Mammoth Hot Springs and Lamar Valley
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We broke camp at Madison on our 7th day in Yellowstone and headed north. Our next stop was taking us back to civilization at a private campground in Gardiner - Sun Outdoors Yellowstone North. They offered our first hookups in over a month. Not 15 minutes into the drive, it started snowing, and as we drove, we enjoyed viewing a lightly dusted Yellowstone. Just a few days earlier we were sporting shorts and a t-shirt in 80 degree heat.
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Soon after, we spotted cars pulled off the road. I hopped out, and discovered black bears! Momma and two juveniles, although I only managed to snap one in the brush. My first bear sighting—woohoo! Black bear can also be brown, as these were.
We continued on to Mammoth Hot Springs. The snow stopped, but temps were in the chilly 30s. The site was like nothing I’d ever seen. Terraces carved into alabaster with hot water steaming over them. Even in the cold, the short walk was totally worth it.
Next, we rolled into Gardiner, dropped off the camper, and indulged in burgers at Wonderland Cafe. Absolutely delicious.
Full bellies in tow, we headed back into the park for Lamar Valley. The snow returned for a bit, but we weren’t deterred. We pulled off at a waterfall overlook for a viewing of Tower Falls, and took a moment to admire it.
Further up, we hit another wildlife traffic jam. No one was getting out of their cars, so I guessed it might be a bear near the road. We couldn't see it from our vantage point, and waited several minutes for cars to stop and people to stare, before eventually moving on. When it was finally our turn, sure enough: two black bears partially hidden in grass were....let's just say getting very cozy together. We watched for 45 seconds and moved on, and then grabbed a nearby pullout spot. We walked up a small hill with a good vantage point and watched the getting cozy session. People then decided it was cool to just park in the road and get out, with horns honking and the road turning to a backed up parking lot as far as we could see. The noise and mayhem did not deter the pair. After about 15 minutes of cozy time, the female decided she had enough, and started walking towards the road, dragging the attached male. The male finally relented and let go, and the pair crossed the road together. The male then started lumbering our way, so we took that as our cue to leave.
A few miles later we saw yet another lone black bear rooting around on a steep hillside. After spending a week scanning Yellowstone for bears, here they were in full force.
We drove Lamar Valley up to Soda Butte and back, spotting pronghorn antelope, bison, an ospry in its nest, and one final black bear sighting. The pronghorn herd had lots of babies, and they'd hang together in little groups, so cute.
Wow, four separate bear encounters in one day. This was definitely the day of the bears.
We continued on to Mammoth Hot Springs. The snow stopped, but temps were in the chilly 30s. The site was like nothing I’d ever seen. Terraces carved into alabaster with hot water steaming over them. Even in the cold, the short walk was totally worth it.
Next, we rolled into Gardiner, dropped off the camper, and indulged in burgers at Wonderland Cafe. Absolutely delicious.
Full bellies in tow, we headed back into the park for Lamar Valley. The snow returned for a bit, but we weren’t deterred. We pulled off at a waterfall overlook for a viewing of Tower Falls, and took a moment to admire it.
Further up, we hit another wildlife traffic jam. No one was getting out of their cars, so I guessed it might be a bear near the road. We couldn't see it from our vantage point, and waited several minutes for cars to stop and people to stare, before eventually moving on. When it was finally our turn, sure enough: two black bears partially hidden in grass were....let's just say getting very cozy together. We watched for 45 seconds and moved on, and then grabbed a nearby pullout spot. We walked up a small hill with a good vantage point and watched the getting cozy session. People then decided it was cool to just park in the road and get out, with horns honking and the road turning to a backed up parking lot as far as we could see. The noise and mayhem did not deter the pair. After about 15 minutes of cozy time, the female decided she had enough, and started walking towards the road, dragging the attached male. The male finally relented and let go, and the pair crossed the road together. The male then started lumbering our way, so we took that as our cue to leave.
A few miles later we saw yet another lone black bear rooting around on a steep hillside. After spending a week scanning Yellowstone for bears, here they were in full force.
We drove Lamar Valley up to Soda Butte and back, spotting pronghorn antelope, bison, an ospry in its nest, and one final black bear sighting. The pronghorn herd had lots of babies, and they'd hang together in little groups, so cute.
Wow, four separate bear encounters in one day. This was definitely the day of the bears.