There are some mornings when you don’t need an alarm clock.You just need a reason to get up. For me, that reason was Lamar Valley.

I wanted to be there before the sun had fully made its way over the hilltops. There is something special about Yellowstone in those early morning hours. The roads are quiet (for the most part),the air is cool, and the valley seems to belong to the animals before the crowds begin to arrive.

As the first light started breaking over the hills, Lamar Valley slowly came alive. The mountains began to glow. The shadows pulled back from the valley floor. And somewhere out there, wolves were closing out their day.

But before I started looking through binoculars and scanning the timber, I knew I needed one thing: Breakfast.

A Little Food Before the Adventure

I love sitting outside and eating breakfast. It not just relaxing, it just feels like it makes the taste better. I pulled out my Jetboil and made some oatmeal from Mountain House. Threw in a couple slices of banana and the taste was perfect. Easy to make, easier to clean up. It was simple, warm and exactly what I needed on a cool Yellowstone morning.

Then came the important part.

Coffee.

I brought some ground Tactisquatch from Black Rifle Coffee Company, and there was something almost perfect about making a French press while sitting in Lamar Valley as the sun came up. A cup of Hot coffee, on a cooler morning made me more aware of how cool the air actually was in the moment. 

The mountains catching the morning light. Bison scattered across the landscape, and the possibility that a wolf pack might appear at any moment.

Honestly, I’m not sure breakfast gets much better than that. I took a few minutes just to sit there with that cup of coffee and watch the valley wake up. Sometimes we get so focused on seeing the next thing that we forget to enjoy where we already are. That morning, I tried not to make that mistake.

The Search Begin

Once breakfast was finished, it was time to start looking. If you’re hoping to see wolves in Lamar Valley, early morning is your friend, or late before the sun goes down, especially during the summer.

One of the best tips I learned is to watch for groups of people who are already watching. When you think you have gotten there early, there is always someone that got their first.

You’ll see them along the valley with spotting scopes, binoculars and some serious camera equipment. These people spend hours, yes hours, and sometimes days, watching the movements of Yellowstone’s wildlife. I was lucky to bring my Vortex Binoculars, spotting scope and tripod. I swear by these as I use them for hunting, and the distance of some of the animals especially where wolves like to lie, the spotting scope made the difference.

If you’re friendly and respectful, don’t be afraid to ask people what they’re seeing.

More than once, someone may point across the valley and say something like: “See those trees over there? Look just below them.” Suddenly you’re looking at a wolf. Maybe it’s only a tiny shape moving through the timber. Maybe it disappears. Maybe another one follows. That’s part of the fun.

You have to slow down. You have to learn how to look.

And sometimes you have to let someone else teach you where to look. There is aways someone who has a keen eye and sharp eye in the valley. Just be respectful. 

Watching the Wolves Work

The wolves of Yellowstone are one of the reasons Lamar Valley has become so famous.

Watching them isn’t like watching an animal at a zoo. There are no guarantees. You may spend hours looking and never see one, but when you do, it’s worth the wait.

Wolves hunt cooperatively, often targeting elk and other vulnerable prey. They can kill bison, particularly vulnerable young, injured or weakened animals, although taking down a healthy full-grown bison is uncommon, but it happens. They also make use of animals that have already died. 

That’s what makes watching a wolf pack so fascinating.

You’re not just watching a predator. You’re watching an entire ecosystem at work, and if you happen to witness a kill, you’ll quickly see that the wolves aren’t the only ones paying attention.

Ravens arrive. Coyotes may show up. Other scavengers begin moving toward the opportunity. Yes, and the largest of the apex predators of the park might even show: grizzly bears. 

One animal’s death becomes food for many others.

That’s Yellowstone.

Nothing is wasted.

Lamar in the Evening

While early morning might be my favorite time to experience Lamar, don’t overlook the evening. As the sun begins dropping behind the mountains, the valley changes again, and it is spectacular!

The light gets softer. The shadows stretch across the grasslands, and wildlife begins moving. This can be another great opportunity to watch wolves traveling or hunting.

But there’s something else you need to remember.

Always look around you. Key word in that sentence is ALWAYS.

Lamar Valley is grizzly country, as mentioned before. If you haven’t picked upbeat spray before entering the park, it might be note to mention that. You can rent it and many places, but it is a must.  You can become so focused on a distant wolf through a spotting scope that you forget there could be something much closer.

Keep scanning the hills. Watch the meadows. Pay attention to what’s behind you. Remember this is not the zoo. Make sure to give every wild animal the respect—and distance—it deserves.

We did mention there are bison. A lot of bison. There are en estimate 4000 bison wandering the park. This is their home. Don’t become an instagram post of a bison attacking you or your vehicle. Give them space, a lot of it. Everyone saw the viral video of the man being attacked. As they say, “Don’t be that guy.”

Late July can bring some incredible bison activity through the valley as herds move across the Northern Range. Sometimes you’ll see them spread across the valley floor. Other times they’re crossing the road, and occasionally, they’ll walk right past your vehicle. Sometimes very close to your vehicle. That’s when you remember just how big these animals are. You will hear them breathing and snorting.

Don’t get out of your car for the perfect picture. Don’t try to make them move. Don’t honk. Don’t assume that because one looks calm, it’s safe. Give them plenty of room. Let them be bison. That’s one of the things I love about Yellowstone. The animals don’t care that you’re there.They’re not performing for you. They’re simply living their lives. And we’re fortunate enough to watch.

The Part I Don’t Want to Forget

When I think back on that morning in Lamar Valley, I don’t just remember looking for wolves. I marveled at the sunrise. I remember the cool morning air, and to bring a sweatshirt for the next time.

I remember heating water with the Jetboil.

I remember that bowl of Mountain House oatmeal, and the smile on my kids faces even though it was before 5 am.

And I remember sitting there with a French press full of Black Rifle Coffee Company’s Tactisquatch, watching the sunlight slowly spill across the valley. That first sip, making it a more perfect morning. 

This is all before the tourists arrived. Before the valley filled with cars, and the day really got moving. For a few minutes, it felt like the entire valley was waking up just for us. Maybe that’s the real reason I love getting outside.

It’s not always about catching the biggest fish, seeing the most animals or getting the perfect photograph. Sometimes it’s about sitting quietly with a cup of coffee and remembering how incredible it is simply to be there.

Lamar Valley reminded me of that.

Get up early.

Make the coffee.

Eat a little breakfast.

Find a good place to sit.

Look toward the hills.

And then wait.

Because when you’re willing to slow down, Yellowstone has a way of showing you something you’ll never forget.

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