Yellowstone National Park 2020 Trip Reports

Trip Report ~ Bear Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin

18 thru 21 May 2020
Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park

~ May 2020 ~

Monday - May 18th

They were going to open the Grand Teton National Park and the southern half of Yellowstone National Park at noon, so I decided to head up for a few days (the south and east entrances both in Wyoming opened today, the other three entrances are in Montana and did not open yet) . Good weather and clear roads on the trip up with afternoon temperatures near 70 degrees. Passing the National Elk Refuge north of Jackson I was surprised to see a small herd of about 80 elk still on the Refuge. I also saw white faced ibis, kestrels, lots of bison, ground squirrels, pelicans, moose, a blue heron, and northern harriers. About 1:20 p.m. I pulled into a pullout near Pilgrim Creek. People said that two sub adults grizzlies that were run off from the sow named 793 or Blondie had just moved into the trees. I only got a brief look before they disappeared. Blondie is about 12 years old and a regular in the area between Jackson Lake Lodge and Colter Bay (she had not been seen this trip). Around 3:30 p.m. I was back in the area and a few people were pulled over on the bridge just south of Pilgrim Creek. A grizzly with four cubs of the year had just been seen. Just then they came back into view on the sand banks of the creek, yes four cubs of the year (coys). It was I learned later 399, the most famous grizzly in Grand Teton National Park. People were figuring that at 24 years of age, she might not have cubs this year. Surprise. About 20 minutes later they reappeared just north of there in a large meadow. I got to watch for about 15 minutes as they were behind the first row of trees in a nice grassy clearing. One of the cubs appears to me a little smaller than the other three and sometimes stayed closer to the sow. 399 was like all the other grizzlies I saw on this trip, eating grass. 399 and her four cubs were not seen again as of when I left Thursday to come home. At 8:00 p.m. I found a small traffic jam on the road outside the park going north and east towards Togwotee Pass. It was a courting pair of grizzlies with the sow that had been named Felicia by bear watchers. Felicia had a cub last year, then was seen for almost a month without the cub, but later seen back with the cub but even later seen by herself again. Felicia has an ear tag and a collar, but the hair covers the collar which is difficult to see. The boar was a big grizzly. They were just off the road eating grass no more than 50 yards. I camped outside the park near Hatchet Campground which was still closed for the year.

Tuesday - May 19th

37 degrees in the morning warming up to 73 degrees. I viewed a couple of antelope today, only saw a few on the entire trip, so they must not have migrated back yet. I also had a yellow bellied marmot today. At 2:15 p.m. a black bear crossed the road near Pilgrim Creek. At 5:15 p.m. I had a small light collared grizzly eating right along the side of the road that goes through the park. It had a red ear tag and a collar and was eating grass. At 7:40 p.m. I was back up the road to Togwotee Pass and the courting pair were again eating grass off the side of the road.

Wednesday - May 20th

44 degrees in the morning warming up to 52 degrees. I viewed western grebes, vultures, moose and bald eagles today. At 6:40 a.m. I found a cinnamon black bear sow with two very light cinnamon yearling cubs from the Lupine Meadows looking to the west on the bottoms of the Tetons. At 2:30 p.m. near the bridge at Pilgrim Creek I watched a cinnamon black bear sow with one cinnamon and one black yearling cub. At 4:50 p.m. I watched a large cinnamon black bear just off the inside road of the Tetons. At 6:10 p.m. the two sub adults were in good view at Pilgrim Creek. One was a little lighter than the second. At 7:30 p.m. the courting pair of grizzlies back on the road to Togwotee Pass, tonight down the road towards the Tetons for two miles or so.

Thursday - May 21st

36 degrees this morning. I watched blue herons, ospreys, and a beaver at Oxbow Bend this morning. On the road where the Two Ocean Road starts up Pacific Creek, I watched four otters cross the road behind me. At 6:35 a.m. I watched the two sub adults of Blondie's back at Pilgrim Creek. They got close to the road this morning. Nice looking sub adults. I made it a short day leaving before 10:00 a.m.

People Seen

From Washington: Hank L. From Wyoming: Barb W, Jeff H, Amy B, Tom M, and Rick from Jackson. From Utah: Julie A and her husband and Josie the daughter, and Larry M and Steve. From Minnesota: Virgil and Marlene S. From Idaho: Adam B. And from Montana: Pete B.

Yellowstone National Park

Lamar Valley Map - Yellowstone National Park