Hayden Valley

Hayden Valley. Where the Buffalo Roam. , The American bison (Bison bison) symbolizes the spirit of the West. Few other animals inspire such awe and reverence. Hayden Valley, with its broad expanse of grasses and sedges, has been a home to bison for thousands of years. Nearly driven to extinction in the 1800s by homesteaders, hunters, and the United States government, bison thrive here today. Protected in Yellowstone, they stand as an imposing icon of American conservation., Rhythms of Life , Bison are born in Hayden Valley . They live and die here. While three seasons are sublime, only the strongest, furriest, and fattest bison can survive a bitter Hayden winter. Instinct guides them every year to decide whether to stay in the valley or migrate to lower elevations in search of food. Bison that migrate will head home to Hayden in spring to begin the cycle anew., Though wolves prey upon Hayden Valley bison, their greatest enemy is weather. The bison tread traditional migration routes to seek food during harsh winters. Most of them head toward Yellowstone’s west boundary, but a quarter of the adult bison herd migrates north to the Northern Range.