UNDER CONSTRUCTION...
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.
We spent the first 6 days in Gardiner, visiting places like the Lamar Valley, the geysers, and Cooke City. 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!
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 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).
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...
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.
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.
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!!
The short video below is of the Sandhill Crane unison calls (Nikon Z9 and the 180-600 lens).
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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).
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.
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!
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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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!!
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.
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!
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.
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.
MAY 9th THURSDAY
Had another great cappuccino 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!
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 shot them up! Whew - what a great trip!
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!