Wildlife watching rules

Wildlife is truly wild in Yellowstone. You can see animals like buffalo, elk, deer, moose, and even bears roaming around freely. A lot of visitors, especially from foreign countries, underestimate the danger from these animals. Yellowstone is a huge natural refuge, not a petting zoo. Every year, we hear stories of buffalo attacking tourists who came too close to take a picture with the 'fluffy cow.' Stay at least 25 yards (23 m) away from buffalo and other wildlife. Remember that a bison bull weighs around 1,800 to 2,400 pounds (816 to 1,088 kg), and these beasts can run at speeds of up to 35 mph!

Speaking of bears, you should stay at least 100 yards or 90 meters away. If you can't imagine how far 100 yards is—it is very, very far. So far that you probably will need binoculars to see the bear.

Most of the time, there will be other people on the side of the road if there is something that needs attention, and of course, most likely there will be a ranger who will make sure that everyone (especially an animal) is safe. This is mostly true for animals like bears, elk, and moose. Bison are everywhere; there might be no ranger nearby, so please use your own common sense.

Please keep in mind that approaching wildlife is not only dangerous to you but also illegal. You will not want to get charged and find yourself in legal problems in the US.

Also, keep in mind that there is no guarantee that you will see animals. It is all up to your luck. Some of my visits, I saw bears, elk, moose; in some visits, there were only bison or two. But even if you are not lucky with the bear, you can still count on beautiful Yellowstone's nature. Waterfalls, mountains, and lakes will be there. And Old Faithful, of course; you can count on him.