Sure, go for it. Get as close as you can. They love to pose looking over your shoulder.how about a self with the fuzzy cows? Or not!
Yellowstone late May 2025 - wildlife tours and hotels recommendations?
- Thread starter MarkG
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For those visiting Yellowstone that may perhaps tire of trying to see grizzlies and wolves from way-far-away even thru a 600/f4 - I suggest visiting West Yellowstone and the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center for a closer look. On our morning visit the grey wolves sang us a song. I'd never heard a wolf howl and I cannot imagine sleeping in the back country and be awoken by that sound nearby or have Sam poke his nose in my tent.
www.grizzlydiscoveryctr.org
I see that Sam is no longer on their list of resident bears. Too bad - he was quite the impressive big ol' grumpy bear:
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Visit the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center of West Yellowstone, MT to experience and see Yellowstone wildlife firsthand!
www.grizzlydiscoveryctr.org
I see that Sam is no longer on their list of resident bears. Too bad - he was quite the impressive big ol' grumpy bear:
Ol' Grizzly
This is "Sam". Sam is an impressive 24+ yr old 1000+ lbs coastal Alaska grizzly bear. He and others are residents at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, MT. The Center is a not-for-profit, wildlife park and educational facility. Bears at the Center are unable to survive...
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The downside of staying outside the park is travel time. Best times to see wildlife and avoid heavy traffic are early mornings and late afternoons.. By 10 a.m. the roads are filling with vehicles unless you go in early spring or late fall -- just before or just after roads are closed by snow.
MarkG
Member
Interested in more details why West Yellowstone and Cooke City provide better access to wildlife. My assumption was that Lamar Valley is the hot spot for most of the sightings. Is there a wildlife-rich area close to Cooke City? What about West side of the park? Never been there so would appreciate the insights. Thank you!
I'm not sure I agree about West Yellowstone being closer to wildlife, but Cooke City definitely is closer to Lamar Valley than is Gardiner. Especially if you want to see wolves, you can sleep a little later in Cooke City.
MarkG
Member
My impression is Cooke City is farther away from major airports. We'll be flying from East Coast and it looks like Bozeman is the most convenient. It looks like to get to Cook City we'd have to drive through the park.
Yes, my bad. I drive to Yellowstone; have no idea about flying there.
There is an airport within Grand Teton. GTNP is also worthwhile. A couple days in Jackson is cool, or there is lodging between GTNP and Yellowstone at Flagg ranch. From that direction one could stay at Lake, Old Faithful, Canyon, before moving Noth to Mammoth, or Gardiner.
I also flew into Bozeman on my second trip and stayed in Gardiner. I think that is definitely a good plan. I am less impressed with Lamar Valley than others because the wildlife is usually too far away (and bears are found elsewhere in my limited experience). If you are focusing exclusively on Lamar Valley then Cooke City is a good choice, but if you want to see the rest of the park then I think Gardiner is superior. There are also sometimes pronghorn right at the edge of town (although moose tend to hand out near Cooke City).
Oldnintheway
Well-known member
how about a self with the fuzzy cows? Or not!
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The Mollie's are a wolf pack normally in more remote portions of the park but have been traveling into the Lamar Valley.