This is it. The end of our Yellowstone visit. You’ve seen Old Faithful, the bacteria, the springs – now come the buffalo. (Bison. Whatever you feel like calling them.)

As we were driving out of Yellowstone, we got stuck in traffic caused by buffalo in the road. Eventually they moved on to the other lane, and we were able to inch forward before having to stop again. And then, suddenly, there was a buffalo walking down the road right next to the car! I shoved my camera into Mike’s hands and demanded that he take some photos, because he was closer.

They are such astonishing, majestic, ridiculous, and terrifying creatures.

Right there beside us.

They looked much smaller from a distance.

And much scruffier once you can see a bit more of them. Buffalo don’t all have leprosy, right?

And so we left the park. (Disturbing numbers of dead trees still all around.) Plenty more states left to go!