National Park Travel Blog

This is a true story about one of the many adventures I’ve been fortunate enough to experience in Yellowstone National Park. It was a pleasant day in late May, and my wife and I had decided to spend the weekend in Yellowstone National Park. We were staying at the Lake Lodge Cabins, and had spent most of the day simply touring the sites. We lived only a short 90 minute drive away from the park, but we never got tired of enjoying the spectacular natural wonders of Yellowstone.

As early afternoon turned into late afternoon, we decided that we wanted to take in a short hike somewhere near Yellowstone Lake where were staying for the night. During that time of year, most of the trails around the lake were closed due to grizzly bear activity. We spoke with a park ranger to ask for suggestions on where we might be able to get in a short evening hike. On this particular day, the Storm Point trail was open, and the ranger recommended it to us. The Storm Point Trail trail was an easy hike that led to an elevated point overlooking the lake. As we drove up to the trailhead, we saw a larger group of approximately 8 people just coming back from a hike to Storm Point. As a local resident, I certainly understood the possibility of bear encounters in Yellowstone, especially in late May. However, I felt more at ease seeing several people returning from Storm Point as my wife and I were beginning our hike.

The first portion of the trail led us through a larger open meadow filled with sagebrush. The trail skirted past Indian Pond before eventually following the lake’s shore and entering into a rather dense forested area. As we hiked into the forest towards Storm Point, I felt a bit nervous as though we were beging watched. I kept an open eye out for bears or any other wildlife that we might encounter on the trail. My wife was also nervous, and she expressed her desire to go back to the car numerous times. Determined to see Storm Point and the lake scenery, I insisted that we continue the hike. Eventually, we reached our destination, and enjoyed the spectacular view of Yellowstone Lake from Storm Point. We were both excited and took pictures of the awesome scenery.

Finally, we decided that we better return to the car before it got dark. We certainly did not wish to hike through bear country in the dark. We passed through the dense forest area without incident, and we both believed that we were “out of the woods” so to speak in regards to the risk of a bear encounter. Well, it turned out that we were sorely mistaken.

Just before we reached Indian Pond on our way back to the car, we noticed a coyote following us. Excitedly, I took hold of the camera that was hanging around my neck in an effort to photograph the coyote, which was only 10 yards away from me. As I took pictures of the coyote, I noticed that he was behaving strangely. The coyote would look at me and then turn his head to the left as though he was watching someone else or something else. I knew he was not looking at my wife, because she was behind me. Suddenly, I heard my wife say “Bear! Bear!”.

I quickly turned my head in a desperate attempt to locate the bear. I did not know what kind of bear it was (grizzly or black), where it was, how close it was, or if it was even charging us. As I scanned the trees in the direction the coyote had been looking, I suddenly saw a grizzly bear. The grizzly bear was less than 30 yards away, and our eyes met at what seemed like exactly the same time. I know the bear was surprised, because I literally saw him flinch as our eyes met. The grizzly was close enough that I could actually see the brown color in his eyes.

My wife was in shock and froze up like a large block of ice. She was stiff, unable to move, and kept her head down looking at the ground in terror. Having received my college education in wildlife biology and lived near Yellowstone Park for so many years, I knew a great deal about bears and how to handle an encounter. Still, it is difficult to describe the fear that comes with a close encounter with a grizzly bear. My first instinct was to run as fast as I could, but I stopped myself from doing that. I knew that bears can run up to 35 miles per hour, and any attemp to run away would likely trigger the bear’s natural instinct to chase us. There was no way that we could outrun a grizzly bear, and the last thing we needed to do was cause the bear to associate us as prey.

I grabbed my wife’s arm and pulled her next to me. I whispered to her “Don’t look at the bear, just move with me. If the bear charges, I will push you off the cutbank into the lake. You go down the shore and get help while I take the brunt of the bear’s attack”. The grizzly bear was looking right at us, and I decided to take two steps forward to put a tree between the bear and us. The bear responded by taking a step or two and stretching his body to look around the tree at us. I then took a couple more steps to once again remove us from the bear’s sight. The bear again responded by taking steps to look around the tree to view us. This “cat and mouse” situation continued for a matter of seconds though it felt like hours. Finally, the bear turned from a broadside to face us and took a few steps in our direction. At that point, I told my wife “Here he comes, get ready”. Suddenly without warning, the grizzly bear turned broadside to us again and simply walked away into the forest.

I immediately walked my wife into the opposite direction from where the bear had gone. We moved as quickly as we could and walked around the far side of Indian Pond to put more distance between the us and the grizzly bear. Suddenly, I noticed that we were surrounded by an entire pack of coyotes. There must have been 9 or 10 of them with the closest ones only being 5 or 6 feet away from us. Although they never attacked or attempted to bite us, it was unusual and frightening to have so many coyotes around us at such a close distance. We were able to see the road and our car once we got around Indian Pond, and then the coyotes were gone as suddenly as they had appeared. We made it to the car and returned to Lake Lodge where we had some food and a few drinks to calm our nerves. We shared our adventurous story with other park visitors as we sat in the Lake Lodge lobby. It is one of countless Yellowstone memories that we have made over the years, and it’s an experience that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

While it certainly makes for an exciting Yellowstone story, the incident could have easily turned into a tragedy. It is important to know what to do in case of a bear encounter. For example, running would have been the worst thing to do and would have likely resulted in a mauling. By joining arms with my wife, I made us appear as one larger creature rather than two smaller ones. The bigger you appear, the more intimidating you may be to the bear. That can reduce the probability that the bear will attack. It also helps to hike in groups of 4 or more as a bear may not like the odds that come with being so outnumbered. Still, there are no guarantees when hiking in bear country. A female grizzly bear (sow) with cubs is the most dangerous as she will attack anything that she perceives as a threat to her cubs. Surprising a bear that is on a carcasse or food source is also extremely dangerous. Bears will defend a carcasse or other food source vigorously. Finally, it is dangerous to simply surprise a grizzly bear. If surprised, a bear will sometimes attack as a response. In our incident, I believe we did surprise the grizzly bear. We were fortunate that the bear did not attack, and things turned out good for both us and the bear.

Grizzly bears are one of the many attractions of Yellowstone National Park, and most visitors hope to see one during their visit. However, remember to follow the bear safety rules while in the park. For more information about the grizzly bears of Yellowstone National Park, visit http://www.nationalparktravel.com/grizzly_bear.htm. For more information about bear safety in Yellowstone, visit http://www.nationalparktravel.com/yellowstone_bear_safety.htm. To learn more about Yellowstone Park’s bear management areas, visit http://www.nationalparktravel.com/yellowstone_bear_areas.htm. Finally, be sure to make your lodging reservations as early as possible since many facilities can sell out months in advance. Plan your next Yellowstone vacation at http://www.nationalparktravel.com/yellowstone.htm.

It’s official - the year 2009 is finally here, and we’d like to wish you a Happy New Year! With arrival of the new year comes the start of another busy season in the national park travel industry. Beginning in January, huge numbers of people begin to plan their upcoming summer vacations. Perhaps, it’s due to the fact that they’ve had an opportunity to discuss future vacation plans with family and friends over the holidays or it may be the result of people becoming tired of the cold winter months and looking forward in anticipation of the summer season. Either way, many people are now considering their next national park vacation.

It’s important for you to plan your summer national park vacation as soon as possible so that you can begin making your reservations while lodging and activity options are still relatively available. Many lodging and activity options tend to sell out as summer approaches. Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Teton, Glacier, and Grand Canyon are prime examples of national parks that accept reservations up to one year in advance and often sell out for the busy summer months. Start planning your next national park vacation now, and make your reservations as soon as possible in order to enjoy the best selction of lodging and activity options. For more detailed information about national parks throughout the United States, visit www.nationalparktravel.com.

It’s Christmas week, and most people are travelling to be with family and friends during the holiday season. Take a few minutes to discuss your next national park vacation with friends and family when everyone is together. Perhaps, you’re considering a family reunion next summer, a gathering of friends for an outdoor summer vacation, or just a simple family vacation. National parks offer one of the most unique and exciting vacation and family reunion destinations. For more detailed information about national parks, visit www.nationalparktravel.com.

We at National Park Travel wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks in northwest Wyoming are officially open for the winter season. Limited, managed snowmobile and snowcoach travel over groomed, snow-packed park roads will be permitted this season under rules similar to those followed the past four winters. Up to 720 commercially guided snowmobiles and up to 78 snowcoaches will be allowed per day in Yellowstone. Yellowstone’s East Entrance and Sylvan Pass are scheduled to open for motorized and non-motorized oversnow travel beginning next Monday.

With the 2008-2009 winter season having officially begun, it’s time to begin planning your winter vacation. A variety of lodging options are available with amenities ranging from the simple to the luxurious. Continental breakfast, cable television, heated swimming pools, hot tubs, fine dining, and in-room coffee are just a sample of the many amenities that can be enjoyed by the Yellowstone winter visitor. 

Due to the fact that Yellowstone National Park allows only a limited number of snowmobiles and snowcoaches to enter each day, it’s important to make advance reservations as early as possible. For reservations and detailed information about Yellowstone National Park, visit http://www.nationalparktravel.com.

It’s December, the month during which Yellowstone National Park officially opens for the winter season. This year, Yellowstone National Park opens for the winter season on December 15th at 7:00 a.m.  As you begin to plan your Yellowstone winter vacation, there are a few things to consider.

First, you will definitely want to see the world-famous Old Faithful Geyser. Old Faithful is beautiful at anytime of the year; however, the cold mountain air really makes the geyser’s steam stand out during the winter season. It truly is a magnificent sight to behold, and every winter visitor should plan on visiting Old Faithful. You can take in a live view right now by visiting the Old Faithful Webcam. You’ll need to make arrangements to travel to Old Faithful by snowmobile or snowcoach, the only ways to access the area during Yellowstone’s snowy winter season.

If you decide to brave the elements and travel by snowmobile, then you’ll need advance reservations for an authorized guide. It’s important to understand that you’ll only be permitted to operate your snowmobile on the designated roadways. No off-road travel is allowed inside the park, and penalties for violating the rules can be severe. The park limits the number of snowmobiles allowed inside the park, so it’s important to plan early if possible. If you’re looking for a more comfortable way to access Old Faithful, then travel by snowcoach. Snowcoaches are essentially heated buses equipped with skis and tracks for travelling over the snow. If you travel by snowcoach, you’ll be able to view the park’s beautiful winter landscape from the comfort of a warm and spacious over-the-snow bus while you make the 25-mile journey to Old Faithful. Reservations are also required for snowcoach transportation. An overwhelming majority of visitors begin their snowmobile or snowcoach transportation from West Yellowstone, Montana, the park’s west entrance.

Some park visitors are also interested in seeking adventure through an off-road snowmobiling experience. While it is unlawful to operate a snowmobile off-road inside Yellowstone National Park, there are literally thousands of miles of off-road snowmobile trails and countless acres of wild mountain terrain just outside Yellowstone Park for the adventurous visitor. West Yellowstone is recognized as the “Snowmobile Capital of the World”, and snowmobile enthusiasts will find riding areas just outside the park that range from novice to experts only. Everything from easy trail riding to deep powder meadows to steep mountains can be found in the national forest lands around West Yellowstone. Two Top Mountain is a popular snowmobile destination for visitors choosing to experience backcountry riding via groomed trail riding. Lionshead Mountain offers a more challenging terrain for experienced snowmobilers that are seeking steep and deep powder conditions. Highmarking, a term used to describe an activity in which snowmobilers climb steep mountain slopes at high speeds in an attempt to climb higher than others, is popular in the Lionshead area.  All snowmobilers should wear an avalanche beacon, know how to use it, and be cautious as the area can experience avalanches.

For more information about Yellowstone National Park including lodging, reservations, snowmobiling, and Old Faithful, visit http://www.nationalparktravel.com.

Sequoia National Park was established on September 25, 1890 while adjacent Kings Canyon National Park was founded on March 4, 1940.  The two parks are adjacently situated comprising of 863,741 acres of natural wonders.  Bigness is the term that describes these national parks with big trees and big canyons.  Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks began to be jointly administered in 1943.

These two contiguous parks form one super park 66 miles long and 36 miles wide at its widest point.  Almost every square mile of these parks is wilderness, and a backpacker here can hike to a spot that is farther away from a road than any other place in the lower 48 states.  However, Sequoia’s famed attraction, the Giant Forest of sequoias, is easily accessible to visitors by automobile. 

Every visitor should see the Giant Forest and Giant Grove of Sequoias inside the park.  From the Ash Mountain Entrance, on Generals Highway, drive 17 miles to Giant Forest, home of the General Sherman Tree, the world’s largest tree.  The General Sherman tree is about 2,100 years old, 274.9 feet tall, and 102.6 feet in circumference, with a volume of 52,500 cubic feet.  A 13-story building would fit beneath its first large branch.  The famous tree was named by a pioneer cattleman who had served in the Civil War under General William Tecumseh Sherman.

Just beyond the Grant Grove Visitor Center, visitors can take the road to the left to General Grant Tree Trail, a half-mile loop leading to the General Grant Tree (267.4 feet tall, 107.6 feet in circumference).  The name of the tree recalls the original 1890 name of the park, created to preserve General Grant Grove.  To better understand the giant trees and their ecological management, tourists are advised to visit the new Giant Forest Museum, located in the 1928 building designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood (the architect of Yosemite’s Ahwahnee Hotel).

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks offer many amazing natural wonders for the park visitor to explore and enjoy.  America is blessed with so many wonderful national parks, and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks should be among the top on your list of parks to visit.  For more detailed information about Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks including lodging, activities, reservations, weather, and more, visit http://www.nationalparktravel.com/sequoia_and_kingscanyon.htm.

Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching with Christmas coming up only a short month later. Most people may be thinking more about turkey, dressing, and the upcoming jollyful season of Christmas than future vacation plans.  However, now is the time to begin planning your next summer national park vacation in order to enjoy the best lodging availability.

This holiday season, you may want to bring up the subject of summer vacation with your friends and family.  The holidays are an excellent time to make plans and coordinate the next family vacation or reunion.  National Parks offer an excellent option for family reunions and vacations; however, early planning is necessary in order to secure accommodations.  This is even more the case when you are considering a family reunion in which accommodations must be secured for a larger group of people.

Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Glacier National Parks are just a few of the major parks in which lodging can often sell out months in advance.  After all, reservations are accepted for lodging in the parks up to one year in advance.  So, start planning your next summer national park experience when you are able to visit with friends and family over the holiday season.  The earlier that you plan, the better lodging options you will have to choose from.  Remember that you can always change your plans later and cancel a reservation without penalty as long as you comply with the lodging property cancellation policy.  It’s not a pleasant experience when you wait too late to plan your vacation and find many lodges to be sold out.

Spend some time this holiday season planning your next family national park experience.  For more information about national parks including lodging, activities, reservations, and much more, visit http://www.nationalparktravel.com.

If you’re planning to visit Yosemite National Park during the Christmas holidays, then you should consider making reservations for the famous Bracebridge Dinner. This spectacular Christmas pageant takes place in the Grand Dining Room of the Ahwahnee Hotel, which is transformed into the majestic hall of the “Squire Bracebridge”. Set in a manor hall with 50-foot beamed ceilings and huge windows with views of snow-covered mountains, this spectacular Christmas festival includes a fine dinner with entertainment by jugglers, singers, and court characters as they tell the story of Lord Merrick Bracebridge and his household.

Step back in time to old England, enjoy fine dining, experience grand entertainment, and make a Christmas memory that will last a lifetime. Attend the Yosemite National Park Bracebridge Dinner at the luxurious Ahwahnee Hotel. This year, the Bracebridge Dinner takes place on December 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, and 26, 2008. This magnificent event is extremely popular, and advance reservations are required.  Enjoy Yosemite National Park during the beautiful Christmas season, and experience the famous Bracebridge Dinner.  For more information about Yosemite National Park, visit www.nationalparktravel.com/yosemite.htm

Just inside the North Entrance of Yellowstone National Park, visitors will find the village of Mammoth Hot Springs. The green lawns of Fort Yellowstone, originally planted by the U.S. Calvary in the late 1800s, have attracted elk for years. The elk can be found in Mammoth Hot Springs year-round, but the fall mating season is an especially popular time to see them. The high-pitched sound of a bugling bull elk during the mating season is a sound that you will never forget.

Elk are generally not aggressive; however, they can be unpredictable and should not be approached. Yellowstone National Park regulations mandate that you stay a minimum of 25 yards away from wildlife. Keeping a safe distance between yourself and the elk is even more important in the fall, during the mating season. Male elk, called bulls, become agitated during this time. They bugle (make a distinct high-pitched sound) to attract females and ward off competing males.  Bull elk have charged both visitors and vehicles that got too close.

During your next Yellowstone National Park vacation, be sure to visit Mammoth Hot Springs. In addition to the popular terraces and geothermal features, you’ll most likely get to see some of Yellowstone’s famous elk. For more information about Yellowstone National Park including lodging reservations, wildlife, entrance fees, news, and weather, visit www.nationalparktravel.com/yellowstone.htm. Remember to make your reservations as early as possible to enjoy the best availability of lodging options.

Established on May 22, 1902, Crate Lake National Park consists of 183,224 acres.  Few visitors forget their first glimpse of Crater Lake on a clear summer day - 21 square miles of water so intensely blue that it looks like ink, ringed by cliffs towering up to 2,000 feet above its surface.  Crater Lake truly is a magnificent wonder to see. 

Crater Lake is set in a dormant volcano called Mount Mazama, one in a chain of volcanoes that includes Mount St. Helens.  Mount Mazama’s biggest eruption occurred about 5700 B.C.  The explosion catapulted volcanic ash miles into the sky and expelled so much pumice and ash that soon Mount Mazama’s summit collapsed, creating a huge, smoldering caldera.  Over the centuries, rain and snowmelt accumulated in this caldera, forming a lake more than 1,900 feet deep, the deepest lake in the United States.

Crater Lake offers an excellent setting for day hikes.  Due to some of the cleanest air in the nation, you can see more than 100 miles from points along many of the park’s 140 miles of trails.  Forests of mountain hemlock and Shasta red fir predominate near the caldera rim.  At the rim, twisted whitebark pine testify to the harshness of the long winter, during which on average, the area receives 44 feet of snowfall.

An assortment of lodging and activities are available at Crate Lake National Park; however, reservations are strongly recommended.  For all of your national park information and reservation needs, visit http://www.nationalparktravel.com.