If you forget the mounds & hills, the Hayden Valley will be the African savanna of North America. But please don't forget those hills. This green carpeted relief adds a surrealistic dimension to the sublime beauty that this Hayden Valley upholds.
As you stare across the rolling hills, you may suddenly discover a brown speck on the verdant hills near the horizon where stalwart pine trees stand eternal sentinel to the landscape. Look intently, or better through your binocular, or thru your telephoto lense what I did, you'll find that 'speck' is slowly moving down the hill while grazing on the meadow. Yes, it is none other than American bison--that famous bovidae species that once roamed in millions throughout North America and thundered down the rolling hills as the Red Indians chased them on horseback.
This massively built beast is superbly adaptable to the Yellowstone's bone-chilling subzero frozen long winter.
Drive ahead your car. And further down the valley you'll find hordes of bisons grazing on their own. Peaceful & seeming docile creatures! At times they cross the asphalt road that runs down the spine of the valley. During this road crossing, they may come very close to you--too close to your comfort, even they may be at a touching distance from the safety of your car!. Be wise enough! DON'T venture to touch them!
But Hayden Valley is not of bisons alone. You'll find lots of migratory water fowls frolicking in the natural pools and lakes while the flock of Canadian geese moves with a princely gait on the bank of the Yellowstone river meandering past the valley.
And at one corner near a bridge over a lake we found a large elk grazing on the vegetation in calm & composed manner though it was ringed by a band of tourists and over-enthusiastic photographers like me who descended to a close quarter of the deer from the perched highway.
Believe me, you cannot but fall in love with Haden Valley once you are there!
