Last time I was there, we had a couple inches of snot on July 4th. April will most likely be more like late winter than early spring.
Is Yellowstone Really Worth It?
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ricardo00
Well-known member
Used Yellowstone Reports the two times I went. Not sure the roads to the Fishing Bridge where the GGO are will be open in early April (we didn't see them in October by the way). In fact, many of the roads are closed in early April:
Park Roads - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
The most up-to-date source of information for roads in Yellowstone.
www.nps.gov
Just know that early April is still winter in these parts and most of Yellowstone's roads will be closed to cars and trucks that time of year. There are a couple of roads that stay open year round but the vast majority of the park's roads will be on winter closure till mid to late May. Here's a link to the road opening dates this past spring: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/parkroads.htm
Also many raptors nest a bit later at these elevations than they do down lower. Most of my nesting raptor shots in the Tetons and Yellowstone have happened in May, June and July with very little nesting activity in April, the exception being owls which I often spot settling into nests in late winter when there's still a lot of snow on the ground but the young owls still tend to fledge around the last week of May to the first week of June most years.
FWIW, these images were all captured in Yellowstone or Jackson Hole in the following months
Great Horned Owl nest with fairly mature chick, May 10th:
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Northern Goshawk with small chicks, June 11th
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Osprey on nest, July 18th
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Mostly grizzlies. Three sets of grizzly moms with cubs.
I've been to Yellowstone eight times in the last several years, I also go to Teton NP. I cannot imagine skipping Yellowstone. I have so many wonderful shots from there. I might go again this year, I was there in May-June, and I will definitely go again next year. March is great because there is snow and I've been there then and there will most likely be snow and inclement weather in April. Not crowded then, but only Lamar is open. You can stay in Gardiner but many of the services there will also be closed. A great grocery store, gasoline is not a problem, and a few eating establishments may be open by then, it could depend on weather. Most likely you will not see bears in April, they may not be out of the den yet. In any case they would not be abundant. It could be fairly cold, I've experienced 15 degrees in March (outside for two hours photographing on a kill site) but was dressed for it. I've photographed wolf, bears, coyotes, badgers, foxes, marmots, birds and so on there over the years. It is my favorite place. I most often shoot with a 500PF Nikon lens but could use a lot more lens in many cases, but I've actually had bear walk so near me I had to run backwards to get them with the 500PF. A good time to go is in the last week of May, first week of June, which is when I usually go. It did seem to be a lot more crowded this year though than in past years, but that's because I was stupid enough to stay over for Memorial Day weekend: I will NEVER do that again. Tthe elk don't drop babies that soon (late May, first week of June) nor do the Pronghorn, but I do see a lot of bears then, both black and grizzly. I'd love to go when the elk and pronghorn babies are up and around, they stay hidden for a couple of weeks: the grizzlies actually search for them in the brush. It can be difficult to get a grizzly up close, same with a wolf. But one year in March I got a wonderful shot of a wolf which now hangs on my wall. It is kinda the luck of the draw. We drive around all day, mostly in Lamar Valley. No sightseeing or shopping, just a lot of driving and then..Bam!, there it is...a Big Horn sheep, moose, river otters, bears and cubs. I am not as big of a fan of Teton NP but perhaps because I just have not had the same kind of luck, but did get some nice beaver shots this year. You can see some of my shots here: http://www.cassinettowildanimals.com/web-wildlife-presentations.html.
raptor photo
Well-known member
Hmm. Don't want to deal with all of that snot
In all truthfulness, maybe early June would be better after all. Would the bears still be out in April?
raptor photo
Well-known member
Don't want to deal with that. Early June it is then.Used Yellowstone Reports the two times I went. Not sure the roads to the Fishing Bridge where the GGO are will be open in early April (we didn't see them in October by the way). In fact, many of the roads are closed in early April:
Park Roads - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
The most up-to-date source of information for roads in Yellowstone.
raptor photo
Well-known member
Great shots! Especially the goshawk. Would love to see one of those. June will be better then, the raptors there nest pretty late!
If you go before schools go on summer vacation (my favorite) or after the start back it is THE best place! I have 100+ days in the park over the years and I think the best week is the first week Roosevelt Lodge is open. The Larmar Valley in impressive. If you are willing to do some hiking you can really get away from the "crowds".
SugarDude
Member
For sure worth it. My first trip was in the Fall and it was beautiful. Plenty of wildlife and great landscape shots too. Aspen were beautiful.
Liked it so much, I’m going back in January for a winter experience.
I was with a wildlife photography trip so no sightseeing. Never saw Old Faithful. Also went to the Tetons. Got on the Great Gray several times.
Liked it so much, I’m going back in January for a winter experience.
I was with a wildlife photography trip so no sightseeing. Never saw Old Faithful. Also went to the Tetons. Got on the Great Gray several times.
I am going to be take the opposite opinion of everyone on this thread. I have been twice, once for six days in autumn (followed by two days in Grand Teton) and once for three days in winter. Both trips were in the last few years. I honestly found it disappointing. I did get a couple good bighorn ram shots in winter, but no really good brown bear shots and wolves were well beyond camera range. Bison can be had easily, but I have never seen black bear or fox or otter or bobcat there. Moose were seen bedded down or far away. Landscape photo ops are disappointing as well.
Grand Teton on the other hand I thoroughly enjoyed. At the end of the autumn trip I wished I had reversed it and done six days there and only two in Yellowstone. Great landscape ops, great moose and pronghorn, even saw a raccoon crossing a log (never seen a raccoon in Yellowstone).
People on this thread are saying spring is better for predators, so maybe I should try that one day.
Grand Teton on the other hand I thoroughly enjoyed. At the end of the autumn trip I wished I had reversed it and done six days there and only two in Yellowstone. Great landscape ops, great moose and pronghorn, even saw a raccoon crossing a log (never seen a raccoon in Yellowstone).
People on this thread are saying spring is better for predators, so maybe I should try that one day.
I’ve never been there in April so I cannot say one way or the other. If there was still a lot of snow on the ground they might still be denned up. One of the locals or folks who go there a lot could give a more definitive answer.Hmm. Don't want to deal with all of that snot
Haha, snow not snot but the snow was kind of like snot on the road, slick. In July it was melted off by afternoon the next day.Hmm. Don't want to deal with all of that snot
Best time to see wildlife is when there are few tourists: early and late in the day (also times when the light is best). Also helps to go off season. The same advice applies to Teton and other national parks.
In Yellowstone that is a big reason to stay in the park. Those staying outside arrive later in midmorning and start to leave for dinner sooner since it is often an hour or more drive to their hotel. Staying in the park gives more time away from the peaks.
Even though I've been there more than a dozen times, I am always impressed with how large an area it is. There are literally hundreds of miles of paved roads. I don't know the exact number but certainly 200+ miles just to drive around the whole "figure 8" loop.
Cameron T
Well-known member
Between Yellowstone and the tetons it's easy to spend 3 or 4 hours a day driving and still only see small bits of the park if you're getting out for some trails, etc.
If you want to avoid crowds, pick locations and times of day that take a little effort. Go to Lamar Valley very early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Park your car and take short hikes - even 400 yards from the road you'll find there are very few people. Find a good vantage point along streams or rivers and wait for the wildlife. Even better, visit busy areas when it's cold or weather is threatening.
I've found wildlife is a matter of picking good times of day and being opportunistic. Do your scouting during the middle of the day when wildlife are less active. Bears can be hit and miss. I like spring for cubs, but fall for adults. Adult bears and many other animals are pretty scraggly in spring after winter and hibernation. Don't forget smaller wildlife. I've photographed a badger working an area near Hayden Valley, and river otters in Lamar Valley. Wolves are usually shy - you may see them but often its from a great distance. Wolves and grizzlies working a kill two miles away are interesting with a scope but boring with a camera.
I've found wildlife is a matter of picking good times of day and being opportunistic. Do your scouting during the middle of the day when wildlife are less active. Bears can be hit and miss. I like spring for cubs, but fall for adults. Adult bears and many other animals are pretty scraggly in spring after winter and hibernation. Don't forget smaller wildlife. I've photographed a badger working an area near Hayden Valley, and river otters in Lamar Valley. Wolves are usually shy - you may see them but often its from a great distance. Wolves and grizzlies working a kill two miles away are interesting with a scope but boring with a camera.
You're likely to only be able to access Lamar Valley in April. I suspect most of the roads will be closed by snow in early April. Certainly you won't be able to travel any mountain pass roads. It could be interesting - just be prepared to have to modify your plans.
When I go in the last week of May, first week of June I normally see black bear three or four times a day, they are all over the place. Several will have babies to photograph. Grizzlies are not like that, they are generally way out in the distance but on occasion one will be crossing the road. Wolves are much harder to find and I had better luck with a wolf on a March trip.
RikWriter
Well-known member
Hmm. Don't want to deal with all of that snot
The sows with cubs won't come out until May. Boars will be out looking for bison carcasses in April though.
I think it's like any other wildlife situation. You have to do your homework to be in the right place at the right time, talk to the folks with spotting scopes and big lenses, and then exercise patience and sit and observe. That's the hard part when you keep thinking the best shot is just around that curve...
yes it you send the time. Not a drive through once and get great shots
RikWriter
Well-known member
That's the key, networking. Be sociable. Talk to the scope and big lens people, talk to the rangers, talk to everyone. Spend all your time in the field, not your hotel room or town. Bring food with you and eat while you're out in the field instead of going back to town. In the middle of the day when it's too hot and bright for animal photography, go on hikes. Honestly, you're unlikely to see much on hikes in the spring because the good areas are closed off for bear activity or jammed with mud from the snow melt, but it'll give you a break from driving or standing around waiting.
ricardo00
Well-known member
If you go, you might want to rent the 800mm f/6.3 since as you say, much of the wildlife is likely to be at a distance (especially the wolves). When I went I rented the 800mm f/5.6, which was tough to carry around but was glad I had it. Have thought of going back with the 800mm and a TC.
I'm with everyone else here - yes, it is worth it. You may not always get the opportunity with the wildlife, but the beauty of Yellowstone and Grand Teton is the fact there is so much more than wildlife to photograph. If you are a hiker you can get back into some fairly remote areas if you want to get away from the crowds. Yellowstone/Grand Teton are easily my favorite national parks and the fact they are in such proximity that makes them like one large park is an added benefit. Schwabacher Landing in Grand Teton for early morning sunrise photos, take the boat ferry on Jenny lake over to the Cascade Canyon trailhead and if you have the stamina for the extreme elevation gain you will be rewarded with stunning views that few visitors get to see and there are almost always moose encounters once you get up to the meadow. Yellowstone is one of the most unique places on earth, with the largest natural body of water inside the USA at high elevation (at 7730 feet it is the second largest lake, at that elevation, in the world), of course the infamous geyser basins and activity all throughout the park, the grand canyon of the yellowstone (where yellowstone gets its name) the three amazing waterfalls that rival any in North America, the massive herds of bison and elk, moose, grizzlies, wolves, foxes, raptors of all sorts, white pelicans, river otters, beavers and so much more.