My nine day Yellowstone vacation was an amazing adventure. The combination of abundant wildlife and hydrothermal features make Yellowstone a place like no other.
Early Morning Wildlife Adventures
Because who doesn’t love waking up before the crack of dawn? I dragged myself out of bed every day at an ungodly hour, hoping to catch a glimpse of the bison before they had their morning coffee. It paid off—bears, bison, pronghorn, and elk were all out there, doing their thing.
Geysers: Nature’s Weirdest Party Tricks
Yellowstone’s geysers are like the party tricks of Mother Nature. Old Faithful is certainly the star of the show but there are hundreds of thermal features that impress in their own way. The geysers are basically the earth burping, steaming, and occasionally shooting boiling water into the sky. It’s amazing, a little smelly but totally worth seeing.”
Birdwatching in Yellowstone
Who knew birdwatching could be so intense? I photographed some of Yellowstone’s feathered divas, like the flashy Western Tanager and the Mountain Bluebird, which is basically the park’s Instagram model. And let’s not forget the Swainson’s Hawk, dominating the skies. Many new birds for me and colorful ones too.
Marmots and Ground Squirrels: The Unsung Heroes
While everyone’s busy ogling the big stuff, I found myself oddly entertained by the marmots and ground squirrels. They’re like the park’s comic relief, scurrying around like they’ve got somewhere very important to be. Spoiler: they don’t. But they were fun to watch anyway.
A Day in Grand Teton National Park
On my ‘day off’ from Yellowstone, I visited Grand Teton National Park. The Tetons are jaw-dropping mountain views that make you question why you live anywhere else. Every turn was another postcard-worthy shot. Amazingly different from Yellowstone, they have no thermal features but abundant wildlife and beautiful vistas were plentiful.
