A Winter-Wonderland Travel To Yellowstone

A thumbnail sketch of the wonders of Yellowstone through the eyes of our dear WGD’s friends, Bruce & Nancy Ter Beek…worldly travelers-extraordinaire…”Thanks for sharing!”

My wife and I spent ten days exploring our first national park. Yellowstone National Park was created in 1872. The Department of the Army managed the 2.2 million acre reserve for over 40 years until the National Park Service was created.

The Bison Buffalo still thriving

Author catches a bull elk foraging for nutrition

This was my 10th trip to this spectacular place, but my first winter experience. Yellowstone never disappoints. From May through September the park is crowded with over two million visitors. Traffic jams result in mile long backups to see a bear or bison. Campsites or hotel rooms need to be booked weeks in advance.

Author caught the iconic elk migration at its peak

The park is open all year but from October through April the park hosts less than 100,000 visitors. The roads are closed to all wheeled vehicles. Snow cats are the only mode of transportation. Snowmobiling is permitted if accompanied by a licensed guide. Speed limits are strictly enforced. In winter all the hustle and bustle is gone. Solitude returns Life slows down.

The winter visitor can imagine what the early trappers experienced when this region was explored in the early 1800s.

The only sounds heard are roar of the exploding geysers or the honking of Trumpeter swans. Wildlife concentrates near the geyser basins because the heated ground exposes plants for grazing. Bison and elk are observed everywhere. Their predators, the wolves and coyotes, watch and wait.

Old Faithful and the other geysers erupt just as they have for thousands of years

Hope you enjoyed some of the sights you will see. Go. Every journey tells a story. “Experience the magic.”

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Bruce TerBeek

I am a retired owner of a construction company and former business consultant with a love of the outdoors.

I have back packed extensive sections of the Appalachian and Long Trails.

I am a camper, avid bird watcher, and amateur nature photographer.

I love to hunt and have not missed the Michigan deer opener for 72 consecutive years.

My wife and I love to travel and have visited many countries on six of the seven continents.Our most memorial trip was 21 day photo safari to Kenya where we saw 13 species of antelope, the Big Five, and over 135 new species of birds. We have visited 51 of our 63 National Parks.

I'm a causal hero.