Alaska Airlines has flights from Portland, Oregon (PDX) and Seattle (SEA), and Allegiant flies from four cities including Nashville, Tennessee (BNA). Additionally, spring is also the calving season for all large mammals in Yellowstone. 10/6 - I was in the Upper Geyser Basin walking from the Lion Geyser complex down basin toward Grand geyser. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 2 min walk from parking area, and beautiful. And so the cycle of seasons in Yellowstone begins again, much as it has for millennia. Some of the most common species can be found here, and you might be able to find them somewhere. Other Yellowstone animals you might spot include beavers, river otters, trumpeter swans, bald eagles, pronghorn and black bears. The peak time is definitely summer when everything is open. Yellowstone is the center of an ecosystem-scale wildlife tapestry with threads that stretch all across parts of the western hemisphere. Betsy O'Rourke, chief marketing officer at Xanterra, told TPG earlier this year, "We open the inventory 13 months out and we sell out in a few hours. If you hike a little farther you might luck out like I did and see Old Faithful erupt on the horizon. A relative of the weasel, the river otter has thick fur that protects it against Yellowstones icy winters. Of course, discussing wildlife safety is important, too, especially concerning the many large mammals that live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which also encompasses nearby Grand Teton National Park. Clues to this underground world are visible from the tracks of the long and short- tailed weasels, foxes, and coyotes which prey upon the small mammals below. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Theyre so hard to spot that when my husband and I visited Yellowstone a few weeks ago, we didnt even really consider purposely searching for one. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Sightings are almost guaranteed, but remember that these are still wild animals, even if they seem accustomed to people. Ill talk about the most iconic wildlife you can see at Yellowstone, as well as where to see animals in Yellowstone National Park. If you're thinking about staying inside the park this summer, you want to act fast. As snow accumulates, male grizzlies follow wolf packs to steal a few more meals before denning season, while female grizzlies search for a den location. Look for them along the waters edge and marshes. } There is almost always a heron on the west side of the bridge that we stop and take pics of, but oddly we never saw one there this year. Still, it was really fun staying inside the park and having easy access to hiking trails and the beautiful Mammoth Springs. May is when bison and moose are calving in the Lamar Valley and wolf pups emerge from their dens. There's a nice Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone where last-minute rooms in July started at $281 a night. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. It's tough to have much for reliable sightings in summer. The one that everyone wanted to see was river otters so the guide said head to the Madison River so off we went heading towards West Yellowstone. Yellowstone does not have any otters. You can travel here all year long, including during the winter, which would be a magical (albeit cold) time to visit Yellowstone. Related: State-by-state guide to reopening America. I found tickets in September for between $377 and $425 in the main cabin. I often stop there to look at the swallows which have their nests under the bridge, and happened to see an otter.<<<. It was also my first time actually staying inside the park, which was quite a treat. I suggest at some point you stop at Fishing Bridge and walk across. Travelers will also discover a ton of adventure in this park. January 10, 1998. If you're going to tackle both Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone, the best jumping-off point is Jackson, Wyoming. The park is home to both the Wolverine and Lynx, as well as seven native ungulate species and two bear species. However, about 30% of that inventory cancels and gets rebooked. 201 S. Canyon St. West Yellowstone, Montana 59758 406 646-7001 I 800 257-2570. The closest river otters live in the surrounding states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Never approach wild animals or follow them. And everyone there realized what an amazing treat they were giving us. If youre hoping to spot a river otter during your visit to Yellowstone, there are a few places youre more likely to find them. for your trip to Yellowstone National Park. When it welcomes its first guests on Aug. 18, the 122-room Kimpton Armory Hotel Bozeman will be one of the area's most exciting new properties. Learn more about their lifestyle in this short video. This abundance of fish, of course, attracts many predators to the area. In Yellowstone, often found near confluences of rivers or fast flowing streams, like the Gibbon River and Lamar River, or in places such as Trout Lake. They stared at the small crowd of wildlife watchers whod stopped by the Hayden Valley roadside. Otters are also often seen in the Lewis River, which flows into the Yellowstone River from the west. There are also plenty of places to bed down at the two Wyoming entrances. That's steep, but if you book early you can certainly find better rates. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Rates are generally better, but it's a good 2-hour drive to Yellowstone. The best time to see them is in the winter. As of January 2016, 99 live primarily in the park. For roadside wildlife watching in Yellowstone, nothing beats a quality spotting scope. Always remember that all Yellowstone wildlife is, in fact, wild and unpredictable. Other campgrounds are available on a first come, first served basis. In conclusion, springespecially May through early-Juneis the best time to go wildlife watching in Yellowstone National Park. The place people go looking for otter is Trout Lake, up in the Northeast quadrant of the park, near Silver Gate. travel as far as 150 miles from winter range to the lush grasslands, pursued by a full complement of predatorsbears, wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, and more. Delta flies into this airport from Salt Lake City, and I found tickets from $175 in August. Located adjacent to one of the wolf habitats, this unique indoor group of displays features other native species, including Yellowstone cutthroat trout and Arctic grayling. Folks driving motorhomes will be fine, but be sure to plot your visit and use bathrooms wherever you find them. I found availability in August for $264 a night. Our intent at this stop was purposeful as we walked over to the creek as it passed under the bridge along the northern road section hoping to spot some otters as we have previously. . You can find better deals if you're willing to stay at a vacation rental instead. From the shores of Yellowstone Lake and the warmth of Old Faithful to the Lamar and Hayden valleys, these are the absolute best places to see Yellowstone National Park wildlife. This is just a guess, but I would bet they prefer slower-moving rivers as opposed to areas of rapids and falls. When possible, hike in groups of at least 3 people. It's a great time to go local and explore the nation's many national parks. Give yourself two hours for the drive from Bozeman to Yellowstone depending on traffic, weather and which park entrance youre using. The Nature Conservancy's Flat Ranch is a nature preserve and working cattle ranch located 15 miles west of West Yellowstone, in Macks Inn, Idaho, just off Highway 20. CA Residents Only: Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The eerie high pitched bugle of bull elk echoes across the peaks and valleys by the second week of September in Yellowstone. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=deb.roesler&set=a.1319072298111122. Yellowstone is home to a wide range of animals that are not found anywhere else on the planet. Buffalo, in particular, are known to cause traffic jams as they use the same roads you do to commute. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines all fly to Jackson Hole airport, and Frontier offers seasonal service. Of course, the stars of the exhibit, the river otters, are sure to captivate visitors of all ages with their boundless energy! Last year there were a few that hung out on the Firehole and would occasionally be seen near Morning Glory. Yellowstone National Park These cookies do not store any personal information. Within the park, travelers will discover several rustic lodges. Wyoming 82190. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. How to See the Wolves of Yellowstone. Snowshoe hare, white-tailed jackrabbits, and weasels all trade their brown summer fur for coats of white, to better outwit each other over the long winter dance ahead. #gallery-1 { Other good spots to look for river otters include Trout Lake, Fishing Bridge, and the Yellowstone Lake area. There are also two Choice hotel properties travelers may want to consider: An Ascend Hotel for $212 a night and a Comfort Inn starting at $186 a night in West Yellowstone. This is when black and grizzly bears emerge from their dens and roam the lower elevations, roadside meadows and valleys, searching for winter-kill and other food sources. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Other good spots to look for river otters include Trout Lake, Fishing Bridge, and the Yellowstone Lake area. Elk and bison are resplendent in their sleek summer coats. Travelers will also find the Mammoth Hot Springs lodges and cabins, places to eat and even a gas station. Ive also seen random otters along the river on the West entrance road as well as one very surprising time when they were feeding on a carcass between Artist Paint Pots and Norris Geyser Basin. You can get a good look at the many steaming hydrothermal pools and the travertine terraces. Most of the summer resident birds have departed by October in Yellowstone, and the birds and mammals who stay the winter start to build up deep coats of feathers and fur. If you are early risers, at SML they have coffee in the hotel lobby at 5A (check on the time as this was early summer) so I would get coffee at daylight and head to the pond to see what I could see while I sipped my coffee, lol. It is well worth watching the creatures because of their fascinating and unique nature.