YELLOWSTONE SPRING, 2024

PART 1: YELLOWSTONE

This is part 1 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 first part covers the first week - our stay in 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 afterward 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!

Gardiner, MT (North Entrance, Yellowstone)

APRIL 28th, SUNDAY

Stopped at Sagebrushers Cafe for awesome cappuccinos and homemade muffins. Drove out of Gardiner and shot elk along the roadside. Stopped at slide pond to shoot the dead tree. Then stopped at Undine Falls for shots there. Beautiful!! Stopped at small pond on way to Lamar… Stopped to shoot grizzly sow and 2 cubs at floating island lake!! Then Bison as soon as we got into the Lamar Valley! Elk, deer, waterfall, grizzly, and bison - all before noon! Drove all the way down past Soda Butte and then Pebble Creek (we saw baby bison nursing at Soda Butte). When it started snowing, we turned around. Shot some more Bison on the way back. Started heading back towards town, but stopped at hellroaring trailhead to look for Pikas - we did not see any. Then went back to Lamar valley for a bit. Then went back to tower junction again but saw pronghorn before we got there. Then headed back towards town and saw a MOOSE (just north of phantom pond). Our first ever Moose sighting in Yellowstone! We hung out and shot him while the snow came down. Dinner was at Outlaw Pizza - which tasted weird and gave Mike a mild bit of food poisoning.

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

Our first leg of the trip was the longest (7 days), and we might have been the very first reservation of the season for the Antler Lodge. Rates were not yet peak, so we sprung for the larger room. It was wonderful! These phone images show you what the room looked like with all of our 'stuff' scattered about.

Our very first day started off with a bang! Elk, Bison, Pronghorn, Moose and a Grizzly sow with 2 first-year cubs (cubs that were born last year).

Elk are everywhere in Gardiner. You may literally walk past one while walking out of the supermarket. They also love to graze around the edge of town near the park entrance (as per the image on the top left). The image on the top right is just a snap of Hali during our morning drive up to Mammoth. The bottom left image is more Elk. The bottom right image is the momma Grizzly nursing 2 cubs at Floating Island Lake. This was close to the road, and was causing a bit of a traffic jam -- even this early in the season. There was a ranger present to insure that we didn't get too close, for obvious reasons. All images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
A few landscapes on our way into the Lamar valley. It was an overcast, cold and humid morning which was great for photography. Top left - on the way into the park on the new park entrance road. This new road bypasses the Gardner River which flooded during a storm in 2023 and took out the old road and bridge. This is a repaving of the one way road that went back into the town of Gardiner and bypassed the flooded area by using the old service road. As beautifully done as this road is, it is not the final road. There is still discussion going on about rebuilding the original entrance road (which was an absolutely gorgeous way to enter the park). Bottom left: A view of the Travertine Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, from inside the park. Right: Undine Falls. All photographs taken with the Canon R5 with the RF 100-500mm lens.
Just into the Lamar Valley, we spotted some Bison and snapped a few images there. The American Bison is also called the American Buffalo, and I will spare everyone the details of the debate over the name. I will add that the Yellowstone Bison herd is thought to be a blend of Plains Bison and Wood Bison (if that matters to anyone at all). This image was taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
The images on the top and middle left show the iconic Yellowstone animal - the American Bison! On top right is another staple of Yellowstone - the Pronghorn (although not yet present in the same numbers you would see in the Fall). On the bottom left is a Raven that was catching some sun at the Blacktail Deer Plateau. On the bottom right right is a Moose that we spotted at the very end of our day, also along the Blacktail Deer Plateau. This was the first moose we had ever seen in Yellowstone! All images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
We saw a lot of Bison that first day in the Lamar Valley. As a matter of fact we saw bison every day we were in Yellowstone. Walking in the fields, crossing streams, coming down hillsides, walking in the roads, causing all sorts of traffic jams. Which made it all the more confusing when we met a woman who asked us if we had seen any wildlife while we had been here!!!😳😳😳 All images taken with the RF 100-500 on the Canon R5.
It wasn’t just bison we saw. As Mike mentioned earlier, we had the incredible experience of spotting a mama grizzly with her two first-year cubs at Floating Island Lake. Later, at Blacktail Deer Plateau, we saw two ravens, though only one posed for us at a time.
A picture of Mike, enjoying a rare moment of Hali pointing the camera at him! Canon RF 100-500 on the R5.
Snowstorm to Blue Sky - a panoramic view of the Lamar Valley close to Cooke City on a "changeable" weather day. 13 handheld images merged to make the Panorama taken with the Canon R5 and the RF100-500 lens
Hali posed for a shot by the park sign while we were walking around town after dinner (iPhone 13 Pro, wide).

APRIL 29th, MONDAY

Stopped at Bears Brew for good bagels, bad coffee, and an attitude chaser. Stopped at terraces. Shot some bison along the road to Norris junction. Then turned around and went back to terraces and walked the trails. Then got back on road to Norris junction. Stopped at golden gate area to shoot Rustic Falls. Got caught in 10 min bison jam. Gave up on Norris junction because the bison blocking the road. Headed back to the Lamar valley. We were at the spot where the river drops down about 50’ below the road when we saw some cars pulled over (about 5 minutes east of Slough Creek). There were two bison cows with red calves. We also saw some marmots amongst the rocks below us!! Stopped at soda butte to shoot another red calf. Then drove to Cooke city. Had a chicken sandwich at the soda butte lodge and prospector restaurant. Decent food at a decent price. While along the Lamar valley and out to Cooke city the weather would change from snow to rain to sunshine and back again. After lunch/dinner we drove back through the Lamar valley again. Spotted a beautiful red fox just outside of Silver Gate (near Barronette Peak trailhead)!! And then another fox further down! Then stopped at soda butte to shoot a newborn bison calf. Then some pronghorn shots. Then just before tower station we saw sheep and deer! Pictures follow...

Three images from the stroll along the Terraces. The left image is the famous Liberty Cap (37 feet tall). The middle image shows some trees that make this wild landscape look a bit eerie. The right image is a Killdeer, happily drinking water that would probably kill a person. All images taken with the Nikon Z8 with the 70-200 lens.
The travertine terraces, formed from calcium carbonate, are a captivating natural feature. Rain and snowmelt seep deep into the Earth, where the water is heated to temperatures exceeding 212°F (100°C). This superheated water circulates through the limestone and other sedimentary rocks, dissolving minerals along the way. When it rises along fault lines, the water emerges and cascades down, depositing calcium carbonate to create the terraces. Unlike the geothermal features heated by the magma of the Yellowstone caldera, these terraces are located outside the caldera boundary and are not as hot as other hot springs in the region. The water is alkaline when it surfaces, yet despite its less intense heat, it is inhospitable to life, as evidenced by the dead trees in the area. All 3 photos were taken with a Canon R6 and an RF 24-240mm lens.
Left and Center: The beautiful, multi-hued travertine deposits at Mammoth Hot Springs. Right: Bacterial mats at Mammoth Hot Springs. The water at these terraces is cooler than the hot springs at Norris Junction, typically around 170°F (80°C). Despite being cooler, it's still hot enough to cause severe burns within seconds, so never touch the water or stray from the boardwalk! All three photos were taken with a Canon R6 and an RF 24-240mm lens.
Rustic Falls, shot in color and converted to B/W. The falls are better to shoot in Spring because there is more water and less foliage than in the Fall (Nikon Z8 with the 70-200 lens).
Two 'Red Dog' bison calf images. The left image was taken along the road out to Norris Junction (at about 8:30 in the morning). The right image was taken much later, at Soda Butte (at about 2:30 in the afternoon). Newborn calves weigh between 30 and 70 pounds, and males will grown to weigh over a ton! Both images were taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
On the left is another first-time sighting for us: a Yellow-bellied Marmot (in the Lamar Valley). The left image was taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens. On the right is a phone selfie we took at the Bannock Ski trailhead (Northeast Yellowstone).
Three images - one red fox. And another first time Yellowstone sighting for us. This one was spotted in Northeast Yellowstone - near Silver Gate. All images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
It was alternating between snowing and small bouts of sunshine as we drove up to Cooke City and back down and as always we made the best of it. On the left, Mike poses for me at the last pullout before Silver Gate. On the right, is the first of the red foxes we saw on the trip. Both images were taken with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.
Cooke City is not exactly an upscale location. The through-the-windshield phone image on left shows you the view as you drive into town from the West. It isn't Jackson Hole, but we always find a good meal and friendly people when we go there. On the right is another phone image -- this one of Soda Butte.

When we first began our visits to Yellowstone, tourists were allowed to climb all over Soda Butte -- and they did. Now, the sign says stay off. It's an interesting formation, so it's nice that they are making an attempt to preserve it. Soda Butte also makes a great informal landmark for wildlife viewers like us. For people wanting to do laps in the Lamar Valley, Soda Butte is a great turn-around point.

After spotting the fox, we passed by Soda Butte again and were fortunate to witness the first few moments of a newborn bison's life. These calves are affectionately called "Red Dogs" because of their reddish coats at birth. We observed the mother and her baby just minutes after delivery, marveling as the calf made its first, wobbly attempts to stand. Despite the biting wind, which we faced without gloves after a hasty exit from the car, we remained on the roadside, transfixed, until the cold finally drove us back before the calf managed to stand. Canon R5 with the RF 100-500 lens
Prongorn on the left and top right images. Pronghorn are also called American antelope, prong buck, pronghorn antelope and prairie antelope. I think those images were taken near the Tower junction. Pronghorn trivia: pronghorn are the only animals that shed their horns every year. In all other cases, only animals with antlers shed them every year. They are also the only animal with branched horns. On the bottom right is a big horn sheep along the blacktail deer plateau. All images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.

APRIL 30th TUESDAY

Sagebrushers Cafe is now our favorite morning stop on the way out of town for awesome cappuccinos and homemade muffins. Shot some on the way out of Gardiner and then went to Lamar. Shot pronghorn before tower station and a ground squirrel too. Just past tower station 5 or 10 minutes we shot some pronghorn. (Before slough creek a few minutes). Drove out towards silver gate and spotted a fox past Barronette Peak trailhead - twice! Three times! It was just over the state line. Drove around there a bit then went back to Lamar. Stopped to shoot pronghorn. Stopped to shoot marmots. We thought we were done for the day, but then we passed a black bear with 2 cubs. We shot that for a long time. Then started driving out again. We made it past tower junction when someone spotted a marmot. So we stopped again. Then we were really finished and drove out.

Left: Mike outside of Eddy on the Yellowstone which became Sagebrushers Cafe when it moved to its new location at the end of our trip. Inside making us some delicious latte was the owner Karoline Sleichter. Right: one of the cute signs on the kiosk. Both photos: iPhone 13 Pro.
At left is an Elk that we saw on the hillside as we were driving up out of Gardiner in the morning. On right is a Uinta ground squirrel that we saw at Tower junction. Note the difference in the snow cover at the two locations. It was common to see wide variations during this trip. Both images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
Floating Island Lake from the Grand Loop Road. This is a sketchy panoramic made by compositing two phone pictures in post-processing.
Like Mike had said there was a huge difference in the weather from Gardiner to the Lamar Valley. In Gardiner there was a very light dusting of snow but as we went deeper into the park it became more and more snow covered. UL: On the entrance road out of Gardiner, an elk stands in the fields below the Gallatin Range. UR: Elk #22 standing majestically against the Gallatin mountains outside of Gardiner. UL: The snow covered fence at Tower Junction. LR: Mike standing in the snow after a short walk to shoot some ducks. Top photos taken with the Canon R6 and the RF24-240mm lens. Bottom photos taken with the Canon R5 with the RF 100-500mm lens
Some black and white images. UR: The view of the Absaroka Range with Mt. Hornaday in the center with threatening skies. Middle: Trees and snow on the side of one of the mountains. UL: Hills and valleys in the Abrasoka range in the Lamar Valley
Hali in the Lamar Valley, doing what she loves to do! Both images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
Pronghorn are the second fastest land animal on the planet, but can can maintain their speed for greater distances than the top speed animal (the Cheetah). They are the fastest land animal in North America, and can hit speeds up to 60 mph. It is believed that the now extinct American Cheetah was the main predator of the Pronghorn, and that is why they can run at speeds far greater than needed to outrun any existing predator. Lamar Valley. Taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
We went out to Silver Gate to see if we could find our fox friend again, and we found a different fox this day! All images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
Here are two images of the beautiful red fox we saw near Silver City. Patience was key as we waited for her to come closer while she walked along the snow. We managed to capture the moment she pounced, although, unfortunately, she didn’t catch anything that time. Both images with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.
On left is a yellow-bellied marmot in the Lamar Valley. On the right is a black bear cub that we spotted (along with a mangy momma bear and 1 other cub) along the blacktail deer plateau. Both images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
On top left is that mangy momma black bear that we were talking about. Her discomfort has not prevented her from keeping 2 bear cubs from last season (in a side note, a quick search found that bears are naturally resilient and most will recover from mange with no treatment). The image of those cubs on the bottom left may make it look they are snuggling together in a moment of sibling tenderness. In reality, they were just fighting with each other rather viciously (I could see blood on one set of cub claws). On right is a yellow bellied marmot that Hali spotted just after we left the bear area. All images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.

MAY 1st WEDNESDAY

Drove to Lamar valley again. Shot some landscapes and then some Sandhill cranes after that (there were some blue-winged teal hanging about with the cranes, too). All before tower junction. Took some tree pictures and then a ground squirrel at tower junction. Shot some reflections just after tower station . Shot the osprey nest just past slough creek. Saw a moose near silver gate (at warm creek, before the NE entrance)!! Then a red tail hawk in the same field, and then the moose again! Then another fox on our next lap. Then drove back. Stopped to shoot a grizzly just before slough creek. Saw a coyote there too! Then a group of big horn sheep near tower junction!!

We really were not expecting to see Sandhill Cranes here, but we were delighted to see them. Especially when the mated pair starting doing their unison call (image on top left, Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens). The image on the top right shows Hali in the middle of a remarkably empty road, dressed for the weather (Nikon Z8 with the 70-200 lens). The bottom image is a phone pic of a pond near the blacktail deer plateau.

The short video below is of the Sandhill Crane unison calls (Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens).

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Half Moon Rise over a hillside in the Blacktail Plateau
Near the entrance to the Lamar Valley, after Tower Junction there is a large Osprey nest. When we first got there, one osprey was sitting on the nest and we could hear the mate calling in the distance, and it was snowing, which made for a pretty photograph. The snow stopped and 5 minutes later the sun broke out giving us a nice view of the Lamar river as it stretched back toward the Blacktail plateau. Both images Canon R5 with the RF 100-500, the image on the right is a vertical panorama consisting of 3 images (because Hali was too lazy to change lenses)
The Storm Commeth. We watched this storm roll in over the Lamar Valley, dumping snow on the mountains and plains in the distance. We moved towards it, but it stayed closer to the mountains than the road so we didn't get too badly snowed upon. Canon R6 full spectrum conversion, 720nm Infrared filter with the RF 24-240 lens.
On left, we were hoping to see another fox out near Silver Gate, but we were very happy to also see a moose there! On right, a red-tailed hawk launches from its tree top perch in the snow. Both images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
A beautiful moose in Northeast Yellowstone (image taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens).
On top left is a red fox that we spotted near Silver Gate. On top right is a pronghorn in the Lamar Valley. On bottom left is a grizzly bear that, along with its cub, was making a bit of an early season traffic jam. On bottom right is a bighorn sheep that we spotted along the blacktail deer plateau. All images taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens.
Mike dressed for the weather, on the quiet part of the road near the Northeast entrance to the park. Taken with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens
Another shot of momma Grizzly (taken with the Nikon Z9 with the 180-600 lens).

MAY 2nd THURSDAY

We headed south for the day to Old Faithful via Norris and Madison (and the geysers). Stopped just south of Mammoth to shoot the mountainside. Then stopped at Roaring mountain to shoot the fumeroles and the mountainside. Stopped at Norris geyser basin and walked the loop. Then hit fountain paint pot geyser basin. Shot dead trees and some geysers. Then went to the grand prismatic spring, excelsior spring and shot pools and patterns (midway geyser basin). Next we made our way down to Old Faithful. Mike walked some and Hali walked it all. Then we drove all the way back to Mammoth, where we shot some deer across from the terraces (and some shots of tree there also).

We decided to do a trip down to the geysers that day, but first was a stop for the prerequisite pictures of the Roosevelt Arch, the gateway to Yellowstone National Park from the North at Gardiner, MT. Hali has this thing about doors, and the ones at the base of the arch were just fabulous with the wood and the stone and all that lovely texture. A bit past Mammoth, the light was still great on the landscape and this fabulous cloud caught our eye as it obscured the top of Electric Peak, just over the Wyoming border in Montana. Bottom - we stopped at Roaring Mountain to take pictures of the fumeroles. Roaring mountain is part of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field and the fumeroles are indications that there is still volcanic activity going on. Top left taken with the Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens. Upper left and lower image taken with the Canon R6 and the RF 24-240mm lens.
Upper left: A view from one side of the boardwalk to the other at Norris Geyser Basin. Lower Left: A throwback to days gone by, a (well-decorated) phone at the Norris Geyser Basin parking lot. Lower Middle: A dead tree in the highly acidic water at Norris Geyser Basin. Right: Mike on the boardwalk at Prismatic Spring. You can see the orange glow in the fog behind him at the edge of the spring All images were taken with Canon R6 and the RF 24-240mm lens.
Fountain Paint Pots had a small trail leading to the Fountain and Morning Geysers, but the Mud Pots were the most fun to see. Hali wanted to go to Artist Paint Pots, but the trailhead and trail were closed due to the conditions. All four images taken with the R6 and the RF 24-240mm lens.
The Prismatic Spring is incredibly beautiful, especially in the summer and fall when the air temperature isn't so cool that the hot water creates a thick steam layer over it. Since Hali couldn't photograph the spring itself, she turned her camera to capture the people trying to photograph the spring. UL: This photograph is taken from the boardwalk across from Prismatic Spring. You can see all the steam that the spring is producing. R: The second photograph is taken from the curve of the boardwalk, showing how the steam is localized to the spring and highlighting the beautiful orange glow from the edge of the spring. Lower right, a person stands patiently waiting for the steam to clear to take a selfie. Lower Left more pictures of people trying to take pictures. All photos were taken with a Canon R5 and the RF 24-240 lens.
These are all images taken at the Fountain Paint Pots. The image on the top left is a phone picture. All of the other images were taken using the Nikon Z9 and the 14-24 lens.
The cool patterns formed by the bacterial filaments on the thermophilic mats at the fountain paint pot trail, This is a color image that was rendered in B/W. Taken with the Nikon Z9 and the 14-24 lens.
The image on the left is a different view of a common raven (taken at the Grand Prismatic Spring overlook). The image on the right is a whitetail deer, taken at the Mammoth Hot Springs. Both images were taken using the Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens.
White Tail Deer near Mammoth Hot Springs in the late afternoon. Canon R5 with the RF 100-500mm lens.

MAY 3rd FRIDAY

Snow flurries to start the day again this morning. It’s snowed every day so far. Went back to Lamar valley today. About 5 minutes before tower station we saw a group of people shooting a wolf. We got a couple of meh shots of it. Then right before tower station Hali spotted a coyote! Shot some bison from tower station also. Then saw a marmot at the usual spot (a little after slough creek). Then drove out to the northeast entrance. Then drove through the Lamar valley. Shot the cottonwood trees on the right - just after the Yellowstone institute. Made some laps between the northeast entrance and the Barronette Peak trailhead. Pulled into the warm creek trailhead parking lot and turned around to see the fox behind us. Drove around and back more and got more fox shots. They are definitely habituated to sound of a car window going down - someone is feeding them for sure. Drove back to the Lamar valley. Hali took some fun selfies at the Thunderer trailhead before we got to soda butte. Stopped for a distant black bear right before slough creek. Just before tower station we saw big horn sheep prancing about. Then shot undine falls again.

Various images from our afternoon. On the left is one of the yellow-bellied marmots that we saw as we were driving through the Lamar Valley. In the middle is a red fox that was walking down the road as we drove towards Silver Gate. This fox appears to be habituated to the sound of a car window going down. Sadly, this means people feed the foxes from their car windows. Ugh. I know they are cute, but people should never feed wild animals. On the right is Elk #22 (per the ear tag), which we saw resting along the slopes near Gardiner at the end of the day. Notice the fully opened pre-orbital gland.
Landscapes and wildlife of the Lamar Valley Region. Top Left: The closed road to the Blacktail Plateau. It was too early in the year to drive the road. Top Right: Yellow-bellied Marmot expressing its displeasure at something in the rocks. Bottom Right: Red Fox up by Silver Gate. Bottom Left: Trees on a hillside. The two left images are infrared, taken with a full-spectrum converted R6 and the RF 24-240mm lens. The two right images are taken with the R5 and the RF 100-500mm lens.

That is the end of PART 1, but the adventure continues in PART 2... That page includes the Grand Teton National Park, then up to West Yellowstone, and finally back up to Gardiner!