Explore Yellowstone from Home!
Yellowstone from Home!
Yellowstone National Park is a close trip from our hometown of Bozeman, Montana! We're thankful everyday to be able to direct our eyes to the southeast and know... something magical is resting on the other side of those hills. Yellowstone National Park is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in North America, deeming it the Serengeti of the west. Many are positioned a little farther from the park than we are, so alas! Here is one of the best ways to see the park, right from home! We hope that this will suffice for now but we strongly suggest setting your eyes on the wild Bison and draw-dropping landscapes of Yellowstone and beyond in person! For now, here's the beauty you can feel from home... but soon we hope to welcome you in-person to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. As Bob Dylan once said, "time's are a changin'" but the wild will always remain the same.
No matter the season, Yellowstone National Park has beauty and treasure like no else. In the heart of the winter, the trek to Cooke City remains open for skiing and snowmobiling, yet many come to see the Bison, Wolves, Elk, Deer, and more in their prime among the endless snowdrifts. Though you'll need a 4x4 or some nice AWD to make it in many places, the quiet and snowy landscape is among the most serene scenes I have ever laid my eyes on. The Lamar Valley in the winter is one of the few places in North America where all you will have is yourself and the vast landscape that has been preserved decades. On clear evenings, temperatures drop well past -10°F, and yes this is a common occurrence. Southwestern Montana and Northern Wyoming can reach low temperatures which outrank places in the Arctic, in fact Bozeman, Montana reached temperatures that made the town the second-coldest place on earth one night! Now the cold isn't for everyone, so as the National Park Service opens the roads in the park, the opportunities begin to grow.
Welcome to summertime in Yellowstone National Park. The clumps of ice stuck to the hair on Bison begins to melt, the endless tracks in the snow melt into large circles, then mud. As the Yellowstone Grizzlies and Bears alike come out of hibernation, the plows and snow-removal crew of the National Park Service bring out the beasts of their own. Yellowstone National Park begins to open around the first week of May, but depending on weather and seasonal behavior, this date can be weeks earlier, or a whole month later! The early parts of the summer season are truly a treat. The Bison begin to shed their winter coat, but as they loose one thing, many mothers gain another! Cautious driving is a must in the park, especially when all the new Baby Bison begin to test out those new long legs of theirs. The wildlife within the park is truly breathtaking. Occasionally you'll be able to see first hand the bear cubs and other baby animals.
The Geysers and other geological feats within the park are also worth the trip. These tend to be the larger of the tourist attractions. The famous Old Faithful Geyser attracts travelers from the farthest reaches of the planet! From the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River, Keppler Cascades, and even Gibbon Falls, the endless natural beauty of Yellowstone National Park is mind-blowing!
Now there's so much to Yellowstone National Park that it is near impossible to write it all in one blog! If I were to add all of my favorite things and sights of Yellowstone National Park, I would begin to write a novel. We are aware that there are many travel restrictions in place at the moment, and we continue to push safety over everything. Be sure to keep a lookout for a follow-up Yellowstone Blog and we will dive deeper into history, special facts, and more about Yellowstone National Park! Stay safe and remember, the park will always be here. The beauty is worth the wait :)
Written by: Chris Wood
Photos: Zach Altman, Chris Wood