Hayden Valley

The Hayden Valley is another area favored by the wildlife crowd in Yellowstone.  It follows the Yellowstone River as it flows north out of Yellowstone Lake and before it gets to the big waterfalls at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

The river is actually rather forested and passes the Mud Volcano area I blogged about in my last post.  It then opens up into the wide Hayden Valley suddenly in front of you.

The views are rather expansive here.  The river meanders through the valley.  There seems to be ever present bison.

I would really like to be here on an overcast day with elk, bison, wolves, and bears in the valley.  Not that I would make much of a picture of any of them.  One thing I have learned is I am not a wildlife photographer at all.  Give me rocks and trees, they move a lot slower.

Still being here on a day with some spring green and a few bison made me try to capture a sense of place for what the valley is.  

Actually being here confirmed my earlier thought that Roosevelt is the place to stay in Yellowstone.  It is a great base camp to explore the Lamar Valley to its west, the Northeast corner to the northeast, and south to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone into the Hayden Valley.  It also is far less crowded than the Old Faithful area.  Great views, animals, mountains, and not near the fire damage as the western side of the park.  Seems more like a winning plan.