Today was our 14th day in the park which was supposed to be the maximum stay. Joani had already confirmed at the office that campsite occupancy was low enough that we could extend our stay if we desired. Knowing there was a lot to do here and the weather could not be beat, we headed to the office when they opened at 8:00 to pay for another two weeks.
On the way, I noticed several people with their cameras out and I jumped to the conclusion there must be some wildlife in the area. I assumed it was another moose sighting. But no, it was a herd of bison that was getting everyone's attention. The further we drove, the larger the herd appeared. I estimated there were between 200 and 300 bison total and they all skirted campsites and then crossed the main road into the campground passing next to the office.
The guy below just sat at his picnic table and stared as the Bison trailed by. I got the impression he was a bit awed by the spectacle. He did not seem at all concerned that they were only maybe 30 feet away.
From the office, I took a panoramic shot that better captured the expanse of the herd, but it was still far less than half of the total number of bison. The volunteers said that the herd was often this large early in the spring before the campground opens, but usually, throughout the summer, the herd split into many smaller groups that scatter over a large area.
Once we knew where we would be sleeping for the next couple weeks, we headed north through the park to Coulter Bay Village and Visitor Center. I wanted to find out what they had in the way of astronomy programs (the only place in the park with any astronomy activities).
Along Teton Park Road we spotted an animal jam and pulled over. It was a lone elk. He was a beauty with a large rack showing off for the crowd! He was quite far from the road, but Joani pulled him in with her 30x zoom.
Jackson Lake is home to some pretty nice looking marinas with some extremely nice looking watercraft! I guess the people in the area with money left over after buying their $20-million-plus estates have to have a convenient place for their toys.
As we headed back to Gros Ventre campground, we passed a small fraction of the same herd we watched earlier. This was more typical of the size group we usually saw along the road. By now, we had seen enough bison they had become just a part of the landscape like the sagebrush and the trees. Nothing wrong with that!
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