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Wolf Tracks
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Wyoming
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Inside Yellowstone National Park
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Wolf Tracks
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Wolves have abundant prey in the northern range. For example, the carcasses of elk, bison, and other large mammals each become ecosystems of their own. Researchers have identified at least 57 species of beetle associated with these ungulate carcasses on the northern range. Only one of those species eats ungulate meat. The rest prey on other small scavengers, especially the larvae of flies and beetles. Others consume carcass by-products such as microscopic fungal spores. In this very busy neighborhood, thousands of appetites interact until the carcass melts away and everybody moves on. Wolves and the Food Web Accumulated studies show that the loss of wolves from the food web on the northern range in the 1930s led to a loss of willows and other woody plants by allowing excessive grazing by elk. Most researchers agree that reintroduced wolves have caused elk to change their behavior and many studies have shown a correlation between the presence of wolves and increased growth in willows. It is too soon to know for sure if this trophic cascade is actually happening, and how extensive it might be--or if it is just one of many factors at work.
Fire is a Fundamental Force
~0 min drive
<p>Fires are a natural part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and plants have adapted to fire and in some cases may be dependent on it.</p> <p>Fire promotes habitat diversity by removing the forest overstory, allowing different plant communities to become established, and p…
Hellroaring Trailhead (2K8)
~10 min drive
Nestled a 1/4-mile (0.4-km) off the Grand Loop Road, this trailhead provides access to the following trails: Buffalo Plateau Trail Coyote Creek Trail Garnet Hill Loop Trail Hellroaring Creek Trail There is a decent amount of parking at the trailhead. Buffalo Plateau Trai…
Osprey Falls Trail
~11 min drive
7.8 mi · Moderate
Low Specimen
~11 min drive
23-mile backcountry trek with steady elevation gain through remote Montana wilderness.
Mountain View
~0 min drive
<p>Because of the influence rock types, sediments, and topography have on plant distribution, some scientists theorize that geology also influences wildlife. The sagebrush steppe and grasslands provide important habitat for wildlife.</p>
Lost Lake Loop
~14 min drive
Round trip 2.8 miles (4.6 km), moderate. The trail climbs 300 feet up a forested hillside. At the junction, veer right (west). You reach Lost Lake in 0.2 miles (0.3 km). From there, follow the trail through a ravine to the Petrified Tree parking area. From the parking lot, th…
Bunsen Peak Overlook
~12 min drive
<p>Bunsen Peak prominently sits south of Mammoth Hot Springs. From this trailhead, you can embark on the following trails:</p> <ul> <li>Bunsen Peak Trail</li> <li>Bunsen Peak Road Trail</li> <li>Osprey Falls Trail</li> </ul> <p>Parking is limited. Winter trailhead access requi…
High Specimen
~12 min drive
13.56-mile moderate hike with 841 ft elevation gain in Montana backcountry.
Trembling Aspens
~0 min drive
<p>Findings from research focusing on aspen forests indicate a possible shift in the distribution of this important species may already be underway.</p> <p>Before 1988, aspen regeneration was understood to occur primarily via vegetative root sprouting. Aspen seedlings, rarely…
Yellowstone River
~13 min drive
Scenic 5.5-mile riverside hike with steady elevation gain in the Yellowstone region.