As traffic slowed to a halt we stuck our heads out of the windows to see what could have caused a traffic jam on the East Entrance Road at Yellowstone Park. Eventually, we glimpsed a dark brown mass milling about on the road. It was a herd of bison. Their gigantic 2,000 lb bodies grouped together blocked both directions of traffic as they plodded along. Unable to drive forward or backward, we pulled out our cameras, and from the relative safety of the car we nervously shot a few photos of these majestic but fearsome animals as they passed us by. If I had either the courage or the stupidity (and had not been prohibited) I could have reached through the window and touched one of those woolly brown bodies. As we learned from the official Yellowstone Park guide, Bison petting is strictly forbidden. Every year, tourists who venture too close to the bison at Yellowstone Park are gored by these creatures that—despite their heavy bodies and seemingly placid movements—can move up to 30 miles an hour. The Yellowstone Park guides strongly caution visitors not to approach wildlife within proximity of 25 yards.

Yellowstone Park is the home of innumerable geysers, pools of boiling mud and rainbow-coloured hot springs. Every year millions of tourists flock to see Old Faithful regularly spew steaming hot water hundreds of feet into the air. With two-thirds of the world's geysers, Yellowstone Park is literally a hotbed of geothermal activity. In addition to its geothermal wonders, Yellowstone Park is also home to the greatest concentration of mammal wildlife in the lower forty-eight states. Fortunately, we were not in such a rush to get to the next geyser that we missed the sight of beautiful tawny elk grazing in golden fields of grass as pine-covered mountains loomed in the background. And while we were not treated to a personal encounter with a grizzly bear, or stalked by a gray wolf, we did see numerous little foxes trotting around Yellowstone Park unconcerned by the tourists staring at them.

Yellowstone Park is one of the most successful wildlife refuges in the world. Sixty-seven different mammal species live in the Yellowstone Park including the gray wolf, which was almost eliminated in the early 1900s but has since been successfully reintroduced back into the Park. There are currently at least 124 wolves in Yellowstone Park. Yellowstone Park is also the only place in the contiguous forty-eight states where bison have lived since prehistoric times, and it is a refuge for about 250 bighorn sheep which were hunted down to a few hundred in the U.S. during the early 1900s. Visitors to Yellowstone Park may even get the rare opportunity to see the almost mythical (so rare as they have become) lynx and wolverine.

Although encounters with Yellowstone's wildlife can often be a matter of luck, you may have a better chance of seeing animals in the early morning or evening when they are feeding. Viewing Yellowstone Park wildlife must be done from a distance, and it is illegal to willfully approach or remain near wildlife within a proximity that disturbs or displaces the animal. Tourists must not venture closer to bears than within 100 yards; and within 25 yards to other wildlife. Nevertheless, for the visitor armed with a pair of binoculars, there are ample opportunities to view the famous diversity of Yellowstone Park's wildlife.

Driving is the best way to get to and around Yellowstone Park. A beautiful scenic route to get there is by entering through Buffalo Bill State Park on the East, and exit through the Grand Tetons to the South (or vice versa). Check road and weather reports beforehand as during the winter months some roads, entrances and Park areas are closed seasonally due to ice, snow and inclement weather conditions.

Accommodation can be found inside Yellowstone Park and ranges from campsites to cabins and luxury suites. Budget travellers may find better priced accommodation in the town of West Yellowstone, near the West entrance to the park.

The best time of year to visit Yellowstone Park is between May - October, with peak months for heavy tourist traffic being June, July and August. Visiting in the spring or early fall are best bets for amazing scenery and less crowded viewing.

For passenger vehicles, a US$25 entrance permit offers 7-day admission to the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. If you are a frequent visitor of National Parks in the U.S., the US$80 annual National Parks Pass is good value.

Be prepared for all weather, especially if hiking or trekking, as conditions in Yellowstone Park can change quickly.