Yellowstone Net Forums

Heading to the park in a couple of weeks and are going to focus solely on the Old Faithful area. Usually we try to avoid the area due to the crowds but never having been to that area in the winter we figured we'd give it a shot.

Besides the Geyser basin and it's scenic photo potential what are the wildlife viewing opportunities with a 5 mile radius of the Inn?

Secondary question is on what lenses to bring if limited on what you can bring aboard the snow coach in?

Not really looking to view far off wolves so I'll probably avoid bringing my 500 f4 due to it's size.

I have good primes and a couple of zooms from 20mm up to 200mm and a 1.4tc. Will that be enough reach? I have both a FF body and a crop body. I have a 300 f2.8 but it's at Nikon being repaired and probably won't be back in time.

First, we found that the Snow Coach driver wold stop and let us take photos on both the trips in and out of the park for both wildlife and scenics. So be sure and have one of your long lenses available on the trips in and out of the park on one of the cameras and readily available. We did bring our 500 for the trip and used it as we saw otters from the Chittenden Bridge when we took the tour from Old Faithful to Canyon.

Second, around Old Faithful, there are elk and bison and the occasional coyote. You may see a fox. Swans are everywhere and you should find some in your radius. The bald eagle and golden eagles are easier to see in the winter with less leaves on the trees.

Good luck!!!

I haven't seen any reports of the bobcat that has been seen on the road between West Yellowstone and Madison this year and I don't know if that is the way you are coming, but the on our trip, one of the ladies on our tour to canyon had seen it as her guide had just stopped to show them an eagle on the way in to Old Faithful. He had no idea the bobcat was there. She spotted it. I was super jealous. Anyway, if you come in on that road, keep your eyes open!!!

Thanks for the info.
We're coming in from the South entrance. Hopefully there will be something to see along the Lewis River on the way in and out.