Yellowstone visitors provoke bison, pay price

by Kraig Becker on

Earlier this week, it was reported by a number of sources, including the National Park Service themselves, that an unnamed woman and her friend were attacked by a bison in Yellowstone National Park. The story was that the pair were passing through a parking lot near Old Faithful when they wandered too close to a bison, who became agitated and attacked, slamming into the woman and sending her soaring end-over-end into the air. The woman and her friend, we were told, were lucky to walk away with minor injuries. But, as often is the case with these kinds of stories, there is more here than meets the eye.

It turns out that the woman in the story is 49-year old Kathy Hayes of Utah, and the man accompanying her was her brother-in-law. The two did indeed come across a bison, as the original tale went, but once the full video was released, it told another side of the story.

As you can see below in the video that comes our way courtesy of CNN, Hayes and her companion did spot a bison in the parking lot, and then proceeded to approach it on their own, getting as close as 10 yards. Park regulations prohibit visitors from coming within 25 yards of bison or elk for obvious reasons. (FYI: Safe distance for a bear or wolf is 100 yards.) While playing the video, watch very closely. On one of the close-ups of the bison, you can see that someone throws a stick at the animal, striking it in the hind quarters, which immediately sends it into an agitated state. The beast then turns on the two humans invading its turf, and the video becomes a mix of the Blair Witch Project meets Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom as Hayes scrambles to get out of the way while still holding the camera, which dutifully goes on recording the proceedings.

After tossing her into the air like a rag doll, the bison does wander off and leaves Hayes and her companion alone. She ended up suffering just some severe bumps and bruises, but is honestly lucky to have come away alive. Her brother-in-law wasn’t quite so lucky however, as he ended up suffering a broken shoulder, as well as injuries to his hand and foot, but as the park service press release stated “He was not injured by the bison.” In other words, he hurt himself while scrambling to get out of the way of the creature he provoked.

Where I come from, that’s known as Karma.

[Photo credit: J. Schmidt]

Travel writer Patricia Schultz and Nature Valley join forces to preserve the parks

by Kraig Becker on

Patricia Schultz, author of the best selling book 1000 Places to See Before You Die, and spokesperson for America’s national parks, has joined forces with Nature Valley in an effort to raise as much as $600,000 for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). This past April, Nature Valley launched the National Parks Project in an effort to fund three unique preservation projects in some of the most iconic parks in the system, and they’re asking consumers to help out in achieving their goals. Better yet, they’re also giving us an opportunity to win one of three trips to to a park later this summer.

Throughout 2010, the NCPA will continue its efforts to protect the national parks for future generations, but three projects are receiving special attention this year. Those projects include reestablishing plant life in the Grand Canyon, freeing Pronghorn migrations in Yellowstone, and rebuilding coral reefs in Biscayne National Park. Each of these projects hopes to reverse the adverse conditions brought on by a lack of proper funding in the past, increased pollution, and global climate change.

Nature Valley has committed itself to helping the NPCA complete these worthy projects and is prepared to donate up to $600,000 to aid the cause. To that end, for every specially marked Nature Valley wrapper that consumers mail to the company between now and August 31st, the company will donate 10 cents to the NPCA. Additionally, we can also make direct donations to the cause as well. More information on both of these options can be found at PreserveTheParks.com.

The promotion doesn’t end there however, as Nature Valley is also giving away three trips to the Grand Canyon later this summer., Check back at PreserveTheParks.com and the company’s Facebook page for a chance to sign-up for the Nature Valley National Parks Project Sweepstakes, and you could win a trip to visit one of the greatest natural wonders on the planet.

When describing the parks Schultz says “In addition to being great vacation destinations, our national parks provide fun and adventurous educational experiences for travelers of all ages.” That’s why many of the parks are featured so prominently in her book, and that is also whey she has partnered with Nature Valley to work to preserve these majestic locations for future generations to visit too.

[Photo credit: Pescaiolo via WikiMedia Commons]

Yellowstone sets new record for visitors in June

by Kraig Becker on

It seems that the sluggish economy isn’t preventing Americans from traveling this summer, at least not to one of our favorite adventure destinations. The National Park Service announced earlier this week that more than 694,000 people visited Yellowstone in June, an increase of 7.9% from last year, and a continuation of a recent trend that has seen travelers flocking to the park.

In 2009, Yellowstone set an attendance record with nearly 3.3 million visitors making the trip to the America’s first national park. But it seems that mark is already in jeopardy in 2010, as every month this year, save May, has seen an increase in traffic. With July and August, the park’s two busiest months, still to come, it seems that the Park Service will have another very successful year on its hands.

With all of the spectacular natural beauty that is found in Yellowstone, it is easy to understand why it is so popular. The park is famous for its amazing mountain vistas, impressive waterfalls, sprawling canyons, and of course its geysers, with Old Faithful being the most famous of all the attractions. Yellowstone is also home to plenty of wildlife ranging from elk and bison to wolves and bear, making it one of the best places in all of North America to watch wild animals.

If you’re still undecided about where you want to travel to this summer, perhaps you’ll add Yellowstone to your itinerary. It’s a classic American destination, and a must see for any traveler.

[Photo credit: Daniel Mayer via Wikimedia Commons]

Photo of the Day (06.21.10)

by Mike Barish on
Youth truly is wasted on the young. When I was a kid, I was thoroughly entertained – for hours! – by simply spinning in circles or making a funny sound. I could kill an evening catching fireflies or jumping from couch to couch while avoiding the “lava” that was the carpet. As an adult, I find myself searching for interesting restaurants, purchasing unnecessary gadgets and generally making my life more complicated than it needs to be. I miss the simplicity of childhood. I also kind of wish I was a bison. I think those two things are related.

This image of a young bison in Yellowstone National Park by Flickr user fiznatty helped be shake off my adult onset ennui and remember just how awesome childhood (and bison life) is. Do you think that if I killed and ate that little guy that I could absorb his life force? Probably not. I think that’s frowned upon anyway. Oh well. I guess I’ll just go look for fireflies.

Have you encountered a boundless spirit during your travels? Did you eat its life force? Upload your photos to our Flickr pool and we might choose one to feature as a Photo of the Day.

All U.S. national parks free next weekend

by Kraig Becker on

While the U.S. celebrates a long, three-day weekend this week, the National Park Service is giving us all something to look forward to next weekend as well. The NPS has announced that it is continuing its very popular free admissions program, and on June 5 and 6, more than 100 parks will throw open their gates and waive the entrance fee to all guests.

The complete list of parks that will be free next weekend can be found by clicking here, and there are certainly some great places to visit on the list, no matter what part of the country you are in. For example, if you’re in California, Yosemite is always a great place to explore, although the crowds might be a bit smaller in Death Valley. Similarly, Yellowstone is an amazing place to visit as well, but it is one of the most popular parks in the system. If you’re in that area, you might find Big Horn Canyon offers more seclusion.

So, while we’re enjoying the Memorial Day holiday this weekend, which generally marks the unofficial start of the summer, it is never too early to start making plans for next weekend as well. With the entry fees waived, there are no excuses to not go outside and play in one of these great parks.

[Photo Credit: The National Park Service]