A Yellowstone visitor, Cindy Shaffer, anticipated how a large bison herd would move and captured them trotting across a bridge toward her. She watched half the herd cross, moved to the other side, and waited to photograph the remainder — producing a dramatic video of the animals passing by. Yellowstone hosts the only continuously present bison population in the U.S., with thousands roaming the park year-round. Visitors should always observe bison from a safe distance.
She Predicted It: Tourist Captures Yellowstone Bison Herd Trotting Across Bridge
A Yellowstone visitor, Cindy Shaffer, anticipated how a large bison herd would move and captured them trotting across a bridge toward her. She watched half the herd cross, moved to the other side, and waited to photograph the remainder — producing a dramatic video of the animals passing by. Yellowstone hosts the only continuously present bison population in the U.S., with thousands roaming the park year-round. Visitors should always observe bison from a safe distance.
01:27 AM, 11/16/2025Environment
Visitor Anticipates and Films a Perfect Yellowstone Moment
Last month at Yellowstone National Park, visitor Cindy Shaffer captured a near-perfect wildlife scene after correctly predicting how a large bison herd would cross a bridge. Shaffer positioned herself at one side of the span because she believed it would produce the photo and video she wanted — and her gamble paid off.
The clip shows dozens of bison running across the bridge toward Shaffer while several cars wait at the far end. Excited in the moment, she can be heard saying:
“Woo-who, they’re going to run right by me. I love this. I came down here because I knew they were going to do this. Oh my goodness, this is amazing. Wow. So glad I came to the other side of the bridge. That was exactly what I was hoping for.”
In a Facebook post, Shaffer added more context: “This was so amazing! I saw a very large herd of bison and pulled in to take photos of them, and then half of the herd crossed over and ran up the hillside. I knew the other half of the herd would eventually do the same, so I drove to the other end of the bridge and sat and waited so I could catch this! I just love when the bison are trotting across the bridges! This was so beautiful.”
About Yellowstone Bison
Bison have lived continuously in Yellowstone National Park since prehistoric times; Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where that continuous presence has occurred. According to the National Park Service, Yellowstone’s bison form the nation’s largest public-land bison population, with thousands roaming relatively freely across the park and into adjoining areas of Montana.
Visitors can often see bison year-round in the Hayden and Lamar valleys. In summer they tend to occupy grasslands; in winter they concentrate in hydrothermal areas and locations such as the Madison River, Blacktail Deer Plateau, Tower, and the Gardiner Basin.
Visitor Tips
Scenes like Shaffer’s are memorable, but bison are wild and unpredictable. The National Park Service advises viewing wildlife from a safe distance and never approaching or attempting to feed wild animals. When filming or photographing, remain in your vehicle or at a safe distance and respect closures or ranger instructions.
Note: This article originally appeared on For The Win as “Yellowstone bison herd crosses bridge just as tourist predicted.”