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Yellowstone in Spring: Renewal and Rebirth

  • Writer: John J King II
    John J King II
  • Jun 8
  • 2 min read

Updated: Jun 22

The iconic view of the Lemar River near Soda Butte
The iconic view of the Lemar River near Soda Butte

The long winter months finally squeezed aside and our now annual spring time visit back to Yellowstone National Park was upon us. February, March and April were spent hunkered down focusing on rehabilitating my new knee in anticipation of the travel. Fortunately with the aid of some drugs the journey to Bozeman and the drive down to Gardiner went off without incident. The weather was full of precipitation rain and sleet in Paradise Valley and we wondered if deep inside the park we might be seeing fresh spring snowfall when we gain several thousand feet in elevation (up to 8000 feet above sea level ) inside the super volcano’s rim.

The contrast of new snow over greening spring growth including flowers makes for a beautiful back drop to witness the season’s newborns. This year the surprise was the amount of grizzly bears that were roaming the park. We saw an incredible 42 grizzly bears in our six day visit. We were treated to dozens of young bison who pranced and skipped along as the adult grazed heartily the new shoots of grass popping up everywhere.

Member of the Rescue Creek wolf pack graces us with a close up view

Gorge near the lower falls of the Yellowstone River

Bald Eagle stakes out claim on a Bison carcass in fast moving very cold water

Harlequin duck (drake) Breeding season is over and these ducks will be gone in just a few days
Harlequin duck (drake) Breeding season is over and these ducks will be gone in just a few days
Belted Kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher
Beautiful capture of a Mountain bluebird after the spring snow fall
Beautiful capture of a Mountain bluebird after the spring snow fall
Black bear boar scratching an itch
Black bear boar scratching an itch
Grizzly sow and COY nervously seeking a path cross the Lemar Valley
Grizzly sow and COY nervously seeking a path cross the Lemar Valley
Bison and calf on the move
Bison and calf on the move
Rescue Creek wolf carrying a big stick (reason unknown)
Rescue Creek wolf carrying a big stick (reason unknown)
Soda Butte pack female seeks to cross the road to return to six pups in the den - Lemar Valley
Soda Butte pack female seeks to cross the road to return to six pups in the den - Lemar Valley
Coyote loping lazily back to its den
Coyote loping lazily back to its den
A large Black bear boar scratches that itch after a brief swim
A large Black bear boar scratches that itch after a brief swim
Yellowstone Lake at break up on May19
Yellowstone Lake at break up on May19
American Serengeti - Lemar Valley
American Serengeti - Lemar Valley
Pronghorns forage on grass with new fallen snow in high country
Pronghorns forage on grass with new fallen snow in high country
Grizzly sow carefully instructs her two year old cubs how to construct a winter dem. We watcher her for an hour digging and keeping the attention of her cubs
Grizzly sow carefully instructs her two year old cubs how to construct a winter dem. We watcher her for an hour digging and keeping the attention of her cubs
A frosty spring morning in the meadows near Swan Lake
A frosty spring morning in the meadows near Swan Lake
Spring snow blankets the high country in the Northern Ridge
Spring snow blankets the high country in the Northern Ridge

 
 
 

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