spectacle) I hate crowds....lol
Boat Guy
New member
Park Hotel in Gardiner had been our favorite for years until we bought a truck camper. Prices are reasonable and you will be surprised when you open the door to your room. The motif detail is special. Typically we enter the park at daybreak and drive toward Cooke City during the fall, winter and spring - summer is for tourists, not us.. As the trees get heavier toward Cooke City there is a large parking area and pit toilet on the west side. Typically we wait there in the camper for afternoon light then head back toward Gardiner. Our best coyote mousing shots have come during the late afternoon run back. The campground at Monmouth is worth the cost. It buys you time in the morning driving from Gardiner when the critters are active, particularly elk. If you return to Gardiner in the afternoon and there is still light, head north thru the Roosevelt Arch past the high school. The road turns to dirt and its loaded with pronghorn.
SMB
Well-known member
Depends on the time of year.
Winter the only reasonable options are Gardiner and West Yellowstone. Gardiner bc the only road that is open is the road to Cooke City through the Lamar. West Yellowstone bc it has the best access to snow coaches, no cars are allowed.
Fall and spring, if you have limited time, definitely Gardner. I think the crowds are less and the wildlife sightings are more consistent. Also from Gardiner you have access to Tower and Swan flats as well as Mammoth, so lots to see.
The only trouble with the Lamar is who you might run into. A couple of years back I was fortunate to come on two Bighorn rams in beautiful morning light. Some guy with a very familiar voice plopped down next to me....Steve Perry.
Winter the only reasonable options are Gardiner and West Yellowstone. Gardiner bc the only road that is open is the road to Cooke City through the Lamar. West Yellowstone bc it has the best access to snow coaches, no cars are allowed.
Fall and spring, if you have limited time, definitely Gardner. I think the crowds are less and the wildlife sightings are more consistent. Also from Gardiner you have access to Tower and Swan flats as well as Mammoth, so lots to see.
The only trouble with the Lamar is who you might run into. A couple of years back I was fortunate to come on two Bighorn rams in beautiful morning light. Some guy with a very familiar voice plopped down next to me....Steve Perry.
D
Deleted member 115
Guest
Yeah it’s a bummer. Like watching Eagles in some locations, people 24 inches on center, no thanks.
i enjoy the serenity of nature but as long as they stay grouped up I know how to get away from it.
Last edited by a moderator:
Calson
Well-known member
With many restaurants closed you may want to find a AirBNB rental that has a kitchette. Also check the road closure dates within YNP. There are also construction areas where traffic can back up during the day (getting an early start helps a great deal). The construction project for the new entrance from Gardiner is expected to be completed by summer of 2021.
SMB
Well-known member
Well there were only about six of us shooting the Rams with a very nice park ranger keeping others in their cars. I had never met Steve but heard this very familiar voice. I looked over and there was old backcountry himselfYeah it’s a bummer. Like watching Eagles in some locations, people 24 inches on center, no thanks.
i enjoy the serenity of nature but as long as they grouped up I know how to get away from it.
True, but I don't know of many opportunities to watch a grizzly feeding on a carcass within about 50 yards. It is something worth seeing. We traveled to the Grand Tetons in June to watch grizzly 399 with her 4 cubs and the number of photographers was crazy, but I still wanted to get a chance to see her.
It is getting crazy but I don't know the solution. Fortunately, there is not much in the way of cell phone access or even wifi access anywhere in Yellowstone right now. Imagine what would happen if cell service was good in the park and someone developed a "See the Bear App" so you could know at a moments notice where the bears are.
We live very close to Rocky Mountain National Park and traditionally we would make a few spur of the moment trips up into the park early on a weekend. This year RMNP started requiring an entry time reservation to get into the park. It was started due to Covid, but rumor is it will most likely become permanent. I now need to make the decision a week in advance to reserve a time for the weekend.
Wildlife photography is a lot like my other passion fly fishing, when it is really good I wish no one else knew about it and no one else was around. Those time just don't happen much anymore.
How disappointing to hear about the reservation thing...
Early this year the park was almost empty. I have not been there since 6-22 but have had reports that still much less all year without the big tour buses because of COVID-19 stuff. For those of us coming in from the Idaho side many of us stay in West Yellowstone. I check in with Yellowstone Camera and they have daily reports of where to look for the wildlife you want to see all slanted toward photographers. They gave me a map and marked the section of road to travel (this time the Hayden Valley area) to photograph what I was looking for Harlequin Ducks, Wolves and Elk in velvet that day. Found them all with a bonus Grizzly and cub and a black bear. By the way the wolves were not little specs like you see in Lamar Valley (my least favorite place). I spend comparatively little time in Yellowstone and if I do try and go off season and very early in the AM.