We had just a few more days before Little George came home from Grandma’s, so we loaded up the camper and drove to Pebble Creek. We spent the next four days rising with the sun and staying out until dark, wildlife watching in Lamar Valley, and hiking in between. The ability to witness both sunrise and sunset in the valley over the course of several days was incredibly moving. There’s nothing quite like watching the golden evening light dance arose the contours of this rich green valley, listening to the soft grunts of bison calves talking to their mothers as they undulated back and forth across the landscape, watching grizzly bears striding purposefully through the sagebrush.

The bison were a force unto themselves, like a brown amoeba meandering peacefully across the valley. They are starting to gather for the rut, when the energy in the herd will rise to a crescendo around the end of July. One evening, we watched a herd of cows and calves exit the valley floor and head up into the foothills around Druid Peak, only to watch them return to the valley the next morning. Why did they do that? Who knows.

Watch this slideshow for images of Lamar Valley:

Four days in Lamar Valley grizzly with bison

Four Days in Lamar Valley grizzly tracks

In addition to being close to the bison herds, we watched so many bears traveling, hunting, and grazing, and watched one grizzly cross the Lamar River. It seemed there were grizzly bears everywhere, with a few black bears in the mix as well. On one of our hikes, we came across a sand bar along the river with multiple sets of grizzly bear tracks, we think as many as 3 or 4 different bears! We were glad we had bear spray… Here’s a video of George talking about how we interpreted the tracks we found.

Making the most of summer in Lamar can be exhausting. Rising and sleeping with the sun, hiking in between, we didn’t want to miss a thing. We came home tired, but filled with awe and contentment. And that’s how it should be! Watch this short video for more highlights from our trip.

Here’s how to experience Lamar Valley in summer:

Stay awhile. Spending multiple days will allow you to experience the rhythms of this magical place.
Stay nearby. The only way to stay right in the valley is to take a field seminar with Yellowstone Forever, where you can learn about the park while staying at the Lamar Valley Buffalo Ranch. Otherwise, your options are camping at Tower Fall, Slough Creek, or Pebble Creek, all first come, first served campsites–arrive early to make sure you are able to get one. The NPS camping page has up to date availability and fill times. If you’re staying in hotels, it’s most convenient to stay in Mammoth Hot Springs, Gardiner, or Silvergate/Cooke City.
Go early and late. While Lamar is beautiful and filled with wildlife at any time of day, the most magical moments for scenery and wildlife are early in the morning and late in the evening.
Use optics. Bring binoculars and a spotting scope if possible. If not, consider renting a scope from one of the gateway communities. We recommend Optics Yellowstone in Gardiner. Because the valley is large and open, what you can see goes up exponentially if you have high powered optics.