Yellowstone NP Dusk Drive

As mentioned in a previous post, many who knew and loved Yellowstone recommended touring the park at dawn or dusk. Well... the dawn suggestion went in one ear and out the other. I don't really care how early wildlife get up, I'm not going to be a part of that festivity. After a long day's journey through the park chasing down Ansel Adams' falls of choice, I announced that as soon as I made sure the parents were fed, I was heading back into the park.

Since I have traveled in such a manner many times before, I did not harbor any concerns. However, my parents highly encouraged me to be careful on the roads when it got dark. It has been a while since someone has shown such loving concern for me.

I was very pleased with my venture back into the park.

My first wildlife sighting was a fox. He was resting at one of the lodge locations with people, especially kids, only 3 feet away. Every now and then he would look our direction, but he never moved. I have witnessed foxes in Monument and Colorado Springs several times, but this one was stunning. His ears were tipped with black fur and his coat was a warm creamsicle orange.

At the suggestion of a Yellowstone Association Institute volunteer, I took a dirt road towards Slough Creek. I encountered several vehicles stopped to view, but did not have the focal power to make any distinction. I turned around to make my way back to the main road and decided to make one more attempt at a crowded pullout. As I drove into the parking area, I noticed a group of deer-like creatures running over the ridge. All of the spotters were looking towards the mountains, but behind them an antelope and her triplet fawns were running towards them. It was thrilling to be the one to notice them. Come to find out, triplets are rare.

I got back onto the main road and drove until I found another crowd. Cars were pulled off both sides of the road for about 50 feet. People had congregated on a ridge and the big scopes were out. One hint my "wildlife advisers" gave was to stop when I see big scopes. I pulled off the road in my trusty Subaru, dinned the binoculars and camera and made my way up the steep incline. Boy, did I wish I had purchased some hiking boots.

I gravitated towards a quartet of scopes and eavesdropped on their conversation. One had a radio and was communicating with a different group of people who had just sighted "them" on the mossy rock. The longer I listened, the more details were revealed. I was standing among faithful wolf trackers and they had their powerful lenses trained on a wolf den and its occupants. Two alpha females and 4 pups emerged and romped around a mound. My tools were so amateurish that I could not begin to pinpoint the location let alone the creatures. But... I was disappointed for but a second. The trackers willingly offered several opportunities to view the playful follies. I was able to see the glorious mothers and impish pups three times. What a thrill! Unfortunately, I was not able to document this with my pocket camera.

Reluctantly, I slid and stumbled down the rise, again bemoaning the fact that I did not possess adequate shoes. I needed to head back to Gardiner before it got too dark. Since the weather was so pleasant, I had my windows open. I approached another crowd of cars, but this time I also heard howling. Looking out the driver's window, I noticed two coyotes howling some syncopated chorus that seemed to have no conclusion. If you enlarge the picture below, you'll find a coyote in the center of the sagebrush.

After relishing in the canine counterpoint, I was determined to make it to the northern entrance before sundown. Another group of beings had different plans for me. Frequently throughout our park visits, we would run across herds of bison crossing the road. In this case, I encountered a herd of bison crossing a bridge. Their trek required them to cross a river, so they chose to cross single file over the man made bridge rather than battling the current of the river. It was fascinating to see the cows manipulate the movements of the calves and the bulls eye the vehicles wearily. If I had had the courage, or the stupidity, I could have reached out the window and touched their fur. Though the picture below shows a hoard rather then a line, the moment the beasts stepped onto the bridge, the organized file developed. You should have felt the trembling and bouncing those 2,500 lb. bovine caused.

As the night was drawing to a close, the sky offered gentle pastels that soothed the eyes. The pairing of blues and pinks as well as the greens and browns brought a sense of perfect harmony. We live in a country of variety and gifts!