Hi folks,
We will be in Yellowstone for a week - last week in August. I have been there several times, love it - but my sister and bil who will be joining me - have never been there. We will visit all the usual sightseeing locations. But, I really want them to see a bear - we don't have many back in Philly I have only seen 1 in Yellowstone in all my visits - so the chances for them aren't a sure thing.
We are staying in West Yellowstone - so my question (about time I got to it ) Has anyone been to the Wolf & Grizzly Center in W Yellowsotne? How about Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg ID? My preference is to see a bear in it's natural environment of the park - but I need a "plan b" for my company!!!
thanks, Kathy
'02 KOUNTRY STAR DP
2012 HONDA FIT "PUMPKINMOBILE"
GILLIGAN- 1ST MATE CAT - 3 HR TOUR
Wolf & Grizzly Center is very nice but I wouldn't call it a "natural setting". Haven't been to Bear World. We've seen bears in Yellowstone but not at the same places. You might visit a Visitor Center and inquire about any bear activity going on in the park. Sometimes they'll tell you and sometimes they want to keep visitors away depending on how much traffic and safety concerns it will produce. Seeing one in the wild is wonderful but not a definite. Good luck!
Extremely Happy Full-Timers for 16 years
.... now trying to adjust to 3-season traveling - and it isn't easy!
2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star Diesel Pusher
2004 Jeep Liberty
We visited YNP in '04. I think we saw at least one bear every day of our 5-day stay. You may want to pose your question to the park staff on arrival - they'll have a better handle on where the wildlife is at that time of the year.
At least they will be able to see a grizzly. If you have children under the age of 12. They can sign up to feed the bears!
The staff remove the bears and lock them in a different area of the pen. They then take in a number of children carying small buckets of food to hide for the bears. It is interesting to see where the kids hide the food. The children are escorted out and double counted.
At this point the bears are let back into pen to go find the hidden food. The children get quite excited when their stash of food is gobbled up by the bears.
The Wolf & Grizzly Center center is better than no bears at all. We've seen bears and a wolf the last couple of times we've been to YNP - all in the northeastern parts of the park - Lamar Valley, Tower Falls, Mt Washburn. The moose were all down in Teton National Park. There's more animal activity around sunrise and sunset than in the middle of the day.
You'll also be there for the bison breeding season - so be alert. They only have one thing on their minds, and you don't want to get in the way. That said, those bulls in rut are spectacular! We were last there the last week in August last year.
Have fun.
al
Fulltiming since Apr 2007 in 2000 Rexhall Aerbus, towing 2012 Honda CRV. 44 of the lower 48 so far.
We seen bear on the north loop in yellowstone. I dont remember what its called. Seen some by the petrified redwood tree.
Have not been to Wolf and Grizzly center.
Was at Bear World. You will see some bears. Grizzly and Black. You also see deer, elk, mountain goats, bison, wolves, and a moose. Might have been more animals but I cant recall right now. This was a drive through zoo. They also have a petting zoo. You can get pretty close to some fenced in cubs. Petting part had deer, goats, chickens, some birds.
Its kinda a cool place, but not what I would call a natural setting. But then again, Im a hunter so I get to see them all in their natural settings.
Great place for kids, or people that dont get to see alot of wildlife.
Have been to both. Neither what I would call a 'natural' setting.
Prefer Griz/Wolf Discovery Center. Bears still a little fat and hand fed [staff hide treats and bear must search them out from under rocks ~etc.] They did interact with each other and were pretty normal looking. The wolves there are awesome.
The BEARS at Rexburg are Extreemly fat and Waddlesome. You DO get to drive into the compound on a prescribed route ~ thru a few trees and bear 'houses'. Bears meander all over. [must take spare tire cover off or bears may unwrap it]
JMHO ~~Kate~~
We saw a number of bears on our visit to Yellowstone in Aug. 2010, but we went looking for them. In the office at Fishing Bridge (and probably other places, ask the rangers), they keep a wildlife sighting log. We checked that and drove in those areas. We saw the most in the Lamar Valley. "Bear jams" were pretty common. We usually saw the bear where others were pulled over. Good luck!
The wolf and grizzly center is not a natural setting by any means but is a good educational facility. One of things things many people do not understand about sighting wildlife is how hit or miss it is. Have seen both griz and black bear in Yellowstone but neither for any great length of time. Definitely talk to the park rangers to see if the bears are hanging out at any particular spot but PLEASE remember to keep your distance. Even the best of pictures are not worth risking your safety over.
Subscribe to the 3 "L" rule-don't stop livin', lovin' and learnin'
RV-less for now but our spirits are still on the open road.
I have only seen 1 in Yellowstone in all my visits - so the chances for them aren't a sure thing. 
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