Yellowstone Campers Get Unexpected Visit From Hundreds Of Bison: WATCH
You can pack bear spray, hang your food and prep for anything — except a full-blown bison stampede.
For some people, the whole concept of camping seems like a nightmare: sleeping on the ground, no electricity, no HVAC, eating freeze-dried food out of bags. But for those of us who love roughing it, the real fear isn’t bad coffee… it’s bears.
Or wolves. Or mountain lions. Or really any dangerous wildlife that could sneak up on you while you're obliviously snoozing in your polyester house.
But for one group of Yellowstone campers, the threat wasn’t a single predator — it was a stampede.
While camping at Slough Creek, a backcountry campground known for incredible wildlife viewing, a group of hikers were caught completely off guard when a herd of more than 300 bison rolled right into their site.
"We were in the tents playing cards, while a light shower passed through, when we started to hear bellowing and snorting," the group later shared on Facebook. "We quickly got out to see the herd was heading our way. Our tents were surrounded for almost 2 hours before they finally moved on."
The campers wisely evacuated their tents and watched from a safe distance as dust kicked up, and the massive animals wallowed just feet from their gear. Miraculously, the tents survived the encounter.
"No damage was done, but there were 2 new wallows within 15 feet on either side of one tent," they wrote. "Everyone we met on the trail asked us if we were worried about bears, and I have to say, the bears were the last thing on my mind on this trek."
The video was originally posted in 2021 and recently resurfaced. But it’s a timeless reminder that when you’re in the wild, you’re in their home.
(Getty Images)
And encounters like this aren't uncommon.
Yellowstone is home to the largest free-roaming bison herd in North America, with more than 5,000 wild bison roaming freely in the national park. But just because they're everywhere, doesn't mean you should get anywhere close to them.
WATCH: Let's All Laugh At This Moron Being Charged By A Bison At Yellowstone
According to the National Park Service, bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal. They’re unpredictable, they can run three times faster than humans, and they won't hesitate to gore you if you get too close. Visitors are told to stay at least 25 yards away at all times.
Yes, even when you're mid-card game and a few hundred bison decide to invite themselves over.
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