Thursday May 13 Lamar Valley

Beautiful day today! Mostly sunny, temps in the mid 60s. My day started with a hike around all the boardwalks on the Terraces. That’s about 1.5 miles, with LOTS of steps! Fascinating features!

I stopped a wildlife guide at the hotel, asking where’s a good place to see a moose. “Not in Yellowstone", he said, "its too high. You need to go to the area around Jackson in Teton Park, there’s lots of them down there”. Good to know.

Today was wildlife day as we headed off down to Lamar Valley. We hadn’t gone more than a few miles that, out of the corner of my eye, just beyond car parked by the side of the road, I spotted a large black something. It was a grizzly bear! He was a very handsome fellow!

Not much later we came to an “Animal Jam”; we learned that people were looking at a bear. (Usually this is black blob off in the distance). All of a sudden, up the bank popped a Mamma black bear with two of the cutest cubs, almost ran right into our car! It all happened so fast I was not able to get a good picture; just good enough as proof!

Our next stop was a short 1 mile hike on the Blacktail Pond trail. I had always wanted to do that one. At the pond we spotted two Sandhill Cranes and even had the opportunity to hear them “squawk”; a very loud call!

All along our drive there were countless buffalo, often causing traffic delays. Lots of calves sticking close to their mothers. We also saw a group of antelope; an Osprey chick in the nest; some interesting ducks we couldn’t identify in a small pond. We went to Slough Creek, well known for “pros” spotting a wolf pack far away with their long lenses and spotting scopes.

Interestingly, as we headed back to Mammoth in mid-afternoon all the wildlife had disappeared. No buffalo anywhere!

We got back to the hotel at about 4:00 and I headed off up the Beaver Ponds trail. I was determined to go all the way this time! I hiked this great trail for an hour and never did get to the ponds. I was assured by a passing hiker that they do exist! I had to have been close but I ran out of time! Lots of wildlife on this hike, too. I had to hike through a large herd of elk, including a close encounter with a big bull lazily lounging under a tree (He found me amusing but of no consequence). There were also deer, a coyote and a badger (no photo to prove it).

After a quick shower we went down to Gardner in search of dinner. Every place is so busy! We had our eye on a pizza place but it was closed, so we ended up at a little taco place, which was quite good! On the way back up the hill we got a good view of an Osprey and chick high atop a tree.

So, I ended up hiking a total of 7.5 miles today! And my legs and knees feel pretty good!

Eared Grebe