Friday, September 07, 2007

Autumn Journey to Yellowstone

Buffalo moms and babies swimming the Madison River at Yellowstone.

Elk, Madison River, Yellowstone National Park

Looks like the best time for me to visit Yellowstone this year will be in October, so right now Oct. 7 is the target date to leave. It will be cold out there that time of year, snowfall even a possibility, but I'll be prepared. I'll be camping at the Madison Junction campground, where the Firehole River and the Gibbon River converge to form the Madison River. The area is a prime place for wildlife, including buffaloes. Will also visit wildlife havens Lamar and Hayden valleys in Yellowstone, with hopes of getting glimpses of moose, wolves and grizzlies (and of course more buffalo).

Fantastic photo above of an elk at Yellowstone. Here's the photographer's description of how he got the shot: "I was sitting on the bank of the Madison River trying to photograph trumpeter swans when I heard something on my left. I was quite surprised to see this bull elk, perhaps five yards away. Luckily I had my second camera with a short lens by my side."

4 comments:

Vickie said...

I'm jealous! I wanted to go back there SOOO bad this fall. I have to say, that was the best trip of my life so far. I think of it often, and I love the buffalo. Have a great time and pack for COLD!

Larissa said...

That's going to be awesome!!

Very, very envious. Oh well, I'll just live vicariously through your pictures!!

Sara Latta said...

I love Yellowstone! Not everyone knows this, but the whole park region is actually part of a huge underground volcano called a caldera. I'm going to devote a chapter of my upcoming book to a scientist, Lisa Morgan, who mapped the floor of Yellowstone Lake and discovered a dome the size of seven football fields. (Don't worry, it's not in any danger of exploding any time soon, according to Morgan.)

Tom Rice said...

Hey Sara, if the caldera did blow, what better way to go? I'll be very anxious to read about Lisa Morgan in your book.