This year, my birthday present was a winter trip to Yellowstone National Park. Arriving on February 23, we spent four nights in Gardiner, Montana, just outside the park’s Mammoth Hot Springs Entrance. The wildlife viewing in this, the north side of the park, was outstanding…bison, elk, bighorn sheep, black-tail deer, pronghorn antelope, coyotes, wolves, and even a black bear den where we could see a bit of the bear’s furry leg! We also enjoyed snowshoeing every day as well.
On day five, we drove back to Bozeman and then south to West Yellowstone, so we could experience another part of the park. The only way into the western part of the park during the winter is via snowcat or snowmachine. We opted for a private, eight-hour snowcat tour. This allowed us to see numerous geysers, fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pots in addition to migrating trumpeter swans. By visiting two parts of the park, we saw all five of the park’s thermal features in addition to its iconic wildlife species…and we managed to get out and back before the super volcano erupted!
