Lamar Valley

Lamar Valley earns its reputation as America's Serengeti by delivering some of the most accessible wildlife photography in North America, with wide open sagebrush flats and rolling hills that let you spot and frame animals without dense tree cover blocking your shots. A long telephoto lens, 500mm or longer, is essential here since wolves, bears, and bison often work the valley floor at a distance. Pull off at any of the numerous roadside pullouts along the Lamar Valley Road and scan the hillsides and river corridor methodically. Early morning is the prime window, when golden light rakes across the valley and predators are most active; the hour after sunrise regularly produces wolf sightings near the river. Keep your car engine off, your window mount or beanbag ready, and watch what other photographers with spotting scopes are tracking because local wolf watchers are generous with information. (Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States)