GRAND TETON & YELLOWSTONE SPRING, 2024

PART 2: GRAND TETON & BACK TO YELLOWSTONE

This is part 2 of a 2 part web page, the sum of which encompass our 2 week vacation. We had not planned on breaking this page into 2 parts, but it became so large that we had to break it up! This second part covers the second week - our stay in Jackson, West Yellowstone and finally back to Gardiner...

We had planned this trip in January 2024 (before we realized that we would soon be retiring), but the timing really worked out well. Mike retired two weeks before this trip and Hali retired two days before this trip. It was great to get home from the trip and not need to worry about going back to work!

We had always wanted to try Yellowstone/Grand Teton in the Spring, and we finally made it happen. We arrived in Gardiner just as the town was starting to "open" for the season. The Elk were already walking around the town, but a lot of animals are on the move at this time of year. For example, the Pronghorn are just starting to show up in the park. But we didn't lack for wildlife sightings, and it was great to have some snow around for some of the shots (actually too much snow on a couple of days). It snowed every day that we were there except for 2 days, and the day that we flew home.

PART 1: We spent the first 6 days in Gardiner, visiting places like the Lamar Valley, the geysers, and Cooke City. PART 2: Next we drove down to the West gate, out of the park, and down to Jackson through Idaho. We could not drive through the park because the park road to Jackson was still closed for the winter. We stayed in Jackson for 2 days plus the 1/2 day when we first arrived. While there, we visited Antelope Flats Road, Gros Venture Road, Jenny Lake, Moose Wilson Road, and (briefly) Oxbow Bend. Then we drove back through Idaho again and stayed in West Yellowstone for 2 days (we barely made it over the Teton Pass, due to snow). While in West Yellowstone we visited Yellowstone Lake and the Fishing Village, as well as the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Lastly, we spent one final day in Gardiner (with a visit to the Lamar Valley again) and then we flew home!

Our first retirement vacation went really well, and we hope you hope that you all enjoy the images that we share through this web page. Happy trails! -Mike & Hali

PS: We often take notes during our trips to help us remember details later on. For the very first time, we have included those notes on our web page. Those notes appear after each date below and are shown in italics. We have touched up the notes afterwards to make them more legible. :-)

PPS: We also have an image-only web page, showing all of the images shown here but without any words at all. The web page allows viewers to click through the images at their own pace, or they can choose the slideshow option. If you think that you might prefer that viewing experience, then try this link!

-- Click on any image to see the "full-size" version --

Jackson, WY (Grand Teton)

MAY 4th SATURDAY

Left for Jackson . Quick stop at Angel Terrace at Mammoth hot springs for Hali to shoot dead trees . Stopped at pika spot before golden gate just to check and there was a pika!! Also a bison in the road. Hoodoos area. Massive traffic coming out of west Yellowstone and heading into the park. Thankfully we were going the other way! Drove to Jackson Hole. Checked into the Flat Creek Inn (nice place right outside of town). Drove MooseWilson road. Drove antelope flats rd to gros venture rd. Saw huge herd of elk. Drove back a bit and spotted grizzly 399 and cub (way far away) at Blacktail pond overlook. Then pizza dinner at Yeah Buddy Pizza in town (excellent). Drove to gros venture rd and shot elk and watched sunset from antelope flats road. Then moose in bad light going home. First day w/o snow!

After passing through Mammoth Hot Springs, we stopped near Golden Gate to see if any Pika were about -- and they were! The image on left is a Bison that happened to be walking past when we got out to check for Pika. On the right is a super-cute American Pika. These tiny herbivores are relatives of rabbits and hares. They are not considered endangered, but they can be hard to find. Both images were taken using the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.

Below is a video taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens. The video is really noisy due to the wind (and the fact that I'm just using the camera mic). If you turn up the volume and ignore the wind noise, you can hear the classic Pika "EEP!"

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We stopped a few times on our way down towards Norris Junction. This was one of those stops (near Roaring Mountain). A friendly stranger used Mike's phone to take this image of the two of us...
On our way to Jackson. Upper left a Pika in mid "eep" up against the snow Canon R5 with the RF 100-500mm lens. Right a snow covered hill in infrared, reflected in a small pond. Lower left a faux-color infrared image in the same spot as the right. Both images Canon R6 full spectrum conversion, 590nm filter and RF 24-240mm lens.
Scenes in Idaho, as we took the "back way" to Jackson, WY. The southern road through Yellowstone wasn't open for our trip down and back to Jackson, so we went around the Tetons and came over the Teton Pass. Upper left and lower left Canon R6 full spectrum conversion 590nm filter with 24-240mm lens. Right The door in the women's restroom in a gas station/convenience store - iPhone 13Pro.
On left is the view from the parking lot at the top of the Teton Pass (taken with the Nikon Z8 and the 70-200 lens). People were walking around with skis and snowboards everywhere. It was wild. On top right is the room we had for our stay in Jackson, at the Flat Creek Inn (and that is a phone picture). On bottom right is the view of the Teton mountain range that we saw when we arrived. The light was not great, but we took a few shots and hoped we would get a better view the next day. That image was also taken with the Nikon Z8 and the 70-200 lens.
The clearest view of the Tetons we would get was that first day we were there. Canon R6 full spectrum conversion, 590nm filter with the RF 24-105mm lens.
This panoramic image is a composite of 13 images taken with the Nikon Z8 and the 70-200 lens. The full image is even wider, but this cropped version presents better on the web page.

MAY 5th SUNDAY

Went to Pearl Street Bagel for a so so breakfast. The bagels were decent but the cappuccinos were only ok. Went to Jenny lake for some scenic photography and spotted a moose while we were there! Then we did the Jenny lake scenic drive. We stopped at the main overlook. Hali took some landscape images and Mike took some raven shots. Stopped at snake river overlook and then glacier view overlook. Then used restroom at visitors center. Then saw moose as were driving out! Then went to Mormon row. Then the rain came back heavy. Went back to room to upload. Then went out to Snake River Brewing Company for a really nice dinner salad and a local brown ale. Delicious!!

"We started the morning with breakfast in Jackson, but had to make a quick stop for Hali to capture a photo of the moose mural. The bonus for her? It had a door! Top left photo: iPhone 13Pro. Next to it is the real thing. A young cow moose that we saw at Jenny Lake feeding in the bracken. (Taken with the Canon R5 and the 100-500mm f/4)
After breakfast, we set out to explore and took a rather disappointing drive down Moose-Wilson Road. The route, once excellent for wildlife sightings, now seemed overrun with cyclists. While it’s great for them, the winding, narrow road makes it dangerous for everyone. Perhaps this increased activity is why we didn’t spot a single moose or bear in an area that used to be rich in wildlife. Next, we headed toward Jenny Lake. The weather was predictably unpredictable—low clouds and intermittent snow lingered throughout the day. It was cold and snowy, with brief moments of sunshine, and the low-hanging clouds created stunning photo opportunities
The image on the top left is a phone picture that a passing stranger took for us at Jenny Lake. We had not counted on the lake still being mostly covered with ice! On the top right is a moose that we saw grazing through the brush near the parking area for Jenny Lake (taken with the Nikon Z9 and 180-600 lens). On bottom right is an American Robin that we saw near the moose. It was there. We were there. Also taken with the Nikon Z9 and 180-600 lens. On bottom left is a creek feeding into Jenny Lake - possibly the Cottonwood Creek (taken with the Nikon Z8 and the 24-70 lens).
The day was very cloudy, and we were standing around lamenting about the poor visibility with some new friends. And then the clouds around Grand Teton parted a little and we took some images of the peak wreathed by clouds (on left). In the middle is a phone picture of Hali at the Teton Point turnout off Highway 89. Later on we were cruising by Moose (Wyoming), when we saw a moose! This one we watched in the field for a bit and then it crossed a piece of the Snake River to get to a little island of land in the river (on right). Left and right images were taken with the Nikon Z9 and 180-600 lens.
Some more infrared images from Mormon Row as the clouds settled in and it started to snow. Canon R6 full spectrum conversion 590nm filter, RF 24-240mm lens
Dinner at the Snake River Brewing Company was wonderful. Mike had the Walnut & Gorgonzola salad (with steak strips) and Hali had the watermelon salad (with steak strips). We split a nice brown ale (yes, we SPLIT a single beer -- times have changed). If you are ever in Jackson, this place is a must for one or more meals! Phone picture.

MAY 6th MONDAY

This turned out to be the snowiest day of our trip. Drove moose Wilson Road for a bit, and then went up to the Jenny lake area. Shot some landscapes. Drove the 1-way scenic road. Drove back for lunch. We went to the Creekside Market & Deli - which made a truly excellent sandwich! Then went back out into the weather. We tried Antelope Flats Rd out to Shadow Mountain Road. Shot the aspen trees there. It was really snowing heavily, so went back to room.

We woke up to more snow and decided to drive the Teton Park Road again. However, the Tetons were completely shrouded in clouds, leaving the mountains hidden from view. It was the perfect opportunity to focus on more intimate landscapes. top left: A group of trees captured from a roadside stop on the western part of the park road. (Canon R6 full spectrum conversion, 590nm filter with the RF 24-240mm lens) Top right: Jenny Lake was still mostly frozen, but the patterns of ice and snow were mesmerizing. Bottom: A stand of aspen trees near the junction of 26/89/287, descending from Yellowstone National Park and the northern end of the Teton Park Road. (These two images were taken with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.)
As we headed back towards Jackson from Moran Junction we saw this front loader in the field. So, of course, we had to stop and take some pictures. Both pictures taken with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.
On left, Aspen trees along Shadow Mountain Road. On right, an interesting tree outline on Antelope Flats Road. Both images taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
Cottonwoods in the snow, Antelope Flats Road. Canon R5 with the RF 100-500mm lens.

MAY 7th TUESDAY

This was the coldest day of the trip. It was 30F in the morning, with a feel-like temperature of 21F. It was snowing again, but there were breaks of almost-sun. After another breakfast at Pearl St Bagel, we went out to Antelope Flats Road first. We spotted a moose out by the Teton science school. We also spotted a raptor and some robins. Went took a break by going back to the room (for cookies)! The we drove Sagebrush Drive and behind the airport (just to see). Then back to Antelope Flats again. It was white-out snowing one minute and sunny the next. Then back again. We took some shots of an Elk herd on Antelope Flats Rd. Then drove Gros Venture Rd. Then back to the Creekside Market (near our room) for a nice Cobb salad. Then back out to Moose Wilson Rd and again to Antelope Flats Rd. Then back to the room. We were tired of the fluctuating weather, so we broke things up by taking a short walk in town. Jackson is a really nice town!

Upper left- Of course we had to take some photos of the famous Moulton Barns. This isn't your typical view with the Tetons in the background, but rather the back of the barn facing the hills in the distance. Canon R5 with the RF100-500mm lens. Right - There were quite a few cottonwood trees set back from the road and they made nice subjects silhouetted against the snow. If you look at it large you can see the Magbie on the right branch and a car coming up the road on the left. Canon R6 full spectrum conversion 590nm filter, RF 24-240mm lens. Lower Left- Moose, far away in the snow. We hoped it would come just a little closer to the road, but it ambled away from us instead. Canon R5, 100-500mm lens
On left is one of the famous Moulton barns on Mormon Row. In the middle is an American Robin as it leaves its perch. We had been waiting for the Moose to come a little closer when this Robin landed near us. Both the left and middle images were taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens. On right is another attempt at capturing this tree on a different snow day (taken with the Nikon Z8 and the 70-200 lens).
This Elk was one of several in a small heard that were feeding near Antelope Flats Road. Taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.

West Yellowstone, MT (West Entrance, Yellowstone)

MAY 8th WEDNESDAY

Today we packed up to leave Jackson. We got bagels and lattes at Pearl street Bagels (again). It was an interesting, snowy, ride through the Teton Pass. The traffic going the other way was really backed up, and we had a few slow-downs ourselves. The pass was even more crowded with skiers, boarders, snow mobiles. Drove through Idaho to West Yellowstone. Checked into the Yellowstone Westgate hotel (early) and headed out to Canyon and Yellowstone lake via Hayden valley. Stopped at Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Shot a lone bison in snow in Hayden valley. Then more bison further up the valley. Also shot a cool snow drift S curve! Then bison reds near Madison junction. Then got stuck in a bad bison jam heading back. When we got back to the room, it was freezing cold. They changed rooms for us but (sadly) the next room wasn’t as nice. Oh well.

When we left Jackson to drive over Teton Pass on our way to West Yellowstone, it was snowing heavily again. The pass had been closed intermittently during our stay, and with another storm approaching, we packed up and headed out. Mike was driving while Hali captured these shots through the window, as traffic crawled along. Nearly a month after our drive, we learned that part of the roadway had collapsed in a landslide. Fortunately, engineers had noticed cracks and diverted traffic to other routes in time, though it made the drive much longer for travelers. Amazingly, they constructed a detour in under a month to help commuters—slow-going, but better than the hours long detours they had been taking. Both photos taken with the iPhone 13Pro
We saw this very compliant Common Raven (on left) while shooting at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. It was perched on a snow covered fence rail. Sadly, it was probably waiting for handouts from tourists (food). If you look closely, you can see the reflection of the fence rail in the raven's eye. Taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens. On the right is a phone picture of the one-way road leaving the parking area. It really shows you what the Spring weather can be like in Yellowstone.
Left: Common Raven in the Upper Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone parking lot. It was very vocal. Right: The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, with the Yellowstone River far below. It was a very misty, snowy day. Both images with the iPhone 13Pro

The Yellowstone Bison herd is a hybrid herd, being a mixture of the plains bison (Bison bison bison Linnaeus), introduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1902, and mountain or wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads), which originally inhabited the Yellowstone and surrounding country.

This Bison is moments away from shaking off the water from the small stream crossing. Hayden Valley. Taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
This is two shots of the same Bison, during a particularly snowy moment in the Hayden Valley. The bad left eye is not as apparent in the image on the left. Both images were taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
More bison in the Hayden Valley. On the right Hali played around while developing the image and thought that this cold, blue, gritty look pretty well described the conditions at the time. Both images with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.
Left: We came across this beautiful snowdrift in the Hayden Valley, so we just had to photograph it. Right, you got it - another Bison. This one was looking right at us, so how could we resist taking a portrait of this handsome guy (especially since its tongue wasn't up its nose!) Both images with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.
The Bison on the left is moments away from shaking off the water from the small stream crossing. Hayden Valley. On the right is a muddy momma Bison (and her new born baby) near Madison Junction. Both images were taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
Tired of bison yet? Don’t worry, these are only a few more for the trip—and what better way to start to wrap it up than with photos of mama bison and their newborn Red Dog calves, less than two hours old. If you look closely at the one on the left, you can still see the umbilical cord. Both images were captured with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.
The room at the Yellowstone Westgate hotel wasn't bad (phone pictures).

MAY 9th THURSDAY

Had great cappuccinos at the Bookstore Cafe. Went into Yellowstone toward Lamar valley. Shot a merganser on river drive. Shot a Cinnamon Teal along Madison river!! Shot bison near there also. Shot raven at Norris Geyser Overlook. Stop at Sheepeater Cliff and took photos of the cliff. Stopped just before the terraces and a little after golden gate cliffs to shoot the pikas! Saw the grizzly w 2 cubs chowing on a bison carcass at blacktail pond! The first use of the teleconverter (for me) this trip. Then saw black bear with cub across from the blacktail plateau 6 entrance. Then shot bison after tower station, just into Lamar valley. Shortly after that saw a coyote and spent an hour (at least) with the coyote. It was 3:15 at that time so headed back to West Yellowstone. Just after Mammoth Hot springs at the tour bus depot shot a Dusky Grouse (another first sighting for us). Saw a grizzly before Roaring mountain. Stopped at Roaring mountain for some shots. Stopped along Madison river for shots of red dogs. One bison mom had 2 calves! Then dinner at the buffalo bar. Black and bleu salad and bozone amber beer (Bozeman brewing) - delicious!

Left: Mike having a pre-cappuccino nap at the Bookstore Cafe. Right: the cafe was full of wonderful little things, so Hali couldn't resist photographing the Hot Chocolate AND Marshmallows sign, although sadly, she gave that up for her usual decaf cappuccino. Both images with the iPhone 13Pro.
On left is a Cinnamon Teal that we spotted along the Madison river on the way into the park in the morning. On right is a Common Raven at the Norris Geyser Overlook. Both images were taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
Left: A beautiful still morning on the Madison river. The calm water reflects the hills alongside of it. iPhone 13Pro Right: A female merganser in the early morning sun while watching something intently on the Madison river, taken on River Drive. Canon R5 with the 100-500mm lens.
At top left is an American Pika (near Golden Gate). At top right is a Grizzly Bear mom with one of her two cubs (Blacktail Deer Plateau). On the bottom right is a newly born Bison calf (red dog) near the Madison River. At bottom left is a large Black Bear mom (her newly born cub is up a nearby tree). All images were taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
Upper Left. One of the two Grizzly Cubs taking a break from gnawing on the bison carcass, it was pretty calm still so it made for a nice reflection. Upper Right: That tiny baby black bear up a tree. Bottom: Red Dog Bison Calf in the scrub. Only two more bison images! I promise. All three images taken with the Canon R5 and the RF100-500mm lens.
Even Coyotes have bad hair days. This one was strolling around the Lamar Valley looking for some bite size critters. Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
On left is the same Coyote from the image above. On right is yet another first-time sighting for us: a Dusky Grouse. Both images were taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
Two more images of that Coyote. We were excited to be able to spend as much time as we did with it, it was only the second one we had been able to photograph the entire trip, which was unusual. Both images with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.
A very important fact to keep in mind in Buffalo country, and a fabulous place to eat.

Gardiner, MT (North Entrance, Yellowstone)

MAY 10th FRIDAY

Last full day! Packed up our gear and drove out of West Yellowstone. We hit the bookstore cafe on the way out for another delicious cappuccino! Hali shot some landscape images along the Madison River up to Norris junction. Then we shot some bison near Tower Junction and then again just into the Lamar Valley. Stopped at soda butte for more amazing ground squirrel shots! Drove out to silver gate, but didn’t see any critters. We did shoot a pano of the Barronette Peak. This has been the warmest day of our trip. No jackets at all in the afternoon! On the way back, after Soda Butte and before the Yellowstone Institute, we pulled over to shoot a pronghorn but instead shot up another ground squirrel! Drove east road from Tower Junction out to tower falls. Only 2.5 miles of road was open. Between the exit and the entrance to the blacktail plateau drive, there was a group of people at the roads edge. It turns out it was an elk laying down under a tree. Hali spotted some pronghorn on the road down to Gardiner, so we stopped and photographed them! Whew - what a great trip!

Two more ground squirrel shots. One from Soda Butte (on left) and one from further west in the Lamar Valley (on right). The image on right really showcases the impressive claws these animals have! Both images were taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
A Pronghorn on the road down to Gardiner. Taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.

MAY 11th SATURDAY

We slept in 'late' -- which was nice. Then we caught one last breakfast at Sagebrushers Cafe and drove to the airport. Goodbye for now, Yellowstone!

The view from the wonderful Bozeman airport, as we await our flight home (phone picture).
This gets my vote for the best from any airport - ever! This was a great way to say goodbye (for now) to this beautiful place! We can't wait to come back...

We hope that you enjoyed looking through these images. If you want to see more of our vacation pages, then please visit this link: http://www.hali.org/Vacations