In June 2008, I went out to Yellowstone National Park for a week of hiking, camping, and photography. This trip was my first visit to Yellowstone during the spring, as my previous visit was during the fall of last year. It was an opportunity to experience a completely different perspective on the park. The spring brings melting snow, newborn animals, and animals coming out to forage after a long cold winter.
One of the highlights of Yellowstone in the spring is the significant activity of both Black Bears and Grizzly Bears. This can cause some inconvienence for those who like Yellowstone's back country, as some key areas of the park are closed for bear management. For example, the Pelican Valley area is generally closed every year from April 1 through July 3, as this is prime fishing habitat for Grizzly Bears. In addition, unexpectedly high levels of bear activity can prompt additional closures, and this year, the Lamar River Trail area was closed due to Grizzly Bear activity. However, the opportunity to see bears in the wild, albeit at a safe distance, more than compensates for the restricted hiking areas.
The first week of June may be just a couple of weeks before the official start of summer, but winter is still in its last throes. Temperatures can be in the eighties during the day, and then fall to freezing at night with snow showers. It can be a little suprising to wake up in the middle of the night due to clumps of snow sliding off one's tent fly.
I hope that you enjoy my photographs of springtime in Yellowstone.