Friday, July 19, 2013

Grant Tetons and Buffalo

 
 
Helen, Liz, and I headed out by 8:00 a.m. to Grand Tetons National Park, searching for wildlife and breathtaking scenery (like the one above at beautiful Oxbow Pond).  The Tetons rise sharply from the valley floor, and the glacier-tipped peaks give them a cool look, even as the valley warms.  We took the scenic loop drive, and soon came across a group of bison on the right-hand side of the road, very close to the road--of course, everyone slowed down and took pictures, but there was no pullover, so we left drove past them a very short distance into a scenic overlook on the left, and parked,   There, we saw a much larger herd beyond the short fence which I knew was to keep people from encroaching on the buffalo beyond.  We looked back at the small group on the other side of the highway, and two had began to approach the road, looking like they wanted to cross over to join the herd on our side of the road, and within the fence.  I took the following sequence of two buffalo crossing the road, approaching the fence, deciding what to do, then just going over the fence:
 
 
 
We stopped at many of the scenic overlooks, but it was only on returning toward Jackson when we swung down a side road, Gros Ventre, toward the Gros Ventre campground that we really got very up close and personal to several buffalo:
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After we finally passed this large herd that was also crossing the road, we came upon a solitary bull crossing the road right in front of our car, then on the way back from the campground, we came upon another small group--definitely a good road to see wildlife.  The campground is large, lovely, with breathtaking views everywhere you look.  Next time, we will stay there!  There were even a few electrical hookups.

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