The ruffed grouse is a common bird that lives in open clearings in the woods during the summer and moves into the conifers during winters. The environment of the Greater Yellowstone National Park provides an excellent habitat for these beautiful birds. Males attract the females by displacing the patterns of the finely barred tail with its black terminal bands much the same way a turkey will. They also drum the air with rapidly beating wings. They feed on berries, leaves buds, seeds and insects.

The Trumpeter, a white swan when mature has an all black bill and black facial skin that touches the eye. It can be distinguished by the lack of color on its bill and facial skin from the Mute and Tundra Swans. Look for a long straight neck and the head held high. It has a loud call that can be heard for miles. Listen for a high pitched whistling “Kow-Wow.”

The conservation efforts to protect this bird have been a huge success. The swans can now be found in the winter in Canada, Alaska and along the Pacific, and year round in Island Park, Yellowstone National Park and Red Rock Lake. The best part is they can be seen with a short 5 minute walk down the lane from Grandpa’s Cabin.

A stay at Grandpa’s Cabin is and excellent opportunity for bird lovers and anyone to see this once endangered swan and to hear it whistle in the early morning.

The Grizzly Bear is sometimes called the Brown Bear and in Alaska known as the Alaskan Brown Bear or Kodiak. They grow to be the world’s largest terrestrial carnivore reaching 1,700 pounds. The Black Bear is smaller than the grizzly Bear reaching just over 500 pounds.

To find out more about bears in Yellowstone check out the Bear sections at the Yellowstone National Park site.  Here are a few things to know to avoid bear attacks and practice bear safety in Yellowstone.

Yellowstone Bear Encounter  Wife’s Version:  On a beautiful crisp fall day we headed out on the four wheelers, looking for the wonderful huckleberries that our family loves to eat, put in pancakes, and sprinkle on top of our home made ice cream. We rode along the old railroad bed towards West Yellowstone enjoying the scenic vistas of valleys and mountains. We stopped frequently at the various patches, picking a few and meandering along, looking for a patch that was plentiful and we would be able to fill our buckets.

We found a patch that was loaded with berries as big as any Maine Blueberry and were intent in our picking. I slowly picked as I wandered down the hillside and away from the group. I was snacking as I was picking, listening to the birds, and the buzz of the insects. What an absolutely beautiful day to enjoy the peace, quiet and solitude.

Suddenly, from behind me and farther down the hill, I heard a loud noise. Big branches breaking! Turning to look, there was no head, no antlers, and no long legs. Just a big patch of dark fur! I am a chicken that was all I needed to see. Up the hill I ran, hollering for my husband to get back to the ATVs. My heart was thumping, that was the closest I had been to a bear since I was a young girl – and that was a very l o n g time ago! I was a child and my family was camping in Yellowstone National Park.

I felt secure sitting on the ATV ready to peel out if necessary when that big old bear came lumbering out of the woods and crossed the trail in front of us. What a spectacular sight. We watched and listened as he slowly lumbered off into the woods above us. As we sat there and talked about our close encounter we could hear the bear coming closer. As we continued to watch he came back down the hillside and crossed the trail behind us. Silly old bear had to circle all the way around us so that we would get the message that this patch of huckleberries was his!

Yellowstone Bear Encounter Husband’s Version:  Last fall the huckleberry crop in the Island Park area was the best in several years. The berries were big and plentiful. We left early in the morning and found one of our favorite patches to pick. It is located on the slopes just down from Two Top. After picking one patch I moved to a different patch about 100 yards down the slope. My wife had moved down the slope just before I did. When I arrived at the new patch I noticed that the patch had been disturbed like a large animal had torn through it. Then I saw bear sign (fresh, steaming poop). About that time I heard my wife yelling for me to get back to the trail. Knowing that there was a bear in the area I made a lot of noise getting back to the trail. I wanted him to know I was there so he was not surprised if we ran into each other. My wife was waiting for me when I got to the trail and as looked around we heard the bear coming up the slope. It was so great to see the bear cross the trail. The bear circled around us and crossed the trail behind us anxious to get back to the berry patch. We decided to let him have them and went to a different patch a bit farther away.

Driving Directions

From Salt Lake City, Utah: Take I-15 north to Idaho Falls, Idaho (215 miles). At exit 119, take ramp RIGHT to US-20. Then, just follow the next set of directions.

From Idaho Falls, Idaho: Take US-20 north to Island Park, ID (99 miles) to Grandpa’s Cabin.

From Yellowstone National Park: Exit the west entrance from Yellowstone National Park into West Yellowstone, Montana. Turn right at the four way stop sign and head north on Canyon to the intersection of Firehole and Canyon (the second stop light). Take a left on Firehole Avenue (US-20) through town and continue west/south to Grandpa’s Cabin (30 miles).

From Bozeman, Montana head south on hwy 191 (90 miles) to West Yellowstone, (turn left at the first stop light turn right) head south on U.S. 20 to Grandpa’s Cabin.(30) miles

From Jackson, WY and Grand Teton National Park: Head north on WY-22 (17.1 miles) over Teton Pass and into Idaho. Stay on SR-33 heading northwest (23.9 miles). Turn RIGHT (north) onto SR-32 (28.4 miles). Turn LEFT to remain on SR-32/SR-47 for one mile through the town of Ashton. Then turn RIGHT (north) onto US-20 (37) miles to Grandpa’s Cabin.

(Do you like back roads and scenic by-ways? If so, email us for directions on how to travel along the Teton and Mesa Falls Scenic Byways when coming from Jackson or the Bear Lake and Pioneer Historic Byways on your way to Grandpa’s Cabin from Salt Lake.) Idaho Scenic Byways

Airports

Winter: the nearest airports are

• Bozeman, Montana (120 miles) (BZN) - serviced by Northwest, Alaska, United and Delta Airlines.
• Idaho Falls, Idaho (90 miles) - serviced by Delta and Alaska Airlines
• Salt Lake City, Utah (265 miles) - the largest airport and serviced by all major Airlines

Summer: the nearest airports are

• West Yellowstone, Montana serviced by: SkyWest, a Delta connection from early June through September
• Idaho Falls, Idaho serviced by: Delta and Alaska Airlines
• Bozeman, Montana serviced by: Northwest, Alaska, United and Delta Airlines
• Jackson Hole, Wyoming serviced by: Northwest, United, American Airlines & Delta Airlines.

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