Yellowstone National Park 2021 Trip Reports

Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin

29th September thru 2nd October 2021
Yellowstone National Park

~ September 2021 ~

Wednesday - September 29th

I camped the first two nights of this trip report at Colter Campground outside of Cooke City, and the last two nights in Silver Gate. 33 degrees this morning warming up to a nice 61 degrees. At 9:15 a.m. I viewed the black bear sow with one light cub in Crystal Drainage from the Slough Creek restroom. At 4:30 p.m. thru 5:00 p.m. I found and watched the Middle Ridge grizzly sow with two cubs of the year near the skyline in a clearing east of THE BELL. They were digging again and on the top of the ridges we watched dirt flying as they dug. At 5:40 p.m. we watched a black bear viewed off road on Tower Hill.

Thursday - September 30th

19 degrees with frost on the inside of the car this morning warming up to 73 degrees. I had two foxes in the road today, one on the way into the park and one leaving the park at night. At 6:50 am. Paul B found a medium sized grizzly with the Yellowstone stripe in the old Druid Rendezvous area moving west. At 7:45 a.m. John G found the black bear sow with light cub in Crystal Drainage viewed from the Slough Creek restroom.

~ October 2021 ~

Friday - October 1st

28 degrees with frost on the inside of the car at camp but only 19 degrees in Lamar Valley warming up to 73 degrees. I watched a badger tonight across the road from Trashcan Hill. At 7:15 a.m. twelve Junction Butte wolves were seen in the old Druid Rendezvous area. At 7:40 a.m. I found the Middle Ridge grizzly sow with two cubs of the year digging in the Bowl viewed from the Institute. They were in sight for almost two hours this morning. At 2:30 p.m. we had a black bear sow with a dark cinnamon cub south of Curve Pullout in Little America. At 6:15 p.m. a GPS collared black wolf returned from the west and stalled before reaching the rendezvous area viewed from Trashcan Pullout. At 6:30 p.m. nine black and six gray wolves some of which were puppies moved east from the rendezvous area.

Saturday - October 2nd

33 degrees this morning at camp but only 25 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to 72 degrees. I viewed a bull moose on the west end of Round Prairie this morning. At 9:15 a.m. we had six wolves bedded in the rendezvous area viewed from Trashcan Pullout. At 9:50 a.m. we watched an un-collared gray wolf moving east from Amethyst Bench. At 6:30 p.m. from Trashcan Hill we had seven gray and two black wolves viewed in the rendezvous area.

People Seen

Wolf Watchers: From Montana: Jeremy S, Reve and Susan C, Joe K, Dan and Laurie L, Doug M, Rick M, Taylor B, and Janice and Cindy H. From New York: Rick and Maureen B. From California: Kathie L. From Utah: Paul H. From Pennsylvania: Dusty. From Iowa: Jim and Joellyn B. From Vermont: Joann H. From Oregon: David and Stephanie O. And from Kansas: Calvin and Lynette J. Bear Watchers seen this report: From Louisiana: Bruce P. From Washington: John G. From Wyoming: Richard and Rita R. From Montana: Alan C, and Mike and Kathy W. From Missouri: Fred and Linda. From Oklahoma: Paul S and friend Mark P. and From Utah: Larry M. Others seen this report: From Montana: Grant J, Quinn, Carl S, Audra C, Claire L, Shauna B, Amanda, and Chris H. From Wyoming: Paul B. And from Vermont: John, Phil, "Charlie" K and Beth.

Yellowstone National Park

Lamar Valley Map - Yellowstone National Park