Introduction:
What? :
This is not one of Yellowstone's must-do hikes but for me it was special.
Here I saw a large Grizzly Bear at Turbid Lake, far away from the road. It was quite a heart-accelerating experience.
I will describe my hike through Pelican Valley all the way up to Turbid Lake and what happened with the bear.
The hike itself is 8.5 miles long with moderate elevation gain of 630 ft elevation gain and it took me about 3 hours to complete.
Important note:
This area is one of the prime Grizzly Bear habitats in Yellowstone so you must have bear spray ready to use (not inside your backpack), know how to use it and be prepared.
Where? :
Pelican Valley Trailhead is located 3 miles east of Fishing Bridge Visitor Center, drive past Indian Pond and you can see the trailhead north of the road in the forest.
If you are coming from the park east entrance you should drive past the lake shore and see the trail entrance on your right.
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When? :
The park is open year round, but the journey to get here and the surrounding scenery change dramatically between summer and winter.
For most people, late May to September is the ideal time to visit here.
My personal recommendations are to visit Yellowstone National Park during the month of September.
The park is not as crowded as the peak tourist season of the summer months, the weather is ideal for hiking, it is not so hot or cold, all the roads are still open and the animals are in their active months.
Another option is during June when the snow is mainly cleared, all is green and the animals are getting out and active after the long winter.
Summer:
This is the peak Season (Mid-June to Mid-September)
All park roads are open to personal vehicles, making it easy to drive right to any destination within the park.
It is very crowded here during the summer months. Traffic jams, slow drive and challenges with finding parking spots.
Days are usually warm (70-80f), but nights can still be cool. Afternoon thunderstorms are common.
All hotels, lodges and campgrounds are open, high price and reservation need many months in advance.
Fall:
Fall season is short (Mid-September to end October) offering pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds than summer.
All roads are still open (most interior roads close to vehicles by early November), usually there is no heavy snow but you should expect a mix of sunny and rainy days and cold temperatures.
Daytime highs can range from the 40-70F, with nights dropping below freezing.
Winter:
Winter (Mid-December to Mid-March) transforms the park into a quiet, magical, snow-covered land.
The geyser's steam plumes are enormous.
Crowds are minimal.
Most interior park roads are closed to regular cars. You must travel into the park by a guided snowcoach or on a permitted snowmobile tour.
If you plan to visit Yellowstone in the winter, you will need to book a tour from one of the gateway towns like West Yellowstone or Mammoth Hot Springs (which is accessible by private vehicle year-round via the North Entrance).
The weather is cold with daytime temperatures between 0-20f.
You need proper, layered, waterproof and warm winter clothing is essential.
Spring:
Spring is a very short season in Yellowstone, practically in May and early June.
Some roads start to get open during end of April
Crowds are minimal, especially in April and May, making for a quiet visit.
Weather is unpredictable, with the potential for warm, pleasant days mixed with snow, rain, and freezing temperatures.
Additional related Blogs:
- Yellowstone National Park - How to Plan Your Perfect 3–6 Day Visit
- Yellowstone - Old Faithful
- Yellowstone - Midway Geyser Basin and Grand Prismatic Spring
- Yellowstone - Fairy Falls Hike
- Yellowstone - Norris Geyser Basin
- Yellowstone - Ice Lake Hike
- Yellowstone - Yellowstone Upper and Lower Falls Viewing Points
- Yellowstone - Yellowstone Canyon Falls South Rim Loop Hike
- Yellowstone - Yellowstone Canyon Falls North Rim Visit
- Yellowstone - Mammoth
- Yellowstone - Osprey Falls Hike
- Yellowstone - Lamar Valley
- Yellowstone - Hayden Valley
- Yellowstone - Mud Volcano
- Yellowstone - West Thumb Geyser Basin
- Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak Hike
- Yellowstone - South Park Entrance Road
- Yellowstone - Mount Washburn Hike
Tips and inputs:
Due note 1:
A large parking lot is available at the trailhead.
Due note 2:
Restrooms are available in the parking lot trailhead, no other facilities here.
Due note 3:
Nearby Services is located at Fishing Bridge, just a short drive west.
You can find there extensive services, including a Visitor Center, lodging, a campground, restaurants, general stores, and a gas station.
Due note 4:
Dress in Layers: Yellowstone's weather can change quickly even during the summer months. Be prepared for sun, rain, and cold temperatures.
Due note 5:
Most sections of the trail along the boardwalk are exposed to the sun so bring a hat, use sunscreen and use sunglasses.
Due note 6:
This is a long hike so bring at least 2-3 liters of water with you.
Bring snacks and light food to the hike.
Due note 7:
Carry bear spray, know how to use it, and hike in groups while making noise (calling out "Hey Bear!" occasionally) to alert wildlife to your presence.
Remember to maintain a safe and legal distance from all wildlife: 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yards from all other animals, including the bighorn sheep.
My thoughts:
This hike is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Watching a large Grizzly Bear with relatively close distance, far in the vast Yellowstone wilderness.
I saw bears many times in the past, mainly black bears (in California) but also Grizzly (in Yellowstone, Canada and Alaska). All previous experiences were relatively calm and relaxed and never had such an intense scary experience where the bear was running full speed in my direction.
I think I act as I should do, always at a safe distance away from the bear. When the bear started to run in my direction I shouted loudly making noise, I did not run away, stay put with bear spray ready to react.
Story of the hike - Encountering a Grizzly Bear:
I was driving through the central-eastern part of Yellowstone National Park, on the hunt for wildlife.
I cruised along the roads and stopped at various overlooks, looking for wildlife but didn't see a thing.
At some point I decided to take a hike in the Pelican Valley area, following the trail that leads to Turbid Lake.
The trail is about 4 miles one way to the lake (about 8.5 miles round-trip) and is quite flat, so it looked like a great walk, stretching my legs in a nice hike.
The trail initially winds through a wooded area and then opens up into flat, grassy plains.
I noticed a few other hikers coming back, and one of them told me they'd seen a bear near the lake. Things were starting to get interesting!
The open meadows section was fun but I did not see any animal, not even a bison.
Just before reaching the lake, the path dove into a pretty dense forest where visibility was very limited.
I walked carefully, trying not to round a corner and bump right into a bear.
As I walked, I saw many piles of fresh bear scat right on the trail.
I got closer to the edge of the lake, walking slowly, and the trail opened up to a view of the lake water and the running stream.
There were many dead tree stumps on the lake shore.
At first, I didn't see anything, but after advancing right to the lakeshore, I saw a Grizzly Bear standing right in the water!
My heart started pounding instantly with excitement.
The bear was about 200 meters (650 feet) from me, which is considered a safe distance, relatively speaking. The bear was mostly just standing in the water, looking like it was searching for something.
After a little while, two other hikers showed up. They stayed on the main trail, while I dropped closer to the lakeshore to get a better photo angle, so I didn’t notice them again.
After about 10-20 minutes, the bear started moving around its spot, still in the water. Suddenly, it walked up onto the lake bank and got onto the trail right next to the lake, the one leading in our direction!
Maybe it caught our scent, or maybe something else bothered it.
It disappeared into the trees, and I started scanning the area to find it.
Then, I suddenly saw it running at an incredible speed right toward us. When running, Grizzlies can reach speeds of 40-50 km/h (25-30 mph)!
I shouted at the people up on the trail that the bear was running our way, but they didn't answer.
I kept my eyes glued to it. It flew past another clump of trees, and I saw it barreling straight for us.
Adrenaline flooded my body, insane alertness, a heart rate of 200, and sheer stress.
In a second or two, I ripped the bear spray from my belt and flipped the safety off, holding it in my left hand while trying to continue taking photos.
As it kept running, I yelled (or more accurately, shrieked) "Hey Bear! Hey Bear!" so it would know I was there.
I yelled "Hey Bear" in English because it's stuck in my head from watching so many YouTube videos of people hiking in bear country who say that to avoid surprising a bear.
The bear, which was now quite close, stopped dead in its tracks on the trail.
It paused for a second, deciding what to do.
I yelled again, and then it decided to turn around, head back down the trail, and move away from me.
That whole sequence, the bear coming out of the lake and starting to run, until the moment it turned around, couldn't have been more than 10 seconds. It’s amazing how fast they run. The photos I managed to snap during the run aren't great, but you can see the bear literally airborne as it runs, and you can see its claws!
The bear moved away and went back to the area it was in by the lake.
I went up to check on the two hikers who had been above me, but they were gone, they must have bolted the second they saw the bear running.
I met them later on the way back, and that’s exactly what they’d done; they fled when the bear came up from the lake.
I finally started to calm down but kept watching the bear.
It seemed restless, looking for its next move. It started climbing the slope surrounding the lake but then turned back and disappeared into the trees again.
It looked like the area it wanted to go was right in my direction (where I'd seen all the fresh scat), and I didn't want to challenge it too much, especially being alone.
I decided I’d had enough and started heading back down the trail through the forest with the bear spray unholstered, just in case it decided to follow me.
Once I got out of the forest and into the open fields, I could finally breathe.
From there, it was still about 4 miles of walking back through the open areas to my car.
What a truly special experience!
My only regret is that I didn't manage to get better pictures of the bear but safety first.
When I reached the car, it was about 3 PM, and I had to decide what to do. I had another night booked at a campsite, but I also wanted enough time in Grand Teton. I decided to end my visit to Yellowstone "on a high note" and start driving south.
What an incredible park, full of so many special experiences.
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