Yellowstone National Park 2025 Trip Reports
Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin
18 through 21 April 2025
Yellowstone National Park
Beautiful Mountain Lion ~ Lamar Valley ~ April 10th, 2023 ~ Photo by Linda Rudge Carney © All Rights Reserved
Mountain Lion ~ also known as the Cougar, Puma, Panther, or Catamount ~ Puma concolor
~ April 2025 ~
April 18th - Friday
25 degrees in Gardiner but 17 degrees at Slough Creek this morning warming up to 42 degrees. I had a cow and yearling calf moose in the old Druid Rendezvous area this morning, later they crossed the road to the north. I viewed two merlins in Gardiner today and a kestrel out in the park. Lots of bison calves in the herds out in the valley. At 8:30 a.m. the Junction Butte wolf pack had gotten a bison calf in Crystal Drainage. I only saw five black and three gray, but the wolf watchers accounted for the entire pack of eleven today.
April 19th - Saturday
22 degrees in Gardiner but 16 degrees at Slough Creek this morning warming up to 56 degrees out in the park. I had the moose cow and yearling calf north of Picnic this morning, not far from yesterday's sighting. I had a third moose northeast of Footbridge Pullout on a ridge line. A vulture in Lamar Valley and one seen in Slough Creek today. No wolves for me today but I ended up with six grizzlies. At 5:20 a.m. I pulled into the Blacktail Ponds Pullout. With help from the half-moon still up, I viewed movement on the bison carcass, the grizzly was still on the bison carcass. Others said the grizzly left going north before daylight. At 6:20 a.m. Paul H from Trashcan Pullout had a grizzly behind the rolling hills. The grizzly was moving slowly but finally moved into the tree line and out of sight. At 8:30 a.m. I found a dark grizzly on the west side of Chalcedony Fan. The grizzly soon moved into the tree line and out of sight. At 8:50 a.m. Doug M found a small to medium sized grizzly north of Coyote Overlook. The grizzly was moving slowly to the west but kept looking to the west. A large bison with a fresh calf were that way. The bison and calf moved downhill and out of sight. The grizzly was in sight for about thirty minutes eventually traveling over the skyline and out of sight. At 2:35 p.m. Valerie B found a tall grizzly digging on Amethyst Bench. In view for well over thirty minutes the grizzly moved west and out of sight. It caused a very large bear jam with lots of people getting to see the grizzly.
April 20th - Sunday
44 degrees in Gardiner this morning but only 36 degrees in Lamar Valley warming up to 56 degrees with a cold wind in the afternoon. At 6:35 a.m. Teton Science School had a grizzly in the flats south of Footbridge Pullout. In view for better than fifteen minutes. It was a large grizzly with a nice Yellowstone Stripe around it. At 9:00 a.m. Mike and Jill B told me about a grizzly in the Lion Meadow in Slough Creek. It was a small grizzly digging away until three black and one gray Junction Butte wolves decided to visit with the small grizzly. After five minutes the wolves moved up towards the den and the grizzly traveled west looking for a less busy meadow to dig in. Later the small grizzly was in front of the mixed conifer forest digging away. At 10:00 a.m. the Mollies wolves were visible from Hitching Post. Kevin K had heard howling earlier and finally found them bedded. They soon moved west with all nine members here today, six gray and three black. I only saw two gray and one black. The wolf watchers had a three-pack day. The Rescue Creek pack was seen at Tower and then Elk Creek, nine of the thirteen were seen, eight black and one gray. Then the Mollies and finally some action at the Slough Creek den which included looks and visits into the den.
April 21st - Monday
42 degrees in Gardiner but only 32 degrees at Slough Creek this morning warming up to 42 degrees with afternoon winds. I saw a trumpeter swan fly low over Slough Creek this morning. I watched two killdeers at the Conference this morning. At 6:05 a.m. we spotted wolves around the Slough Creek den; they were the Junction Butte wolves. I only counted five black and one gray, but the wolf watchers found more later. They were later spotted on top of Junction Butte chasing bison for their calves. Not sure how that ended. At 7:00 a.m. Kevin M, for the second day in a row, found the Mollies wolf pack in Lamar Valley, all nine, six gray and three black were present. They were high northwest of Trashcan Pullout. They too were hunting for bison calves, not sure how that turned out. Great viewing as some were bedded and others looked down into a ravine. I guessed they may had made a kill and was taken by a grizzly bear but my guess and my opinion. At 9:00 a.m. Bruce P found the only grizzly I saw today. A small colorful grizzly digging on Specimen Ridge. We watched from Long Pullout and had the grizzly for about fifteen minutes. At 4:00 p.m. we found the grizzly bedded in a large opening on Specimen Ridge. She had only moved about 150 yards from the morning sighting and glowed in the sun. We believe this is the 4 1/2-year sub adult of the Junction Butte sow who we hope will come out with three yearlings as the sow had three cubs of the year last year. Randi M had a grizzly sow with one large cub off the road near Hellroaring this evening, I did not get to see them.
People Seen
Wolf Watchers: From Montana: Rick M, Wendy B, Joe K, Melba C, Jeff B, Taylor R, Jeremy S, and Helene E. From South Dakota: Sam and Ginny G. From Utah: Paul H. From Washington: David and Stephanie O. From California: Glenda M and Rick, Bruce and Maryjean Mc. From Sweden: Jacob B. And From Missouri: Frank H. Bear Watchers: From Montana: Jeff and Val B, Jack D, Chuck W and Debbie H, Doug M, and Kathy M. From Wyoming: Kevin M, Gabriel M, and Sandi M. From Louisiana: Bruce P. From Oregon: Larry and Char T. From Washington: Randi M. Others seen this report: From Montana: Bob L, Quinn H, Kyle D, Byron F, Grant J, Amada D, Dan H, and Jamie H. From British Columbia: Eric and Debbie. From Wyoming: Rick C. And From Idaho: Willie and Shelly D.
Beautiful Mountain Lion ~ Lamar Valley ~ April 10th, 2023 ~ Photo by Linda Rudge Carney © All Rights Reserved
Mountain Lion ~ also known as the Cougar, Puma, Panther, or Catamount ~ Puma concolor
Lamar Valley Map - Yellowstone National Park
| Yellowstone National Park Trip Reports | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2021 | 2016 | 2011 |
| 2025 | 2020 | 2015 | 2010 |
| 2024 | 2019 | 2014 | 2009 |
| 2023 | 2018 | 2013 | 2008 |
| 2022 | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 |
| Yellowstone National Park Trip Reports | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 2000 |
| 1996 | 2002 |
| 1997 | 2003 |
| 1998 | 2004 |
| 1999 | 2005 |
| Yellowstone Geyser and Thermal Videos | |
|---|---|
| Beehive Geyser Eruption | Old Faithful with Bison |
| Beehive Geyser Eruption Two | Pocket Basin |
| Fan and Mortar | Roaring Mountain |
| Grand Geyser | Rocket and Grotto |
| Old Faithful One | West Thumb |
| Yellowstone Waterfall Videos | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cave Falls | Mesa Falls | Undine Falls |
| Gibbon Falls | Rustic Falls | Upper Falls |
| Lower Falls | Tower Fall | Wraith Falls |
| Yellowstone National Park WebCams | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Faithful Live | All Old Faithful | Old Faithful Static | Old Faithful VC |
| North Entrance | Mt Washburn | Mammoth | YVO WebCam |
| Entrance Cities and Gateway Towns | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardiner, Montana | Silver Gate, Montana | West Yellowstone, Montana | Cooke City, Montana |
| Livingston, Montana | Cody, Wyoming | Jackson Hole, Wyoming | Yellowstone National Park |
| Links | |
|---|---|
| The Great Outdoors Net | Great Outdoor Recreational Places |
| Gardiner, Montana | West Yellowstone, Montana |
 |
 |