The sport in Yellowstone seems to be tagging wildlide by photo. A bear! Elk! Sleeping Bison! All within a few yards of the road, which is lined with cars, winnebagos, and tourists with cameras trying to get as close as stupidly possible. You're driving along and there are cars parked by side (or even blocking the road) What do they see?!? What is it?!? Is it a bear?!? On the short detour to see the Petrified tree, 20 cars blocked the narrow road, with people walking up to the center with cameras. Its like you're going to the fair and there's not enough parking so they park up the road and walk in. So what do I do? We eventually drive squeezing past, and I take a picture through the window. I am so ashamed.
That seems tone the dilemma of this park. Should it be wild? Or should this wilderness experience be a "park" belong to the people, accessable by short paved easy path. There are even "villages" of Disneyworld-like stores and convenience foods. I feel it has been loved to death.
Yet, just a day ago two hikers were just a mile or so into the park on an established path, (which only 2% of visitors seem to go beyond 1/3 mile it seems.) They saw a mama grizzly bear with 3 cubs, ignored the danger, (its her territory!) and blithley continued. The two hikers were mauled, killing one, the first fatality by a bear in the park since 1984. The rangers decided mama just being a bear, protecting her cubs, so they closed the trail and area, and are letting her be.
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