
Yellowstone National Park is one of America's most famous parks, and is visited by almost three million people each year, most of them during just a couple of months. Traffic jams are common on the park's roads, and the parking areas at major attractions are filled to overflowing. At the same time, Yellowstone's 3500 square miles form the core of the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 states, and the area is the home of wolves, coyotes, moose, elk, bison, pronghorn, otter, sandhill cranes, and much other wildlife. Even during peak periods, it is possible to visit Yellowstone and get lodging without a reservation; spend hours hiking without encountering more than a literal handful of people; and see wildlife and wildlife behavior that few people see outside a TV set. In this very informal talk with accompanying photos, Phil Price will discuss things to look for if you go, some of the impacts of the re-introduction of wolves to the park twelve years ago, and tactics and strategies for avoiding crowds and seeing wildlife.