Late summer and fall is a wonderful time to fall in love with Yellowstone all over again.
Now, is the time to see the unusual – a favorite bird sitting on a still pond, a young moose meandering along a stream, or a group of playful of otters jumping on and off a log on the banks of the Yellowstone River. Maybe a frog swimming its way across a pond imitating an Olympic superstar. 
Every turn brings a photo waiting to be taken. Grasses in every shade of green and yellow are replacing summer’s artist palate of blues, reds, and purples.   Rivers take on a new murky indigo color offset by waves of steam sweeping over the surface. Thermals are more noticeable as the cooler temperatures create billowing clouds and highlight soft steamy tendrils from hidden corners.
Old Faithful has a whole different look surrounded by reddish brown vegetation and golden grasses. Cooler temperatures produce an abundance of steam along the traditional waterworks. This is a time to walk the boardwalks, sometimes with just a grazing bison for company.
The ungulates (elk, moose, antelope and other grazers) are easy to spot along the riverbanks and on the sides of hills. Heads down and unflinchingly focused on gorging themselves, the bison wade back and forth across rivers looking for the best grasses of the season. With large bellies almost touching the ground, they waddle down roads at a slow pace heading to the next hummock. Their coats are becoming heavier and darker, thick fur readying against the coming winter.
While the bison rut can begin as early as mid-July, the real show is in August in Hayden Valley. Thousands of bison gather for the annual mating here. Bulls communicate and dominate by a series of sounds that range from snorts and grunts to all-out bellows. Researchers have found that these roars can be heard nearly 3 miles away.
Their guttural rumblings resonant across Hayden Valley. If you pull over next to a herd and shut off your engine, you can hear the most amazing combinations of snort and sneezing, roars and bellows, and what sound like the loudest and longest belches you’ve ever heard!
In addition to the confrontational bellowing, there is a great deal of competitive wallowing.  Bison of both sexes wallow (roll on the ground from side to side) to remove parasites from the fur, especially in areas like Hayden Valley. In places where there are no existing dirt pits, bison will paw at the ground to create one.
Bulls will also horn trees, uprooting small ones, in a display of power. Watch for the bull’s tail too. A bulls’ tail is also a good indicator of behavior. A tail held up high in a “question mark” signals challenge and threat.
For most of the year, bison slowly trod and graze throughout the park unless being chased by a predator. However, during August, you can frequently see bison running in groups for short distances. Until you see it, it is hard to believe that America’s largest land mammal is capable of such agility as speeds up to 30-35 mph.
It’s also fun to just sit back, watch and listen to an elk herd this time of year. The cooler weather and newfound independence have this year’s crop of calves in constant motion.
You can even hear the quiet chirps and calls from an elk cow bringing their wayward offspring back into the herd. By early September, the elk will begin their mating season throughout Yellowstone country.
It seems that every day begins and ends with a spectacular photograph this time of year. It can be a rosy sun fighting through the early morning steam or the purplish haze of mountains against a setting one.  Even storms bring a harmony of colors. Bruised clouds against a backdrop of darker hills and short bursts of rain drifting down into the evergreens create a magical imprint in the mind.
There are many special August events and activities taking place around Yellowstone Park this year. Combine your Yellowstone trip with one of these for an even more memorable day or weekend! Here is just a sampling:
•    July 31st - August 9th 2009: 4th Annual Smoking Waters Mountain Man Rendezvous:  Living History and Trader’s Row are the core of this opportunity to experience the West and its people. Demonstrations of carding and spinning wool, making butter and leather working; Seminars on Native American Culture and the Fur Trade Era; Entertainment and Competitions such as Cowboy Poetry, Storytelling, Black Powder Shoot, Knife and Tomahawk Throws are all part of the ten day mix. The encampment will be set up on the West side of West Yellowstone, MT. (406) 646-7215.
•    August 7 - 9, 2009: 39th Annual Yellowstone Rod Run:  Street Rod Heaven. Food, frolic, parade, showin' and shinin' and cruisin'. A parade through West Yellowstone and then trip through the Park. Stop by the City Park for the car show on Saturday and Sunday. (406) 646-9759.
•    Weekends in August: Wild West Yellowstone RODEO: Born in the past to ease the cowboys’ boredom, today’s rodeos are pure excitement!  Bareback Riding, Team Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Breakaway Roping and Bull Riding are just some of the scheduled events.  Performances are at 8:00 pm each night and will be held at the Rodeo arena just 4 miles west of town.  Join the fun! (406) 560-6913
•    August 14 - 17, 2009: 50th Anniversary of the Hebgen Lake Earthquake: Many of you remember that August night in 1959 when one of the most powerful earthquakes was ever recorded in Montana. The proposed schedule of events include: Geologic Guest Speakers, Survivor Talks and Guided Walks. Open House for 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake Survivors, rescue workers and families. Smokejumper Program and tales. Memorial Service. Events will be held in the West Yellowstone, Earth Quake Lake Visitor Center along the Madison River Canyon Earthquake Area. (406) 823-6965
•    August 15-16, 2009: Yellowstone National Park Free Entry: The National Park Service will offer fee-free weekend. Everyone is encouraged to visit one of our nation's crown jewels this summer and especially take advantage of the free-admission weekend.
•    August 22, 2009: 2nd Annual Trout Cook-Off: Kirkwood Resort & Marina will host their 2nd Annual Trout Cook-Off.  Top prize is $150. Come for the day to enjoy some local beer, music by Slackjaw, fly casting advice and instructions by Jacklin's Fly Shop. (406) 646-7200.
•    August 28 & 29, 2009 - West Yellowstone Regional Art Show & Auction:  Thirty-two local and regional artists display and sell their artwork at this annual art show held in conjunction with the final viewing and auction of the Painted Buffalo Herd. 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, Hayden Hall, Holiday Inn Conference Center. Don't miss the Friday night reception to meet the artists. The herd will be displayed for viewing and silent bids on August 28th and 29th in conjunction with the annual West Yellowstone Regional Art Show in adjoining Hayden Hall. Other events include a pancake breakfast and a raffle drawing for one of the painted calves on Saturday evening, August 29th. For more information on upcoming Buffalo events and auction visit: www.wyed.org