https://youtu.be/0LUK_37Ce2U
Last September we visited Slough Creek in Yellowstone National Park! We hiked into Slough Creek to explore and see what it really looks like, so we can make the new Slough Creek map in WolfQuest 3: Anniversary Edition as accurate and realistic as possible. Although the autumn colors don’t match what we need in the game, which takes place in springtime, we learned a great deal about the look and feel of the place, and especially the kinds of rocks and grasses that are found throughout the area. Not surprisingly, there is nothing like really being there!
The current game map is a three kilometer hike from the trailhead. We headed first for Little Butte — your spawning point in the game. For those of you new to the game or returning after a long absence, Slough Creek is where you choose a den and raise your pups. This area is called the First Meadow, and yes, that means there’s a Second Meadow further upstream. We were hoping to reach it, but we had such a great time exploring First Meadow that we barely got beyond the edge of the current game map before it was time to head back. There are some enticing features further up, such as McBride Lake, which is just beyond the current game map, upslope from the Aspen Heights den.
Slough Creek is one our favorite places in Yellowstone, and perhaps the world. Wildlife abounds! We were thrilled to see black bear and mule deer families as well as signs of beaver, elk, badgers, and oh so many bison prints. We can see why one of the early wolf packs chose the area for their den site. In fact, more than one wolf pack has denned in this area since the 1996 reintroduction, and with the larger map, we’ll create more dens for you to choose from.
This video is the next installment in our WolfQuest Goes to Yellowstone videos from our research trip last September. If you missed the previous videos from our Yellowstone trip, check them out now!
WolfQuest Goes to Yellowstone: Part One
WolfQuest Goes to Yellowstone: Amethyst Mountain