Yellowstone in Shoulder Season

Photo by Yellowstone Day Tours owner and guide Brian McCooey

While 64% of visitation in Yellowstone occurs between June and August, some of the best wildlife, weather, and foliage can be found in the ‘shoulder season.’ In May and early June, cool weather and hunger after a long winter means wildlife is very active. This is a great time of year to see bears emerging from hibernation with cubs, elk moving in large herds from their winter range to summer feeding grounds, and predators like wolves feeding on winter-killed carcasses or hunting elk and bison. As the weather warms, wildflowers begin to bloom on the valley floor. During the peak summer months of late June through August, hotter weather makes wildlife sightings more rare, and lower-elevation wildflowers go to seed and die off.

Fall provides a seasonal reset for the landscape. By early September, the aspen and cottonwood groves have large patches of yellow, and hawthorn and willow have started turning red and orange. For the fall color enthusiast, September and October are amazing times to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Summer here is short, so wildlife like bears must start preparing as early as possible, loading up on about 20,000 calories per day to survive the harsh winter. We often see black bears eating service berries and grizzlies digging for roots and tubers. Fall is also breeding time for many species. The bison rut in late August provided many opportunities to witness exciting behaviors on tour, such as bulls (males) wallowing, butting heads, and following cows (females) while exhibiting the ‘flehmen response,’ -  curling their lips and intaking air to detect pheromones signaling when cows are ready to mate. This month, we’re looking forward to the elk and moose rut! Nothing quite compares to hearing an elk bugle ring across the sage flats, or seeing two bull moose lock antlers in a display of dominance.

Whether you’re planning a last-minute trip or getting a head start on next year’s vacation, we encourage you to visit during the Fall or Spring shoulder season for your best chance at seeing active wildlife, a colorful landscape, and best of all - less crowds!