Lamar Valley Yellowstone

Wednesday, July 18, 2012  Day 13

Up at 6, took down camp in less than an hour including coffee and oatmeal for the road.  Went back to Canyon and went to the brink of Upper Falls, took some great movies and hit the bathroom just as 2 huge tour buses arrived.  We then went to brink of the Lower Falls, 600 foot descent and 10 switchbacks. Proceeded to North Rim drive, a one way road to Look out point and Grand View.  Drove by Glacier Boulder, huge rock in the middle of nowhere and then to Inspiration Point.  Went through Canyon Village (another very developed area) and went back over the road to Tower-Roosevelt.  Stopped for our breakfast and then on to new territory.  Turned into Slough Creek where we were thinking of spending the night.  2 ½ mile dirt road and not very interesting scenery and decided to head toward Pebble Creek and our last attempt at lodging in the park.  

We entered the Lamar Valley (the Serenghetti of the US) and OMG, animals everywhere.  We saw herds of bison.  Walked down to photograph them across the river.  Then drove on and stopped.

  Watched 3 baby bison cavorting and playing tag, frolicking in the meadow.  So cute.  Saw pronghorn.  Stopped in other spot and saw big male bison lying down with coyote in near area.  Then saw a black wolf on the hill, bison walking down center of road, stopping us from proceeding.  Found the spot where the wolf den is but did not see wolves there. 
Entered Pebble Creek Campground and was flagged down by the ranger who awarded us the last site in the campground.  Awesome site with bear box, pump water and pit toilets.

We got the last spot!

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  Took a hike up Pebble Creek trail for about 5 miles round trip.  Many beautiful wild flowers. 

 Back to the campground to wash a little laundry, write the journal and thank yous.  Sloppy joes and salad for dinner.  Going on a night game drive, just like Africa.   Left the campground last night about 6:30.  Got stuck in a 600 head strong herd of bison on the road.  We were surrounded.  They were so amazing, snorting, walking down the yellow line, on the right, on the left, babies, mama’s and great big bulls.  They were completely oblivious to the cars, as it should be.  It is their home and their park, and we are just visitors.

  We also watched a grizzly bear through binoculars down by the river, apparently feasting on a carcass (which we could not see).  No luck with the wolves tonight but on our way back to camp we saw a big grizzly bear about a mile from our campground just about 30 feet from our car. 

He was beautiful, wrestling with some stump or something and foraging in the greenery.  Went to bed early, hopefully more wildlife in the morning.