The Ultimate Guide to Yellowstone Wildlife Viewing: Hayden & Lamar Valley
- Eric Beuning
- May 18
- 10 min read
Updated: Jun 3
Yellowstone National Park is a sanctuary for wildlife enthusiasts, offering unparalleled opportunities to observe a diverse array of animals in their natural habitats. From the expansive Hayden Valley teeming with bison to the elusive wolves of the Lamar Valley Yellowstone offers some of the best wildlife experiences in the world.
This guide delves into Yellowstone's best self-driving routes, wildlife hot spots, and some of the professional tours my late father and I appreciated.
Best Places to Spot Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park
The two best areas for wildlife viewing in Yellowstone National Park are the Lamar Valley in the Northeast of the park and the Hayden Valley between Tower and Yellowstone Lake. While it’s possible to have amazing animal experiences anywhere in the park, the Hayden and Lamar offer your best bets.
Investing in a good set of binoculars or a wildlife spotting scope is also a good idea. This lets you see these potentially dangerous animals as if you were up close, yet still at a safe distance. It's especially handy in bear country where bear safety best practices really matter.
Where You Stay Matters for Yellowstone Wildlife Viewing Opportunities
If you’re going to try an early morning wildlife tour in Yellowstone, you want to stay as close as possible to your target area. Driving around the park in the dark can be dangerous. A lot of very large, very dangerous animals prowl the night in the park and are very hard to see at a distance on unlit roads.
The Ultimate Guide to Finding Hotels Near Yellowstone will help you find some of your best lodging options near the park in
Best Spots for Wildlife Viewing in Yellowstone’s Hayden Valley
The Hayden Valley is a vast expanse of meadows and wetlands, making it a prime location for spotting bison herds, elk, and grizzly bears. The best times to see wildlife in the Hayden Valley is in the early morning and late evening hours. So, it makes sense to stay near Fishing Bridge or Canyon Village.
Grizzly Overlook
This popular pullout offers sweeping views of the valley floor and Yellowstone River. It’s one of the best places to spot grizzly bears, bison, and bald eagles. Especially during the early morning and late evening hours.
PRO TIP: Using a telephoto lens or a high-quality spotting scope on a tripod with a smartphone adapter will help you get great pictures at a safe distance. Golden hour lighting around sunrise and sunset adds dramatic warmth and contrast to your shots.
Alum Creek Area
The Alum Creek area is known for wolf activity, and the plains surrounding often hold bison.
There’s an official overlook that’s nice, but a half mile south of the Alum Creek Trailhead there’s another parking blister with an overlook that gives you a much better view of the Yellowstone River. I’ve even seen moose here a few times in the 1980s and 90s.
PRO TIP: Wolves are elusive, and you’ll be surprised at just how easily they can hide in plain sight. Setting up a digital SLR or a spotting scope tripod or monopod can help stabilize your camera and then keep your movements slow to capture a photo.
Mary Mountain Trailhead
Even if you’re not planning a full hike, the Mary Mountain Trailhead area is an excellent roadside stop for spotting elk, and bison. Depending on the weather you might even see raptors soaring on thermals overhead.
PRO TIP: What I like about Mary Mountain Trailhead for wildlife viewing is that it’s a relatively quiet place without so many crowds. Try a wide-angle lens to capture both wildlife and the sweeping landscape. If raptors are circling, pan with them and keep your shutter speed high (1/1000s or faster).
Sulphur Caldron Turnout
Just north of the parking area for the Mud Volcano, the Sulphur Caldron Turnout offers a unique vantage point for seeing animals near the riverbanks. Just bear in mind that it’s set up for northbound traffic, so it’s easier to park quickly for a look if you’re coming from Fishing Bridge.
PRO TIP: This is a great place for photos on a cold morning. You can take advantage of the atmospheric steam for moody, otherworldly Instagram-worthy photos whether there’s wildlife around or not.
Best Spots for Wildlife Viewing in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley
Wildlife lovers often refer to Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley as the "Serengeti of North America." It takes up a big section of the northeastern section of the park is famous for its wolf population, bison, bears, and even moose.
It’s hard to drive through the Lamar without running into some sort of animal jam. Usually caused by wolves, coyotes, foxes, elk, or large herds of bison or pronghorn antelope. Honestly, the animal jams here can get annoying to the point that you almost want to avoid the Lamar Valley if you’re trying to get somewhere else in Yellowstone.
Yellowstone River Picnic Area
This is a great place to pause for an early lunch while keeping your eyes peeled for wildlife. I’ve personally seen both bison and the occasional grizzly in this area. After eating, take a short walk for beautiful views of the Yellowstone River cutting through the canyon-like landscape.
Lamar River Bridge
Yellowstone’s Lamar River Bridge is often overlooked as a wildlife viewing spot. Yet I’m willing to bet millions of people have driven past it and suddenly thought “Aww, we should’ve parked there,” when they see a herd of bison seconds later.
Yes, the parking area on the shoulders is never going to be confused for a Walmart parking lot. Still, I’d purposely plan to stop here either coming or going in the Lamar Valley, just on the chance that you’ll be able to spot bison or elk in the distance. I’ve even seen a moose down in the river back in the 1980s.
Photo Tip: Try photographing from mid-bridge for a sweeping landscape shot with early morning or golden hour light can give the fields a soft glow. A polarizing filter can help bring out the greens and blues. Images of bison in the distance are best captured by mounting a spotting scope with a smartphone adapter on a tripod.
Slough Creek
This area starts with a handy roadside parking spot and some seldom-used vault toilets. It’s a prime location for spotting wolves, particularly members of the well-known Junction Butte Pack. Many wildlife watchers gather here with scopes in the early hours of the morning.
Photo Tip: Bring a tripod and long lens, as this is an area where you sometimes see wolves far off. You can glass with binoculars, or a spotting scope connected to a smartphone. This allows you to take your time until you spot some photo-worthy wildlife.
Hitching Post Pullout
If you're hoping to spot wolves or grizzly bears, especially during dawn or dusk, the Hitching Post Pullout is one of the best places to stop. Bring your optics and settle in. It's a favorite among seasoned Yellowstone wildlife enthusiasts for a reason.
Photo Tip: Dusk and dawn shots here can be magical! Use a low ISO and a steady rest or tripod to reduce grain in low light. Silhouettes of wolves or bears against morning mist are a real possibility. So, if you want a dawn wildlife experience here it helps to book a hotel in the Cook City area.
Soda Butte Creek
I’ve had the good fortune of spotting moose here on two out of my last three visits. This network of braided streams provides an ideal setting for moose to feed in relative peace thanks to less hassle from predators, and more willow to munch. It's also a hotspot for bald eagle sightings. Definitely worth pulling over and giving the area a long, careful scan.
Pro Tip: Moose are often best captured from a distance with a telephoto lens. Focus on the willows which are a favorite food source for them. I know it sounds strange, but these giant animals sometimes hide in plain sight in willow thickets. Searching for them with binoculars or a spotting scope takes time, and a lot of patience.
Wildlife Alert Tip
If you see vultures or ravens circling, there's likely a carcass nearby. This can mean predators are close. Stay in your vehicle or at a safe distance and never approach.
This is another reason why having a professional guided tour of prime wildlife viewing areas comes in handy! On a self-guided wildlife tour, make sure you're fully informed on best safety practices in bear country.
The Best Wildlife Tours in Yellowstone National Park
Taking a professionally guided wildlife viewing tour of Yellowstone makes a lot of sense. These experts not only put you on the best chances to see iconic Yellowstone animals like grizzly bears, buffalo, wolves, and moose. They also teach you more about their life in the national park and how to keep yourself safe around them.
Over the years my late father and I took the following tours in one form or another, and it really gave us the authentic experience we needed to connect with the wildlife of Yellowstone in a meaningful way. It's also helped me find the best wildlife opportunities when I take trips with my daughter and other people who are experiencing the animals of Yellowstone for the first time.
Best to stay: Near Yellowstone’s North Entrance
If you’re staying near the north entrance of Yellowstone, this private full-day safari is a fantastic way to cover a lot of ground. You'll explore wildlife hotspots like Lamar Valley and the Northern Range, with a guide who knows exactly where to look for wolves, bison, bears, and more.
What I like about this tour is that it's private. so your group sets the pace, and the guide tailors the day to what you want to see. Plus, spotting scopes and binoculars are included.
I think this customizable tour is a fantastic way to experience Yellowstone’s wildlife without the stress of navigating. This 8-hour VIP guided experience offers a comprehensive journey through the park's most iconic landmarks.
Your adventure begins with convenient hotel pickup, followed by visits to renowned sites such as Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Along the way, enjoy a provided breakfast, snacks, and lunch, ensuring you're well-fueled for the day's discoveries.
The standard setup for the tour includes stops at Fountain Paint Pot, Gibbon Falls, and Hayden Valley, offering ample opportunities for wildlife viewing. With a professional guide leading the way, you'll gain insights into the park's rich history and diverse ecosystems, all from the comfort of a private, air-conditioned vehicle. This tour is designed to provide a seamless and enriching Yellowstone experience.
What I like about this tour is how it combines wildlife viewing with iconic scenery like geysers and waterfalls. It's ideal if you want a full Yellowstone experience in one packed day.
What I don’t like about this tour is that it doesn’t focus as much on the Lamar and Hayden Valleys. However, it is customizable, so if you book it exclusively for your group the guides will happily focus on wildlife-viewing hot spots.
Best to stay: Near the West Entrance of Yellowstone.
If you want a focused day of wildlife watching without the hassle of driving, the Lamar Valley Wildlife Tour by Van is a great pick. You’ll ride in a comfortable van with big windows, and the guide brings optics to help you catch all the action. The tour also includes coffee, a morning snack, and a picnic lunch, so you can stay fueled while you explore one of the best wildlife corridors in the park.
What I like about this tour is that it starts near Yellowstone’s west entrance, you get to see a lot of the park on your way to and from the Lamar Valley. The guides also impressed the heck out of me with their knowledge of how the animal's movements changed throughout the year.
Best to stay: Near Yellowstone’s North Entrance
This Yellowstone on the Lamar Valley Safari Hiking Tour is quite possibly the most authentic wildlife experience in the park. It’s so much more than a 6-hour guided trek through one of the “Serengeti of North America” with a light lunch included.
The tour begins at 8:00 AM at the Lamar River Trailhead, so it helps to be staying near Tower, Canyon Village or just outside Yellowstone’s Northeast entrance. They provide everything including backpacks, trekking poles, binoculars, and bear spray. The guides are experts, and they walk you through a proper safety orientation. They even offered me a hot coffee on a cold morning.
They take you across open valleys and sagebrush flats, following bison trails and teach you about the area's rich Native American history. Midway through the hike, there’s a nice little riverside picnic lunch along the Lamar River, that lets you soak in the expansive scenery.
What I like about this tour is that it really gives you a connection to the wild majesty of Yellowstone in ways you can’t get from just pulling over and taking a picture. The guides really gave me and my late father some great info that we used in future trips to figure out where the animals would most likely be.
👉 Book the Lamar Valley: Safari Hiking Tour with Lunch
Best if you’re staying: Near Teton Village or Jackson.
I think this is arguably the best Yellowstone wildlife tour for people staying in the Grand Tetons who want a taste of what Yellowstone has to offer. It departs from Jackson or Teton Village, Wyoming, and takes you on a scenic drive through Grand Teton National Park, with tons of opportunities to spot wildlife and admire the majestic Teton Range.
Then they take you to Yellowstone, and prime tourism spots like the Old Faithful Geyser, Old Faithful Inn, Fountain Paint Pots, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Along the way, the tour guides also explore the shores of Yellowstone Lake and the wildlife-rich Hayden Valley, where sightings of bison, elk, bears, wolves, and bald eagles are possible
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