A hiking guide last week shared an image showing the spectacular scenery as viewed from the Specimen Ridge Trail in Yellowstone National Park.
Douglas Scott of The Outdoor Society informed his X followers that two elk are visible in the photo, which accompanies this post with Scott’s permission.
Can you spot the elk standing near one another in the image? (Answer below.)
Scott said he snapped the photo last Nov. 9 about 1.7 miles into his hike. He was on a clifftop that affords a view of the northern range between Tower-Roosevelt and Slough Creek.
The distant road leads to the Lamar Valley. The Lamar River and Slough Creek are beyond the road.
Obvious hint: Both elk are closer than the road and waterways.
Scott recalled this portion of the day hike:
“Earlier in the morning, wolves had been in the area so while giving my hiking tour on the trail above where they had been spotted, we stopped and scanned for wildlife below us, hoping to catch a glimpse of wolves bedded down for the day.
“No wolves were spotted on this adventure, but the movement of the elk caught my attention. The elk were 150 to 200 yards away, evidently unaware of our presence from above as they slowly walked.”
Yellowstone provides summer and fall range for up to 20,000 elk belonging to 6-7 herds. The stately animals are immensely popular among wildlife enthusiasts and represent a prey source for wolves, bears and mountain lions.
Elk are not masters at camouflage, but they’re not always easy to spot from a distance. The two elk visible in Scott’s image are circled below.
