Yellowstone from Gardiner with Guide

 I am off on an impromptu trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Lot of great fun planned with my friend, Bernie who lives in OR. Yellowstone is re-opened after the major flooding on June 15 with just Lamar Valley closed which maybe closed for at least a year due to much of the road there destroyed. I visited here for a few hours on a day trip in September 2008 and for 2 weeks in 2016. Now, we are here for about 8 days.

For the next 2 days, we are staying in Gardiner, MT. We went into Yellowstone from Gardiner at 5AM with an awesome guide, Josh from Yellowstone Wildlife profiles. Going in with a guide is the only way you are able to go into the park from here due to road construction to build new roads due to the flooding. Many highlights - Cinnamon Back Bear, Black Bear, moose and her baby (very rare), White-tailed deer (very rare), Grey wolves, Pronghorn, Bison, Mule Deer, Big-horned Sheep and lots more. Here are just a few pictures.

Cinnamon Black Bear

Bison & baby which is called a Red Dog

Wildflower Season with fields of Lupine

Lupine ~ close up

Bernie by marking where bison have scratched off bark on the trees

Bernie with Josh looking at Great Blue Heron rookery

Black Bear ~ Hayden Valley

WY ~ Yellowstone ~ Lamar Valley

One last trip out to Lamar Valley to see the wildlife as tomorrow it's time to leave and go back home. It's been a great month away and I found Yellowstone to be amazing.  I know I'd like to come back again someday.  I went pretty far out the valley.  First stop was near some nests that I think the Cliff Swallows use but nesting season is long since over so I can't be sure.  Cave Swallow nests are very similar.  While parked there, some bison came up really close to the car maybe 15-20 ft away.  Initially, they had been 2 football fields away while I was out taking pictures.  I was able to get into my car before they got too close and just sit where I took these pictures through the windshield.  They paid no attention to me.

 Driving back towards the North Entrance a coyote run across the road in front of me.  I was only able to get a few shots off.

WY ~ Yellowstone National Park ~ Bison

It was exciting to be driving out toward Lamar Valley and see bison out roaming the fields.  Some places there were just a few and other places had upwards of a hundred bison.  We had about 10 that held up traffic as they crossed the street.  I was back several cars so didn't get to close.  It is an amazing sight.