Page 17 - Breath of the Bear

sheep. There are countless trails to explore in the ecosystems lie cougars, black bears and
the 34,375 square miles of one of the largest grizzlies, mountain beavers and snowshoe
nearly intact temperate-zone ecosystems on hares. The summer months of June through
earth. Visit Yellowstone National Park and be September are the busiest times of the year
safe by adhering to the Park Service’s signs and wilderness campgrounds fill up fast.
that say stay on the trail. They are there for
your safety as this is an active thermal site and Oregon
what looks like a solid crust you can walk on There are no brown bears in Oregon so
actually disguises a dangerous hot spring that if you see a bear it is a black bear no matter
will kill you if you fall in. Also beware of young the color. The black bear species is quite
animals such as bison or bears. Often the healthy and numbers between 25,000-30,000
mother is nearby foraging for food and you do in the state. They mainly make their home in
the animal a great disservice by thinking it is forested areas and wetlands, and open forest
abandoned and hauling it to a ranger station. areas provide the bears with their main food
Appreciate the animals from a distance, look source.
with your eyes not with your hands and keep
Yellowstone pristine for many generations. Valley of the Rogue River State Park
Oregon’s Rogue River in the southwest
Washington corner of the state is famous for its raging
North Cascade National Park rapids and the stunning scenery. One can
“The North Cascades are Calling!” says the fish for chinook and coho salmon as well as
National Park Service website. Two hours from steelhead and rainbow trout.
Seattle beckons an alpine landscaped forest
carpeted with over 300 lakes and ponds. Idaho
Thousands of miles of rivers and streams Boise National Forest
contribute to the biodiversity of this area. The vast landscape of Boise National Forest
There are eight distinctive life zones from the spans over 2.5 million acres of forest and
lowland forests and wetlands to the alpine grassland. Located northeast of Idaho’s capitol
peaks and glaciers that are calling you to of Boise, outdoor enthusiasts can explore
come and visit. everything from canyon floors to the 10,000-
foot peak of Trinity Mountain. There are over
Olympic National Park 500 trails and 250 lakes to cool yourself in
At over a million acres, this park has several after a long summer hike. Deer, elk, mountain
different ecosystems, including old-growth goats, mountain lions and black bears can be
temperate rainforests and over 70 miles of found in this national park.
untamed coastline. Between the extremes of

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