Yellowstone National Park, Buffalo Jams

[rv2go]

This is our 6th day in Yellowstone. We go out exploring every day. So far no Bear Jams but seems like you can't drive down the road with out encountering the Buffalo wanting to cross the road.

May visitation in Yellowstone is up 15 percent over May of 2015. Can't wait to see the numbers for June. This is the most we have seen this early in June. Lots of time there is no available parking at the attractions. Tour buses every where.

This is a Buffalo Jam crossing the Nez Perce and road.

[soren]

Crowe wrote:
I shot through the one lane gap and cracked the throttle and they all move away so the the herd of cars could go through.I had a super load air horn for back-up, plus speed.

Careful-that could be construed as harassing the wildlife.

I once traveled the entire length of Rt 16, through the park, with a local jackass, in a beater pick-up, nearly touching my bumper. I stopped for a herd of Bighorn sheep. It shortly turned into a sheep jamb, with dozens of stopped cars, in both directions. Dozens of people out and taking pictures. The redneck had enough of the wait, and blasted through the herd with his horn blaring. I stopped and discussed it with the next ranger I found. The ranger was absolutely bummed that I didn't have a plate number from the truck. They are real serious about hunting down idiots that harass wildlife, and they love to give hefty fines once they do.

As for the tiny brained, loud pipes, Harley crowd, there have been old bulls in the park that hold a special hatred for the noise you spew, and a burning desire to tackle the source of the racket. Nothing more ironic that getting flattened by an angry bull. Especially if you have the requisite, and 'tarded, "loud pipes save lives" sticker on your noisemaker.

[dewey02]

mabynack wrote:
We were driving through Yellowstone several years ago and got behind an old bull buffalo that was slowly walking down the middle of the road. I bet we followed him for a half hour before he decided to wander off on the side of the road. He had traffic backed up for miles. You don't see that here in the eat very much.

We have a similar situation with Moose here in Northern Minnesota.
Moose seem to like walking down the road, especially at night.
However, we certainly don't have the backed up traffic, as this normally occurs on gravel roads without a lot of traffic.

[RambleOnNW]

Have been to Yellowstone once in summer, but twice in winter. Much more laid back:

[mabynack]

We were in South Yellowstone once and about 20 cars had stopped to take pictures of a big bull elk. Along came some jackasses on their bikes with straight pipes and they sat there and revved their engines until the Elk ran away. They laughed about it as they drove off. I don't have a problem with bikers, but I do have a problem with inconsiderate jackasses.

[mabynack]

We were driving through Yellowstone several years ago and got behind an old bull buffalo that was slowly walking down the middle of the road. I bet we followed him for a half hour before he decided to wander off on the side of the road. He had traffic backed up for miles. You don't see that here in the eat very much.

[bobsallyh]

Last Monday we were coming into the Mammoth area from Norris. As usual it was busy, lunch time. Lots of elk in the grassy area by the hotel and across the street in the brushy area. There are quite a few pedestrian crossings in the area. I am pulling up to a x-walk and here is an elk standing between two parked cars and in the x-walk area like he was waiting to cross. So of course as I stopped, we are laughing, the elk crosses, after crossing it turned it's head back as though to say "thank you"! There was another retiree standing about 100' past the x-walk. He was waving us down, my wife puts the window down and laughingly he says " at least it was in the x-walk". All of us just laughing away. We got parked on down by the courthouse, walked back up by the dining room and hotel and there were three elk grazing in the grass beside the steps going up to the dining room. As luck would have it, the gentleman who flagged us down was still standing nearby. I said "the dining room must not open until noon and they are waiting to get in for lunch. Again more laughs.

[Crowe]

And just why is it that motorcyclists can not stay in line?? This behavior on the OP's part is why so many have such a bad opinion of bikers!!

I've thought about a lot of this since the biker posted. I don't ride but have multiple friends/family that do. Having been in the middle of the buffalo herd numerous times, I have to consider the fact that someone on a motorcycle is at some increased risk in a situation like that. I'll stand by my comments about being careful not to harass the wildlife but if there's a safe way for someone on a motorcycle to move along a little quicker without putting anyone at risk, then they should probably take that path. I get VERY irritated with those that split traffic, etc., but those are the ones that get noticed, not the guy 6 cars back you can't see waiting patiently for his turn.

[ORbiker]

jalichty wrote:
ORbiker, where did you have to be in such a hurry that you didn't have the time to enjoy what the Parks have to offer? There should be a special place for people who drive as fast as they can to get through a Park so they can say they've "seen" the Park. "Seeing" a Park is not the same as experiencing it. We were in Yellowstone about 2 1/2 years ago in October and ran into three Bison jams in one afternoon. No one was in a hurry to get anywhere and, as far as I can tell, everyone enjoyed seeing a magnificent animal pretty close up.

You don't know how I ride, so watch your comments.

Sitting in traffic waiting for grass to grow or be eating is not really worth taking pictures of.

Inside most of the national parks, I roll at at least 5 miles under the speed limit. I was in Yellowstone a few years ago with my wife and we saw bears because we were enjoying the scenery. We pulled over many time to wave on the traffic.

And NO; I don't split traffic, but if it is stopped for construction I will go to the head of the line.

I have ridden across the USA and up to Alaska. I rarely travel on the interstate and also rarely go more then 7 miles over the speed limit in Oregon (which is 55 MPH).

I pride myself as a safe rider and have ridden on the street for 38 years. I have traveled somewhere around 400,000 miles on 3 Harley's and my current Victory XCT motorcycle (and none of those mile are riding to work).





Old Bike that went to AK and NYC


My hobby. Taking nice photos

[SnoBear]

Just remember, don't pick up hitch hiking buffalo ...

[Finally_Time]

In Yellowstone last year, a lady in the campground had a video she shot of a big bull Bison standing cross-ways in the road. An irate driver behind the Bison honked his horn loud and long. The Bison casually tossed his head at the car; took out the left headlight, crumpled the fender and pushed in the hood. The Bison then strolled across the road. Really smart; blow your horn at something that weighs a ton and has a brain the size of a golf ball.

[cruiserjs]

Crowe wrote:
I shot through the one lane gap and cracked the throttle and they all move away so the the herd of cars could go through.I had a super load air horn for back-up, plus speed.

Careful-that could be construed as harassing the wildlife.

And just why is it that motorcyclists can not stay in line?? This behavior on the OP's part is why so many have such a bad opinion of bikers!!

[jamesu]

Yellowstone last September. I heard this description of a buffalo: "A head as hard as and the size of a VW Bug encasing a brain the size of a pea."

And I still saw folks trying to walk up to them for whatever reason. Two pea brains think alike.

[Campfire_Time]

Yep, I think they are kinda fun. Part of the Yellowstone experience.

[bukhrn]

jalichty wrote:
ORbiker, where did you have to be in such a hurry that you didn't have the time to enjoy what the Parks have to offer? There should be a special place for people who drive as fast as they can to get through a Park so they can say they've "seen" the Park. "Seeing" a Park is not the same as experiencing it. We were in Yellowstone about 2 1/2 years ago in October and ran into three Bison jams in one afternoon. No one was in a hurry to get anywhere and, as far as I can tell, everyone enjoyed seeing a magnificent animal pretty close up.

There is, it's called an Interstate, though they're not usually found IN the Park.