Yellowstone Teton Marathon x Toebock American Folklore

A brief look at the United State’s first National Park.
Photography & Words by Sean P Gannon

It was nearing peak fall in the American North West when I decided it was time to get out. I flew into Bozeman, Montana one morning, rented a bunch of camera equipment, and set up for the next day. I took a time-lapse video of the sunset before I slept. I woke up at 4:30; in the car at 6 am. The sun rose at 7:50 am in Yellowstone National Park, and the light was warm and soft. What followed was an intense two-day mission through Wyoming and South West, Montana. Here are some results.

Bison are the most frequently seen animals living in the park.

An average of 3,000 bison roam the grass covered valleys and rolling hills of Yellowstone. Approximately 50 million animals roamed the western ranges of North America before the introduction of European settlement.

“Yellowstone is the only place in the lower forty-eight states where a population of wild bison has persisted since prehistoric times, although fewer than 50 native bison remained here in 1902.” – nps.gov for more info

The sun rises behind a Douglas Fir tree.

A bull moose proudly passes through his native habitat in northern Yellowstone's Lamar Valley. — A bull moose proudly passes through his native habitat in northern Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley.

Sunset on the Bridger Mountains – time-lapse

Bison graze just feet away from slow driving tourists.

“Bulls are more massive in appearance than cows, and more bearded. For their size, bison are agile and quick, capable of speeds in excess of 30 mph.” – nps.gov

A passing grizzly bear left these tracks near a small, geothermal lake in the Lower Geyser Basin.

An adolescent black bear scavenges for food.

A single cloud forms above Grand Teton peak.

The Teton Range is the youngest mountain range in the Rocky Mountains.