In Yellowstone National Park, distant grizzly bear sightings can be as satisfying as up-close sightings, but you sometimes need a keen eye to see them.
In Yellowstone National Park, a distant view of grizzly bears can be as satisfying as an up-close roadside view because it requires a keen eye and the bears are in more of a natural setting.
Can you spot the momma grizzly bear and her three cubs in the image I captured this week from a hillside above the Lamar Valley highway? (Answer below.)
During this sighting the bears were ascending the hillside opposite the valley after being run off by a bison herd in a meadow surrounded by sagebrush.
They were too far for me to capture a detailed image with my 400-millimeter lens but I’ve attached a cropped version of a different image from the same sighting that shows the bears in more detail.
Liz Clark logged 20,000 miles in 10 years sailing along the Central American coastline and around the Pacific Islands in the 40-foot sailboat Swell. In her book “Swell: A Sailing Surfer’s Voyage of Awakening,” she pours her heart out about her inner struggles as a lone female set on freedom and outer challenges like navigating the oceans and keeping her craft shipshape. The hardcover edition came out in 2018, but the new paperback (released this month) will expand the story’s audience.
Clark grew up in San Diego, the child of sailing parents. When she was nine, the family took a seven-month sailing trip along the coast of Mexico. She started surfing while earning her environmental studies degree at UC Santa Barbara. In 2001, after graduating, she met Barry Schuyler, who had founded the environmental studies program in 1969. Schuyler wanted to help her live her sailing dreams, so he offered her the use of Swell in exchange for vicariously accompanying her on her voyage.
Captain and author Liz Clark. / Photo by Jianca Lazarus, courtesy of Patagonia
“Swell” is the story of a young woman who prizes self-discovery and freedom above all else. She faces the ambivalence and inner contradictions that most people do, especially the young and those with a lot of time to think. While she is critical of the capitalist priorities of the U.S., she’s also extremely American. What other country so strongly emphasizes the right to the pursuit of happiness?
Clark stays determined to see the best in people despite plenty of brushes with creepy guys and a terrifying, drawn-out situation of being stuck on an island with a broken boat and an abusive boyfriend. She is very earnest about her spiritual epiphanies and tries to put them into practice when dealing with other people. She loves ocean creatures and faithfully reports underwater encounters with those she meets while swimming and surfing. She sees up close the horrific human-generated plastic waste floating in the ocean and washed up on islands. And it scares her.
Photo by Tahui Tufaimea, courtesy of Patagonia
Above all, “Swell” is about the quest for freedom. This lovely sample passage is typical of her life at sea when things are going well, and especially resonates for young women raised on the male gaze. “Out here, there is no one to compare myself with—there’s not even a full-length mirror to critique my appearance. I let my hair go wild. I laugh out loud, and break into dance without a second thought. I can fester in my filth or spend half an hour massaging shampoo into my scalp. I wear an odd ensemble from the clothing bin—or nothing at all. Some granny panties that Mom gave me have become my go-to sailing uniform. I can scream, cry, and sing all in one breath with no one to judge me. I want everyone to feel this deep liberation.”
Photo by Tahui Tufaimea, courtesy of Patagonia
The book resembles her unstructured life at sea. But I would have liked a more practical backbone. I constantly found myself disoriented, asking, where is she? How much time has gone by? Who is this person who’s suddenly popped up on the boat and is sailing with her for some unspecified time?
I also wanted more information about her finances. Clark downplays anything to do with money, apparently as part of an anti-capitalist stance. She grumbles about having to do any work without meaning to her, even as she’s visiting places where people are poor and doing whatever they can to subsist. While sailing, she built up a blog popular enough to inspire strangers to send her money. Corporations sponsored her. At one point, she met up with filmmakers documenting her voyage. She’s asked to speak around the world, write articles for magazines, and eventually write this book. All these career accomplishments are mentioned offhandedly, almost as though they’re intrusions into her life at sea.
Patagonia, one of her sponsors, published the book. Photos show Clark sailing, surfing, doing yoga on beaches, and paddling a board with her darling ocean-going cat Amelia on the front. She also includes portraits of people she meets on the island and a fun photo of her and a friend singing backup for Jimmy Buffett when he did a surprise concert at an obscure Bora Bora Bar.
Photo by Jianca Lazarus, courtesy of Patagonia
This thought-provoking book will make readers question their own lives. Are we free enough? Are we too materialistic? How can we be more spiritual and tread more lightly on the earth? Have we chosen the right path?
Near the end of the book, Clark sums it all up. “I am not the best sailor or the best surfer, or the most credentialed at anything, but chasing my dream has taught me that fulfillment and self-love don’t come from being ‘the best.’ They come from pursuing our passions and connecting to our own spirits, communities, and the world.”
Writer received a free copy of the book for review.
But Douglas Scott’s images from this encounter are interesting because they show a momma grizzly bear with yearling cubs in a seemingly peaceful coexistence with a nearby bison.
“The bison was pretty alert, but there were no issues, as bears rarely, if ever try to attack a full-grown bison,” Scott, who runs The Outdoor Society, told FTW Outdoors. “The cubs were definitely were curious about it, occasionally stopping their grazing and watching the bison.”
Grizzly bear family walks around bison. Photo: Douglas Scott
Scott tweeted a second image from the encounter, which shows the bear family walking around the bison, with the bison standing and alert.
“Do you see all three grizzlies?” Scott asked his followers. “The bison certainly did.”
Scott said the encounter occurred northeast of the Fountain Paint Pots boardwalk on May 10 at 5 p.m.
Grizzly bears (left) and bison at the edge of a meadow. Photo: Douglas Scott
May is an excellent month for viewing grizzly bears and bison in Yellowstone National Park, as both species are often in close viewing range with youngsters in tow.
So, you’re planning a trip to Glacier National Park. Stretching across 700 miles of northern Montana, Glacier National Park is a one-of-a-kind destination made for travelers who appreciate natural beauty. Active adventurers can hike along the park’s stunning Avalanche Lake Trail, and families can take a scenic driving tour on Going-to-the-Sun Road. But before you can enjoy these attractions, you’ll have to figure out where you’re staying.
What options are there when it comes to lodging at Glacier National Park? For visitors looking for a stay with phenomenal views and a fascinating history, few options rival the experience at Lake McDonald Lodge. Learn all about this curious spot in the photo gallery below.
The large and hairy Sasquatch has captured people’s imaginations for millennia. In British Columbia’s Harrison River Valley, the newly opened Harrison Visitor Centre and Sasquatch Museum celebrates this famous character. The Harrison River Valley, known for hot springs, mountains, and rivers, is about 90 minutes east of Vancouver and three hours northeast of Seattle.
While many people admire Squatch in his kitschy Bigfoot form, others love the idea that such a wild creature could possibly live so close to modern humans, hidden in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. The Sts’ailes — sovereign Coast Salish First Nation people who have long lived in the Harrison River Valley — take Sasquatch very seriously as a spiritual being who watches over the land and can move between the physical and spiritual realms at will. The Sts’ailes word for the creature is Sa:sq’ets, which means “hairy man.” They have generations of oral stories about Sa:sq’ets, which is probably where the word Sasquatch came from.
Photo by Robyn Bessenger, courtesy of Tourism Harrison
“It is an honor to be a part of the Harrison Visitor Centre & Sasquatch Museum planning committee and to contribute an authentic Sts’ailes perspective on the Sa:sq’ets,” Boyd Peters, rights and title director of Sts’ailes, said in a press release. “The stories, culture, teachings and history of our People with the Sa:sq’ets are to be respected for future generations. The connection to our sacred lands and healing are to be portrayed with a deep sense of pride and reverence with the Sa:sq’ets.”
Photo by Robyn Bessenger, courtesy of Tourism Harrison
The Harrison Visitor Centre and Sasquatch Museum (a collaborative effort between Tourism Harrison, the Sts’ailes, and the accessibility-focused Rick Hansen Foundation) offers diverse exhibits. The Land of the Giants is a standout feature, showcasing the region’s indigenous wildlife, such as bald eagles and sturgeon, alongside the iconic Sasquatch. Visitors will also see a recreated Sts’ailes longhouse, castings of suspiciously large feet, interpretive panels, and storyboards about prominent Sasquatch researchers, such as Thomas Steenburg and John Green.
Photo by Robyn Bessenger, courtesy of Tourism Harrison
The woman seems more intent on gathering her belongings than walking away from the stray bull.
Lots of crazy things happen on the beaches of Los Cabos, Mexico, but being attacked by a bull has to be a rare event.
The accompanying footage shows a woman being knocked down by a bull that had just been harassed by dogs at La Fortuna in Baja California Sur’s East Cape region.
Unfortunately for the tourist, she seemed more concerned about gathering her belongings than walking away from the beast. (Video contains salty language from others imploring the woman to back off.)
😱 #ENTÉRATE: Toro que fue confrontado por un trio de perros, había atacado a una mujer; los hechos ocurrieron en playa La Fortuna, en #BCS >> pic.twitter.com/ivcom0eqC1
The clip was shared via X by BCS Noticias under the translated description: “Bull that was confronted by a trio of dogs had attacked a woman; The events occurred on La Fortuna beach, in BCS.”
In the footage, the woman is rammed and knocked down by the bull, which apparently had strayed from a nearby ranch.
It was not clear if the woman suffered serious injuries.
Footage shows one photographer standing just yards from a momma bear with cubs in clear violation of the park guidelines.
A guide in Yellowstone National Park on Monday documented “a prime example of what not to do” as a grizzly bear family crossed a highway lined with tourists.
Andrea Baratte, who captured the accompanying footage, referred mostly to the photographer with the tripod, just yards from momma grizzly as she tried to lead her yearling cubs across the road.
“As much as visitors enjoy seeing grizzly bears in Yellowstone, this is a prime of example on what not to do,” Baratte, who guides for Yellowstone Adventure Tours, explained via Instagram. “This bear with her cubs has been feeding for the last 10 days on a drowned bison and the location is no secret, hence all the people.
“You need to keep at least 100 yards, otherwise stay in your car. The photographer in the street refused to leave the area even after letting him know multiple times in advance that she was going to cross the road. ”
Yellowstone guidelines mandate that tourists stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves. In cases where that might not be possible, visitors should exercise enough common sense to create a safe environment for themselves and the animals.
“It was an insane day,” Baratte told For The Win Outdoors.
Photographer in blatant violation of Yellowstone’s distance guidelines.
Viewers might note the photographer down the slope, far from any vehicles, at the beginning of the footage. Had the bears attempted to pass in his direction, the situation could have turned dicey.
What also stands out is the elderly person returning to the silver truck with the bears approaching. The person, who appears to be limping, turns to snap one last photo, but smartly abandons that plan in favor of accessing the vehicle.
Thankfully, momma bear did not perceive the crowd as a major threat and calmly led her cubs back into the wilderness.
It’s a Sunday in spring, and trail ambassadors Kathy and EJ Rossman are explaining Oklahoma’s cross timbers ecosystem to me as we stroll through the Keystone Ancient Forest. I’ve borrowed a darling dog named Hitch and am keeping him on a close leash. We’re in copperhead and timber rattler country here near Sand Springs, Oklahoma.
“We’re just here to help people,” Kathy says, explaining the role of volunteer trail ambassadors. “We tell them a little about the ancient forest. And then trail guides just go out and hike all the trails so that if people need help…” Just then, a hiker asks her for a trail recommendation, and I see her in action.
Keystone has worked hard to make the 1,380-acre forest accessible and inviting, from building a new visitor center to offering burly Trackchairs for wheelchair users. The city of Sand Springs and the Nature Conservancyteamed up to preserve an ecosystem that has largely disappeared.
Trail ambassadors EJ and Kathy Rossman. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
What are cross timbers?
Cross timbers are new to me. This ecosystem once covered 30,000 square miles, reaching from Texas through Oklahoma and into Kansas. “It’s a joining of the eastern red cedars and the western oaks,” Kathy explains.
“University of Arkansas first identified this as being a special area,” EJ adds as we walk along the Frank Trail. “Cross timbers is — it’s called the ancient forests, but it’s really more of an ecosystem because it’s an assemblage of plants and geography and geology and a mixture of trees and little savannas.”
Coming from Oregon, I don’t find the trees particularly tall. But looks deceive here. “This tree could easily be 60 years old, even though it’s very thin,” Kathy says, pointing to a small oak. Poor soil and lack of sunshine as trees shade one another means they grow slowly. “So you can’t tell the age of the tree just by the diameter of it,” she says. “It really does take coring to see.” Some of the post oaks are 300 years old, and red cedars can reach 500 years.
Author Washington Irving traversed this land in 1832 and left a colorful historical record. He described the “vexations of flesh and spirit” travelers faced “struggling through forests of cast iron.”
Since Irving’s visit, most of the cross timbers have been lost to road construction, agricultural lands, housing, and oil and gas development. Now, the ecosystem also faces invasive species, such as Chinese privet and Japanese honeysuckle. According to the Nature Conservancy website, Keystone Ancient Forest is the first preserve dedicated to preserving historic cross timbers forest.
Photo by Teresa Bergen
Updates to the preserve
As a first-time visitor, I had a little trouble finding Keystone Ancient Forest.The Uber app had the wrong address, so my driver and I were confused when we pulled up on a residential block.
“Uh, it’s supposed to be a forest,” I said, confused. Turned out we were about 10 miles off. My driver, an outdoorsy guy who has lived in the area for 40 years, had never heard of the preserve.
Over the last few years, Keystone has worked to raise its profile. Before that, EJ says the preserve was entirely volunteer-run and only opened once or twice a month, depending on the season. He and Kathy have been volunteering here for about 10 years, so they’ve seen the changes. The visitor center opened in 2021 and is one of the most notable improvements.
Photo by Teresa Bergen
City staff and volunteers have built trails ranging from easy and paved to the rugged, hilly Falls Trail. A new butterfly savanna, the largest in the state, is a special habitat designed to attract 80 butterfly species.
People who want to borrow a Trackchair can reserve ahead — and they can choose between right and left-handed controls.
This special track chair makes trails accessible for wheelchair users. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Keystone Ancient Forest dog days and other events
On a dog-friendly day, I was lucky enough to borrow an adorable pup named Hitch from a generous employee. Leashed dogs are currently allowed on the first and third weekends of the month. But check the website before your visit, as rules are subject to change.
Guests looking to visit for special events will be happy to know that Keystone Ancient Forest offers a handful of fun activities throughout the year. For the last 10 years, the preserve has held an annual fundraising trail run. Runners can sign up for a 5K, 10K, or 15K.
Hitch! / Photo by Teresa Bergen
At night, you might find an astronomy club setting up in the parking lot, taking advantage of Keystone’s dark skies. Guided night hikes are also occasionally offered. Kathy especially likes the late-night New Year’s Eve hike. “You can come out here and do a night hike into a new year,” she says.
The Keystone Ancient Forest is a great asset for those in the Tulsa area and visitors wanting to learn about the cross timbers ecosystem. Learn even more about it here.
Route 66 is often called the Mother of All Roads, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, is its capital. This iconic road opened on November 11, 1926, stretching 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica. Twenty-eight of those miles are in Tulsa.
The road was one of the U.S. Numbered Highway System’s first highways. While motoring down Route 66 is the classic way to travel, Tulsa’s Route 66 Marathon traces a section of the route on foot. This year’s event takes place November 23-24. And 2026 will be really special as Tulsa will be buzzing with Route 66 centennial events.
See what this race has in store with our guide to the Route 66 Marathon.
Photo by Teresa Bergen
Route 66 Marathon map and courses
The Route 66 Marathon started in 2006. Executive director Destiny Green began working with the race the following year. I met with her at a café in the Tulsa Arts District, which she has also been very involved with developing. Green explained how the route follows the best parts of Route 66 while avoiding more industrial areas.
“Predominantly it’s a scenic tour of Tulsa with as much Route 66 as we can get,” Green said. Runners curious to tour the race course can find Route 66 Marathon maps here. There’s even a videotour showing off the 2022 marathon route.
The race offers the full marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, 5K, fun run, and a mascot dash. “On Saturday, that’s our 5K and fun run day,” Green said. “We try to get kids really engaged. So we ask a bunch of the local mascots to come out. They do basically a 30-yard dash in their costumes. It’s very fun. We have a big dance party afterwards and the kids love it.”
People can participate in both days’ events by doing a double. That’s running the 5K on Saturday and the marathon or half marathon on Sunday. Double finishers receive a special double challenge coin in addition to finishers’ medals and other swag.
Photo courtesy of Route 66 Marathon
The world’s shortest ultramarathon
The Route 66 Marathon also offers a chance for runners to complete the world’s shortest ultramarathon. “An ultra is anything bigger than a marathon,” Green explained. So 26.5 miles counts. At about mile 25, course signage indicates the optional detour. The ultra takes runners through the Center of the Universe, an acoustical anomaly involving an echo you only hear while straddling a crack in a bridge.
“You do three-tenths of a mile and you get a cool Center of the Universe detour coin,” Green said. “And a beer. You cross back over and you finish your race. If you’re going to PR or you’re really running for your time, you’re obviously not going to do it. But all the fun people do.”
Photo courtesy of Route 66 Marathon
A marathon that likes to party
The kitschy atmosphere of Route 66 draws many people who may be more excited about being there than about running. Green calls it a 26.2-mile block party.
“Runner’s World Magazine once was quoted saying we have more liquor on our course than any other race in North America,” she said. “Tulsa likes to party.” The course support is also phenomenal, as people who live along the route cheer on runners. “They’ll bring their couches out and their liquor. They make drinks for runners.”
The traditional drinks are mimosas, Fireball whiskey, and Jello shots. “We have approximately 8,000 Jello shots on the course,” Green said. People love the atmosphere and often return to run the marathon in subsequent years.
Photo courtesy of Route 66 Marathon
Route 66 Marathon swag
Green works hard to ensure the medal designs appeal to Route 66 aficionados. Recent years have featured some of Tulsa’s best buildings along the Mother Road. Finishers also get more than a T-shirt to wear. “Usually something like a full zip or quarter zip jacket,” Green said. “Our swag is legit.”
Photo courtesy of Route 66 Marathon
A welcoming race
The race welcomes locals as well as visitors. “People come from all 50 states and at least 10 countries every year,” Green said. Seven thousand people participated in last year’s Route 66 Marathon. The event is still building back to its pre-COVID peak of 13,000.
Visitors include Route 66 fans who aren’t necessarily runners. “The course is open for six and a half hours. So if you keep up a 16.5 minute per mile pace, you can finish,” Green said. “If you don’t stop and partake of the block party shenanigans.”
The marathon also encourages local kids to embrace the sport by setting up running clubs. Green loves running with these kids. “We go into local Title I schools,” she said. “We coach and mentor them. They run a free 5K that we pay for. We put them in a brand-new pair of shoes at the end. Which is the best part of my job.”
In 2023, Utah’s Zion National Park recorded over 4.6 million recreation visits. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the city of Las Vegas welcomed over 40.8 million visitors in 2023. In the middle of the Venn Diagram formed by these two statistics are the dynamic travelers who love the big city and the backwoods. Clocking in at around two hours and 10 minutes, the trip from Las Vegas to Zion National Park treats you to a fascinating journey from a hyper-developed tourism hub to a serene and awe-inspiring natural wonder. Curious to experience this journey for yourself? Make the trip extra memorable with this list of six attractions to see on the trip from Las Vegas to Zion National Park.
