As someone mentioned if the elk are not cooperating just wait until you get to the north entrance and there is herd of townies that hang around the lawns of the old barracks and village. They sort of cracked me up as they were completely non pulsed by the people walking by. It was the rut last fall and there is as a large bull there courting the group and it did create a traffic tie up as he chased the cows around in the street. Quite a show.
As to Bears we looked around quite a bit trying to find one to no avail until the end of the the trip and we were walking back from the morning glory hole at the geyser basin at old faithful and I walked right up on a sow and her cub that were wanting to cross the trail . They were probably no more than 20-25 ft off the trail in the tree line. Luckily she was a good sport about it and simply went around and crossed the path about 40 yds behind me but it showed how one can get surprised. I'm glad to have seen one so clearly now but at the time a bit scary as as we were much too close. I also almost had a up close encounter with a buffalo in the parking lot of the lodge. I was walking between two parked tour busses and almost stepped into the path of a buffalo that was just sauntering thru the parking lot. So keep your eye out.
