WEBVTT 00:00:00.110 --> 00:00:03.029 From Yellowstone National Park where both black 00:00:03.029 --> 00:00:05.230 bears and grizzly bears have been spotted over 00:00:05.230 --> 00:00:07.830 the last couple of days This is that Scott guy 00:00:07.830 --> 00:00:10.150 you know in love with a brand new episode of 00:00:10.150 --> 00:00:23.199 this week in Yellowstone What's up everybody, 00:00:23.339 --> 00:00:25.719 this week in Yellowstone National Park from April 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:29.859 2nd to April 8th, 2026, I try to convince you 00:00:29.859 --> 00:00:32.539 to find dead things, tell you about an app to 00:00:32.539 --> 00:00:34.560 download that will make your park experience 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:38.280 even better, tell you about Cook City, and highlight 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:41.579 a unique seasonal walk on a closed road. I'll 00:00:41.579 --> 00:00:43.399 also give you the complete weather forecast, 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:46.579 the snowpack update, the wildlife report, and 00:00:46.579 --> 00:00:48.259 everything else you need to have an incredible 00:00:48.259 --> 00:00:52.270 time, this week in Yellowstone. Standard disclaimer, 00:00:52.770 --> 00:00:54.869 I'm going to miss a few details here and there, 00:00:55.049 --> 00:00:56.869 so if there's something you want to know more 00:00:56.869 --> 00:01:00.009 about, reach out to me. I also mention park locations 00:01:00.009 --> 00:01:03.049 very casually, so if you're unfamiliar with a 00:01:03.049 --> 00:01:05.349 place I'm mentioning, a quick search online can 00:01:05.349 --> 00:01:08.590 help, or again, just contact me. Please know 00:01:08.590 --> 00:01:11.409 that this report only covers the drivable areas 00:01:11.409 --> 00:01:14.989 of the park. Finally in this intro, this podcast 00:01:14.989 --> 00:01:17.689 is a passion project of mine. I do not get paid, 00:01:17.750 --> 00:01:20.700 I have no sponsors, so if you enjoy it, I'd love 00:01:20.700 --> 00:01:22.980 a review or a quick email. If you want to support 00:01:22.980 --> 00:01:24.959 my work further, you can check out my hiking 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:27.620 and wildlife watching guidebooks, or join me 00:01:27.620 --> 00:01:30.219 for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's backcountry. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:33.459 For more information, visit outdoor -society 00:01:33.459 --> 00:01:36.719 .com or contact me directly. Seriously though, 00:01:37.180 --> 00:01:38.859 if you're coming to the park, you want to book 00:01:38.859 --> 00:01:41.900 a trail tour with me. This week's Yellowstone 00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:44.379 news. So there's not really any news going on 00:01:44.379 --> 00:01:47.579 in the park right now. There's... been some snow 00:01:47.579 --> 00:01:49.980 that's fallen. That's exciting. There's bears 00:01:49.980 --> 00:01:51.700 out. I'm going to talk about that in the wildlife 00:01:51.700 --> 00:01:54.959 report. So I'm just going to skip on to the next 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:58.659 section because no news is good news. So let's 00:01:58.659 --> 00:02:02.540 get to the experience of the week. My experience 00:02:02.540 --> 00:02:05.439 of the week is wildlife watching at carcasses 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:08.699 and kill sites. So if you're in Yellowstone National 00:02:08.699 --> 00:02:11.219 Park right now, one of the most compelling wildlife 00:02:11.219 --> 00:02:13.979 experiences that's going on and will continue 00:02:13.979 --> 00:02:16.659 to go on, it has all winter and it's going to 00:02:16.659 --> 00:02:18.560 go through the summer, but I'm talking about 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:21.139 it now because it's really a good time for it, 00:02:21.300 --> 00:02:25.000 and that is an experience that's centered around 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:28.599 carcasses. This is when wolves, newly emerged 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:33.099 bears, scavenger birds, coyotes, All of these 00:02:33.099 --> 00:02:36.080 converge, creating some of the most dynamic wildlife 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:39.460 viewing of the year. Wolves are often the starting 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:42.300 point for excitement on carcasses. That's what 00:02:42.300 --> 00:02:46.240 everybody loves. A single kill can hold a pack's 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:49.199 attention for days, giving wildlife watchers 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:51.740 plenty of opportunities to see some really cool 00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:54.180 behavior. According to the National Park Service 00:02:54.180 --> 00:02:57.099 in Yellowstone's Wolf Project, wolves can consume 00:02:57.099 --> 00:03:00.240 large quantities of animals all at once, sometimes 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:03.699 up to 15 % of their body weight in a single feeding 00:03:03.699 --> 00:03:07.639 before returning repeatedly to a carcass. That 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:10.340 repeated use makes these sites reliable places 00:03:10.340 --> 00:03:14.060 to observe their behavior over time. Bears are 00:03:14.060 --> 00:03:16.819 also entering the picture in a major way. Early 00:03:16.819 --> 00:03:19.219 April lines up closely with emergency grizzly 00:03:19.219 --> 00:03:21.780 bears from their dens, especially adult males, 00:03:22.139 --> 00:03:25.219 often referred to as boars. These larger males 00:03:25.219 --> 00:03:27.159 are typically among the first bears to come out 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:30.800 of their dens. After months without eating, they're 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:34.860 in significant caloric deficit. Research, cited 00:03:34.860 --> 00:03:37.719 by the National Park Service, shows that grizzly 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:40.479 bears can lose 10 to 30 percent of their body 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:43.400 weight during their time in the dens, and that 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:45.780 depends on their age, the sex, and the conditions 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:48.979 of how they were before. For a large boar, that 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:52.860 can easily mean around 100 pounds are lost over 00:03:52.860 --> 00:03:55.960 the winter. Because of that, carcasses become 00:03:55.960 --> 00:03:59.060 one of the most important early season food sources. 00:03:59.580 --> 00:04:02.639 They provide high calorie nutrition without the 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:05.419 energy of hunting. It's common for grizzlies 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:08.360 to take over a carcass from wolves, and studies 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:10.680 have shown that bears frequently dominate these 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:13.099 encounters, displacing wolves and controlling 00:04:13.099 --> 00:04:16.259 access to the food source. Watching this interaction 00:04:16.259 --> 00:04:19.540 unfold is one of the more intense wildlife experiences 00:04:19.540 --> 00:04:23.240 available in Yellowstone right now. Above the 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:26.540 ground level action, scavenger birds are constant. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:29.500 Ravens are usually first, and same with magpies, 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:32.220 often arriving quickly and staying in groups 00:04:32.220 --> 00:04:35.000 around the carcass. Bald eagles and golden eagles 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:38.339 follow, and then it's just a free -for -all. 00:04:38.500 --> 00:04:40.800 These birds depend heavily on carcasses in the 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:43.680 early spring, especially before insect and plant 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:47.819 food sources become widely available. Ravens, 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:50.100 in particular, are closely linked to wolf activity 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:52.740 because they rely on wolves to open carcasses 00:04:52.740 --> 00:04:55.740 they cannot access on their own. Now, if you're 00:04:55.740 --> 00:04:58.120 trying to locate one of these sites, there's 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:01.259 a few things you can do. Obviously, you can go 00:05:01.259 --> 00:05:03.079 to where all the cars are, right? That's the 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:05.920 easiest. But if you're there early and you see 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:08.680 circling birds like clusters of ravens and trees, 00:05:09.060 --> 00:05:11.339 you hear a lot of birds when you're at a pullout, 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:14.540 or, you know, you hear wolf howls nearby, that's 00:05:14.540 --> 00:05:17.660 a good indicator. If you do see a carcass and 00:05:17.660 --> 00:05:20.160 you're watching one, know that there is an important 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:23.000 management component. When carcasses are too 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:25.420 close to roads, Yellowstone staff may actually 00:05:25.420 --> 00:05:28.560 move them short distances away. This is not uncommon. 00:05:29.939 --> 00:05:32.220 something that I tell people they don't really 00:05:32.220 --> 00:05:34.759 believe me but sometimes there's carcasses in 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:37.180 the winter and they will get drug out further 00:05:37.180 --> 00:05:39.720 so animals can eat them or they'll get taken 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:42.220 to animal carcass sites which I'll talk about 00:05:42.220 --> 00:05:44.519 later this year if I remember or you can just 00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:46.420 reach out to me and I'll talk your ear off about 00:05:46.420 --> 00:05:50.480 it it's great fun by helping move these carcasses 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:54.350 and everything The park reduces the risk of dangerous 00:05:54.350 --> 00:05:56.730 wildlife jams and prevents bears and wolves from 00:05:56.730 --> 00:05:59.009 becoming too accustomed to feeding near people. 00:05:59.370 --> 00:06:01.170 Especially if they're crossing the road a lot, 00:06:01.470 --> 00:06:02.810 you're going to see a lot of closures. You're 00:06:02.810 --> 00:06:05.189 going to see some park management out there controlling 00:06:05.189 --> 00:06:08.230 the situation. So the reason I'm mentioning this 00:06:08.230 --> 00:06:11.230 is because right now carcasses are where much 00:06:11.230 --> 00:06:14.110 of the best wildlife watching action is. Wolves 00:06:14.110 --> 00:06:16.069 are feeding on them. There's grizzlies that are 00:06:16.069 --> 00:06:18.910 coming down for them that are just gorging themselves. 00:06:19.310 --> 00:06:21.610 There's birds working every opportunity around 00:06:21.610 --> 00:06:24.790 those animals. So if you come across a carcass, 00:06:25.050 --> 00:06:28.490 pull out and pull out. Enjoy it. Take your time 00:06:28.490 --> 00:06:30.810 watching it and just remember to keep your distance. 00:06:31.370 --> 00:06:34.290 The park requires, as you know, at least 100 00:06:34.290 --> 00:06:37.509 yards from bears and wolves. And please know 00:06:37.509 --> 00:06:39.930 that this is super important, not just for your 00:06:39.930 --> 00:06:43.750 safety, but these carcasses are high energy competitive 00:06:43.750 --> 00:06:46.410 situations and animals will defend what they've 00:06:46.410 --> 00:06:49.810 found. Because of this limit your noise and movement 00:06:49.810 --> 00:06:52.470 as best you can don't go from pull out to pull 00:06:52.470 --> 00:06:55.850 out chasing them You know as they move give them 00:06:55.850 --> 00:06:58.110 a break and do your part to help them stay as 00:06:58.110 --> 00:07:01.949 calm as possible and as natural as you can be 00:07:01.949 --> 00:07:04.470 So that way you can enjoy it and the animals 00:07:04.470 --> 00:07:07.250 aren't being stressed and that way everything 00:07:07.250 --> 00:07:09.629 is getting what they need without us interfering 00:07:09.629 --> 00:07:12.709 More than we obviously interfere by being there 00:07:12.709 --> 00:07:17.720 my tip of the week get the Merlin app That's 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:20.019 the Merlin app, nothing to do with wizards based 00:07:20.019 --> 00:07:22.500 on birds. So if you're headed into Yellowstone 00:07:22.500 --> 00:07:25.100 National Park, there's one simple thing you can 00:07:25.100 --> 00:07:27.939 do ahead of time that can completely change how 00:07:27.939 --> 00:07:30.759 you experience Yellowstone. That is download 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:34.740 the Merlin Bird ID app. At first, it might sound 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:37.579 like something meant only for serious birders. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:41.160 Or people interested in being considered serious 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:44.379 birders. And it's not. Merlin is built for anyone 00:07:44.379 --> 00:07:47.000 and everyone, whether you've never identified 00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:50.199 a bird in your life, or you already know a few 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:52.899 birds. It's easy to use, and more importantly, 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:55.139 it helps you notice things you'd otherwise miss. 00:07:55.579 --> 00:07:58.120 Having the Merlin app in the park will help transform 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:00.899 quiet moments of sitting by rivers or at pullouts 00:08:00.899 --> 00:08:03.560 into a fuller experience, bringing the park to 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:06.939 life even more. The feature most people end up 00:08:06.939 --> 00:08:10.180 loving is Sound ID. You just open the app, hit 00:08:10.180 --> 00:08:12.579 record, and it starts listening to the world 00:08:12.579 --> 00:08:15.800 around you. As birds call, the app identifies 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:18.500 them in real time. In a place like Yellowstone, 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:20.800 where there's constant background sounds in the 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.160 forest, along rivers, and across open valleys, 00:08:23.740 --> 00:08:26.939 this can completely shift your experience. What 00:08:26.939 --> 00:08:29.600 used to feel like general bird noise suddenly 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:33.139 becomes specific and recognizable. Now, just 00:08:33.139 --> 00:08:35.980 to be clear, I'm not getting paid to tell you 00:08:35.980 --> 00:08:38.679 to use this app. I love this app. I use it in 00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:41.299 my yard. I use it when I go to the river. I use 00:08:41.299 --> 00:08:43.460 it all the time. I went hiking last weekend in 00:08:43.460 --> 00:08:45.879 the park and I just had it on trying to figure 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:47.759 out what birds were around me. I love this app 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.639 and I think you will too. So the app is developed 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:53.340 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which is one 00:08:53.340 --> 00:08:55.980 of the leading bird research organizations out 00:08:55.980 --> 00:08:59.669 there. Merlin pulls from a huge database of recordings 00:08:59.669 --> 00:09:02.429 and observations, including data from eBird. 00:09:02.710 --> 00:09:04.970 So it's not just guessing, it's built on real 00:09:04.970 --> 00:09:07.970 science and continues to improve over time. When 00:09:07.970 --> 00:09:10.889 I first got this app, it was fine. Now it's pretty 00:09:10.889 --> 00:09:15.070 amazing. If you're visiting in April, the Merlin 00:09:15.070 --> 00:09:18.009 app becomes even more useful. Yellowstone is 00:09:18.009 --> 00:09:20.190 really starting to chirp with bird activity this 00:09:20.190 --> 00:09:22.389 time of year. You might hear osprey returning, 00:09:22.730 --> 00:09:25.269 sandhill cranes, western meadowlarks, bluebirds, 00:09:25.889 --> 00:09:30.350 bald eagles, songbirds, who knows? Merlin doesn't 00:09:30.350 --> 00:09:32.710 just tell you what you're hearing, it helps you 00:09:32.710 --> 00:09:35.370 start to understand patterns. There's birds now 00:09:35.370 --> 00:09:37.720 that I didn't know what they were, but I hear 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:39.559 them because I've looked them up so much and 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:41.620 I've like recorded and seen when it pops up and 00:09:41.620 --> 00:09:43.919 tells me that now I just know what it is. I don't 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:45.700 need to look at the app. And that's a really 00:09:45.700 --> 00:09:48.440 fun thing to do. I mean, yes, it means that, 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:50.860 you know, I'm a birder, but I grew up a birder. 00:09:51.139 --> 00:09:52.980 I don't know if anybody else did, but I'm going 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:56.460 to go off on a slight tangent here. When I was 00:09:56.460 --> 00:09:59.980 a kid, I lived up by the sketch of flats of Washington 00:09:59.980 --> 00:10:02.820 State. and up there in the winter there's tons 00:10:02.820 --> 00:10:05.659 of snow geese, there's snowy owls, there's all 00:10:05.659 --> 00:10:08.879 sorts of birds that come through. And so every 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:11.159 weekend my parents would load my sister and I 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:13.879 up in the car and we would drive around looking 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:16.139 through binoculars at fields hoping to see a 00:10:16.139 --> 00:10:21.080 snowy owl. I have looked at so many white buckets, 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:26.440 bags, any other white lumpy shaped thing in a 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:29.440 field around Bellingham Washington. I have probably 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:32.539 seen every bucket in Whatcom County at this point, 00:10:32.679 --> 00:10:36.720 or I did when I was little, you know, but that's 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:40.519 where I got started birding and I hated it. Honestly, 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:43.639 it was not fun, but having that core experience 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:46.820 has made the park more enjoyable for me now. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:49.960 And if you have kids or you're just wanting to 00:10:49.960 --> 00:10:52.360 bird, the Merlin app is definitely something 00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:55.419 that you are going to love and it's going to 00:10:55.419 --> 00:10:59.759 make everything so much more fun. One thing that 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:01.960 makes Merlin especially useful in Yellowstone 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:05.720 is that it works offline. And you can just hit 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:07.899 that record button and it tells you everything. 00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:11.299 So when you're hiking, if you're at a pullout, 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:13.200 you can just listen to the birds and figure out 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:16.389 what you hear. And that's really fun. It also 00:11:16.389 --> 00:11:19.690 helps you slow down. It's really easy when you're 00:11:19.690 --> 00:11:22.309 in Yellowstone to focus on these big experiences. 00:11:22.750 --> 00:11:25.789 Going to these must -see places, or seeing the 00:11:25.789 --> 00:11:27.850 bears, seeing the wolves, you know, making sure 00:11:27.850 --> 00:11:31.929 you see the bison, all of these things. But with 00:11:31.929 --> 00:11:34.429 birding, you start paying attention to things 00:11:34.429 --> 00:11:37.350 you might have ignored before. A quick stop becomes 00:11:37.350 --> 00:11:40.070 something you linger at. A quiet morning turns 00:11:40.070 --> 00:11:42.710 into something more engaging, and it's just done 00:11:42.710 --> 00:11:45.919 by listening. The National Park Service regularly 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:48.700 encourages visitors to look beyond the big animals 00:11:48.700 --> 00:11:51.240 and connect with the park on a broader level. 00:11:51.940 --> 00:11:54.399 The Merlin app helps with this goal of the park. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:57.120 Birds are a huge part of Yellowstone's ecosystem 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:59.440 and they're everywhere once you start noticing 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:02.679 them. It's a small step to download this before 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:05.120 your trip, but it can make a huge difference. 00:12:05.539 --> 00:12:07.779 Once you start using Merlin, Yellowstone feels 00:12:07.779 --> 00:12:11.000 more detailed, more interactive, and a lot more 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:14.350 alive. Chances are, You're going to start using 00:12:14.350 --> 00:12:16.169 it all the time and then you're going to become 00:12:16.169 --> 00:12:18.950 a birder which will either improve your life 00:12:18.950 --> 00:12:22.470 greatly or make you a bird nerd searching for 00:12:22.470 --> 00:12:27.190 lifers. Both of which are wins in my book. My 00:12:27.190 --> 00:12:30.570 random Yellowstone fact of the week. The history 00:12:30.570 --> 00:12:34.179 of Cook City. So the story of Cook City begins 00:12:34.179 --> 00:12:36.639 long before the mining claims and cabins appeared 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:39.320 in the Absaroka Mountains. Indigenous people, 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.919 including the Crow and Shoshone, moved through 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:44.360 this high country for generations, following 00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:46.779 seasonal game and navigating routes that connected 00:12:46.779 --> 00:12:49.320 valleys and plateaus across what is now Montana 00:12:49.320 --> 00:12:52.860 and Wyoming. The region's harsh winters and rugged 00:12:52.860 --> 00:12:56.080 terrain limited permanent settlement, but it 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:00.000 remained an important travel corridor. Everything 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:03.580 changed in the late 1860s when prospectors pushed 00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:05.519 deeper into the mountains during the broader 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:10.659 Montana Gold Rush. Now, theoretically, it changed 00:13:10.659 --> 00:13:13.820 when the Trappers came out, but if I start talking 00:13:13.820 --> 00:13:16.299 about Trapper history, we're going to be here 00:13:16.299 --> 00:13:18.899 forever, so I just jumped right to the Gold Rush. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:22.759 Reports of mineral deposits drew attention to 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:24.860 the area northeast of what would soon become 00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:27.279 Yellowstone National Park, setting the stage 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:31.419 for Cook City's founding. By the early 1870s, 00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:34.360 small mining camps had formed in the area. The 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:38.120 town was named after Jay Cook, a financier tied 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:40.960 to the Northern Pacific Railroad interests, and 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:43.700 it reflected early hopes that industry and infrastructure 00:13:43.700 --> 00:13:47.039 would follow mineral discovery. People such as 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:50.179 Nathaniel P. Langford helped publicize both Yellowstone 00:13:50.179 --> 00:13:53.159 and the surrounding mineral potential, encouraging 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:56.500 further investment and exploration. Gold and 00:13:56.500 --> 00:13:59.029 silver deposits were present, but extracting 00:13:59.029 --> 00:14:02.509 them proved difficult. According to historical 00:14:02.509 --> 00:14:05.169 accounts and mining records, the short summer 00:14:05.169 --> 00:14:08.129 season and heavy snowfall limited how long miners 00:14:08.129 --> 00:14:11.049 could work each year. Supplies had to be hauled 00:14:11.049 --> 00:14:14.210 over long distances and isolation made sustained 00:14:14.210 --> 00:14:17.509 development challenging. While some mines produced 00:14:17.509 --> 00:14:20.909 modest yields, the area never reached the productivity 00:14:20.909 --> 00:14:24.370 seen in other Montana mining districts. Still, 00:14:24.769 --> 00:14:28.259 optimism remained high. By the late 1870s, Cook 00:14:28.259 --> 00:14:30.440 City had developed into a frontier settlement 00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:33.539 that was very rough. There were cabins, saloons, 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:38.419 and a small but determined population. Remember 00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:40.919 how I mentioned railroads? Well, Cook City's 00:14:40.919 --> 00:14:43.639 future hinged on transportation. In the late 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:46.659 19th century, serious efforts were made to extend 00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:49.549 rail lines into the region. Investors believed 00:14:49.549 --> 00:14:51.909 that connecting Cook City to national markets 00:14:51.909 --> 00:14:54.809 would unlock its mining potential and transform 00:14:54.809 --> 00:14:58.649 it into a major hub. However, multiple factors 00:14:58.649 --> 00:15:01.769 intervened. Financial setbacks, including the 00:15:01.769 --> 00:15:03.909 collapse of the railroad financing tied to Jay 00:15:03.909 --> 00:15:06.909 Cook, stalled the progress. At the same time, 00:15:07.409 --> 00:15:09.450 the establishment and protection of Yellowstone 00:15:09.450 --> 00:15:12.230 created political resistance to rail development 00:15:12.230 --> 00:15:15.389 through the park. National Park Service says 00:15:15.389 --> 00:15:17.909 that early debates about access and preservation 00:15:17.909 --> 00:15:20.889 played a role in limiting infrastructure expansion 00:15:20.889 --> 00:15:24.549 in and around Yellowstone. Without a railroad, 00:15:25.049 --> 00:15:27.750 Cook City remained isolated. This moment marked 00:15:27.750 --> 00:15:30.070 a turning point. Instead of becoming a booming 00:15:30.070 --> 00:15:33.149 industrial center, the town settled into a quieter, 00:15:33.429 --> 00:15:36.730 more uncertain future. Mining continued in the 00:15:36.730 --> 00:15:39.970 early 20th century, but success remained inconsistent. 00:15:40.409 --> 00:15:43.580 Harsh winters, limited access, and fluctuating 00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:46.500 mineral prices led to repeated cycles of activity 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:49.720 and decline. Some operations persisted, producing 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:52.360 gold and silver on a smaller scale, but large 00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:55.700 -scale development, as we know, never materialized. 00:15:56.779 --> 00:15:59.559 During this period Cook City started taking on 00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:02.620 a new role. It became a stopping point for travelers 00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:04.820 heading toward Yellowstone's remote northeast 00:16:04.820 --> 00:16:08.360 corner. Its location kept it relevant, even as 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:12.379 mining declined. Small businesses, supply operations, 00:16:12.539 --> 00:16:14.620 and seasonal activity helped sustain the community 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:18.080 through difficult decades. A major transformation 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:20.539 came with the construction of the Beartooth Highway 00:16:20.539 --> 00:16:24.480 in the 1930s. Built in part by the Civilian Conservation 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:27.220 Corps, the highway connected Cook City to Red 00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:30.139 Lodge and opened a dramatic high elevation route 00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:33.539 across the Beartooth Plateau. The impact was 00:16:33.539 --> 00:16:36.370 immediate and lasting. What had once been an 00:16:36.370 --> 00:16:38.970 isolated mining town became a gateway for travelers. 00:16:39.429 --> 00:16:41.929 The highway, now recognized by the US Forest 00:16:41.929 --> 00:16:45.049 Service as an all -American road, brought visitors 00:16:45.049 --> 00:16:48.289 drawn by alpine scenery, wildlife, and access 00:16:48.289 --> 00:16:51.669 to Yellowstone's northeast entrance. Tourism 00:16:51.669 --> 00:16:54.029 gradually replaced mining as the town's economic 00:16:54.029 --> 00:16:57.389 foundation. Lodges, services, and seasonal businesses 00:16:57.389 --> 00:17:00.259 begin to shape Cook City's future. While there 00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:03.299 is some pushback by some Cook City locals against 00:17:03.299 --> 00:17:06.319 tourists, that's pretty much the only game in 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:10.299 town. So it's a fun argument, but it's not really 00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:14.099 steeped in any sort of reality. Tourism is the 00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:18.420 lifeblood of Cook City. Whether it's winter snowmobiling, 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:22.480 hunting, or summer visitation, that's why that 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:26.619 town exists today. Today isolation is what makes 00:17:26.619 --> 00:17:30.220 the town so great. In the winter, the only way 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:33.059 to get to Cook City is to drive through the park. 00:17:33.579 --> 00:17:36.099 In the summer, you can reach Cook City by the 00:17:36.099 --> 00:17:38.440 Beartooth Highway or Chief Joseph Memorial Highway, 00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:41.099 but in the winter, you got to drive through the 00:17:41.099 --> 00:17:43.720 park. It's cut off. If they want to, if people 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:46.460 in Cook City want to go to a grocery store that 00:17:46.460 --> 00:17:49.339 isn't the small grocery store in Gardner, they 00:17:49.339 --> 00:17:51.980 have to drive through the park, which is about 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:54.420 an hour and a half to two hours, then another 00:17:54.420 --> 00:17:57.089 hour to get to Livingston. It's a very remote 00:17:57.089 --> 00:17:59.150 place. Livingston is also where the hospital 00:17:59.150 --> 00:18:02.769 is. Today, Cook City is very small. It has a 00:18:02.769 --> 00:18:05.450 year -round population of fewer than 100 residents. 00:18:06.210 --> 00:18:08.329 It serves as a gateway to one of Yellowstone's 00:18:08.329 --> 00:18:11.210 most wildlife -rich regions, the Lamar Valley, 00:18:11.869 --> 00:18:13.809 and basically that whole northeastern corridor. 00:18:14.849 --> 00:18:17.130 While remnants of its mining past still exist 00:18:17.130 --> 00:18:19.250 in historic structures and abandoned claims, 00:18:19.650 --> 00:18:21.849 the town's economy is now built on tourism and 00:18:21.849 --> 00:18:24.829 outdoor recreation. Cook City never became the 00:18:24.829 --> 00:18:27.470 industrial center that early investors had imagined. 00:18:27.950 --> 00:18:30.390 Instead, it evolved into something more enduring. 00:18:31.329 --> 00:18:34.170 Its history is one of ambition, setbacks, and 00:18:34.170 --> 00:18:37.230 adaptation shaped by geography, climate, and 00:18:37.230 --> 00:18:39.730 its close relationship with Yellowstone. For 00:18:39.730 --> 00:18:42.529 visitors, that history is still visible in landscape, 00:18:42.950 --> 00:18:45.170 in the buildings, in the really cool museum you 00:18:45.170 --> 00:18:48.049 need to check out in town, and in the quiet resilience 00:18:48.049 --> 00:18:50.730 of the community itself. The weather for the 00:18:50.730 --> 00:18:54.500 coming week. So as always this is the best forecast 00:18:54.500 --> 00:18:57.299 for the week at the time of recording Forecast 00:18:57.299 --> 00:18:59.460 is gonna change a little bit, but this should 00:18:59.460 --> 00:19:01.460 be within the ballpark of what you'll experience 00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:03.779 when visiting the park We're gonna start with 00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:06.980 Lamar Valley Lamar Valley on Thursday is gonna 00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:10.339 have a high of 39 a low of 24 with about 2 inches 00:19:10.339 --> 00:19:15.599 of snow Friday high of 40 low of 21 51 percent 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:17.880 chance about a quarter inch of snow mostly in 00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:22.230 the morning Saturday, 49 and 22 partly cloudy. 00:19:22.769 --> 00:19:27.269 Sunday, 54 and 27 partly cloudy. Monday, 56 and 00:19:27.269 --> 00:19:31.609 30 partly cloudy. Tuesday, 56 and 32 with some 00:19:31.609 --> 00:19:34.230 rain or snow developing in the evening. And Wednesday, 00:19:34.789 --> 00:19:38.750 49 and 24 with about a half inch of snow expected, 00:19:39.109 --> 00:19:42.470 maybe an inch, 54 % chance of that. The weather 00:19:42.470 --> 00:19:46.069 for Gardner, Montana. On Thursday, high of 43, 00:19:46.369 --> 00:19:50.569 low of 29, 73 % chance of 1 inch of snow. On 00:19:50.569 --> 00:19:54.950 Friday, high of 46, low of 25, 40 % chance about 00:19:54.950 --> 00:19:57.460 a quarter inch of snow. On Saturday, high of 00:19:57.460 --> 00:20:00.839 55, low of 28. Don't expect any precipitation 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:05.559 then. Sunday, high of 59, low of 32. 6 % chance 00:20:05.559 --> 00:20:09.920 of precipitation. Monday, 61 and 34. Tuesday, 00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:13.220 62 and 36 with some rain developing in the evening, 00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:16.980 afternoon time. And then Wednesday, high of 53, 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:21.599 low of 28. 57 % chance of about a half inch of 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:24.660 snow. And that brings us to Cook City, Montana. 00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:29.240 On Thursday, high at 36, low of 22, 72 % chance 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:33.180 of 2 inches of snow. On Friday, high at 36, low 00:20:33.180 --> 00:20:36.559 of 20, 53 % chance about a half inch of snow. 00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:42.839 Saturday, 46 and 21. Sunday, 50 and 28. Monday, 00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:47.750 52 and 30. Tuesday 52 and 31 with again that 00:20:47.750 --> 00:20:50.569 rain developing late morning early afternoon 00:20:50.569 --> 00:20:53.950 out here Maybe about a quarter inch of snow We 00:20:53.950 --> 00:20:55.950 just don't know right now and then Wednesday 00:20:55.950 --> 00:21:00.089 high of 46 low of 23 62 percent chance of one 00:21:00.089 --> 00:21:04.130 inch of snow the snowpack update As of April 00:21:04.130 --> 00:21:07.150 1st, the snowpack is around 83 % of normal for 00:21:07.150 --> 00:21:09.630 this time of year for the whole park. The eastern 00:21:09.630 --> 00:21:12.450 and northern ranges of the park are 95 % of normal, 00:21:12.509 --> 00:21:14.750 so that's great, but the western and southern 00:21:14.750 --> 00:21:18.109 sides are about 68 % of normal. Last year on 00:21:18.109 --> 00:21:20.670 this date, we were averaging around 100 % of 00:21:20.670 --> 00:21:23.430 our normal level, so we're not in great shape, 00:21:23.589 --> 00:21:27.190 but it could be worse. Thankfully, that northern 00:21:27.190 --> 00:21:32.410 range is doing great. road conditions. The only 00:21:32.410 --> 00:21:34.410 road open right now is the road between Gardner, 00:21:34.410 --> 00:21:37.009 Montana and Cook City, Montana. So please be 00:21:37.009 --> 00:21:40.529 aware that it's probably going to be okay this 00:21:40.529 --> 00:21:45.170 week, but Thursday, Friday might be a little 00:21:45.170 --> 00:21:48.759 sketchy. So just a heads up there. If you want 00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:51.440 updated information on the road conditions, there's 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:55.920 two ways to do it. You can call 307 -344 -2117 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:58.839 for recorded information, or you can sign up 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:01.220 to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your mobile 00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:05.680 phone by texting the number 82190 to the number 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:11.569 888 -777. Camping Information There is only one 00:22:11.569 --> 00:22:13.670 campground open in the park right now and that 00:22:13.670 --> 00:22:15.990 is the Mammoth Campground which is open year 00:22:15.990 --> 00:22:19.069 round. Other than that there's some camping that's 00:22:19.069 --> 00:22:21.670 available outside of the park especially north 00:22:21.670 --> 00:22:24.809 of the park between Livingston and Gardner. If 00:22:24.809 --> 00:22:27.190 you need some spots there let me know but if 00:22:27.190 --> 00:22:30.049 you want to camp in the park go to Mammoth there's 00:22:30.049 --> 00:22:34.200 room. The wildlife watching update so wildlife 00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:36.000 watching has been pretty good aside from the 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:39.220 lack of visibility the last day or so But once 00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:41.920 this next storm clears out, it's gonna be pretty 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:43.700 good again. So if you're headed to the park, 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:47.200 it should be awesome This week people have been 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:51.349 seeing wolves bears Obviously bison, pronghorn, 00:22:51.849 --> 00:22:54.369 bald eagles, golden eagles, coyotes, even some 00:22:54.369 --> 00:22:57.329 foxes and a couple moose. Pronghorn are out. 00:22:57.349 --> 00:22:59.990 I've heard of people seeing badgers. It's just 00:22:59.990 --> 00:23:04.309 a good time. Right now, if you're looking for 00:23:04.309 --> 00:23:08.769 wolves, as I mentioned off the top here, carcass 00:23:08.769 --> 00:23:12.349 watching is kind of the thing to do. And that's 00:23:12.349 --> 00:23:15.609 going to continue this week. So do that. There's 00:23:15.609 --> 00:23:17.529 going to be carcasses. Currently, there's one 00:23:17.529 --> 00:23:19.769 out by hell roaring. that's gonna get picked 00:23:19.769 --> 00:23:22.890 clean but there might be a bear that lingers 00:23:22.890 --> 00:23:26.349 and comes out for that so go to some viewpoints 00:23:26.349 --> 00:23:29.890 scan around there bear wise there's some grizzlies 00:23:29.890 --> 00:23:34.250 out near Junction Butte and then there's some 00:23:34.250 --> 00:23:37.309 black bears that have been seen so just drive 00:23:37.309 --> 00:23:39.849 back and forth it's it's kind of hit and miss 00:23:39.849 --> 00:23:42.529 especially with the weather being so like bad 00:23:42.529 --> 00:23:45.329 and good and bad and good it really is a you're 00:23:45.329 --> 00:23:47.230 gonna see what you're gonna see but everything 00:23:47.230 --> 00:23:51.569 is out and your potential is huge so my guess 00:23:51.569 --> 00:23:55.750 based on the weather is friday afternoon late 00:23:55.750 --> 00:23:58.910 morning early afternoon is going to be great 00:23:58.910 --> 00:24:00.829 saturday is going to pick up sunday is going 00:24:00.829 --> 00:24:02.890 to pick up monday is going to be good and then 00:24:02.890 --> 00:24:05.430 there might be a little bit of urgency on tuesday 00:24:05.430 --> 00:24:08.549 and then when the weather changes on wednesday 00:24:08.549 --> 00:24:11.089 might not be as good of wildlife watching other 00:24:11.089 --> 00:24:15.380 than that though it's great go Scan bring binoculars 00:24:15.380 --> 00:24:18.500 and you should see some really awesome things 00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:22.099 trail alerts and updates There's no official 00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:24.220 trailer. It's this week. Those are gonna be resuming 00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:27.000 in a couple of weeks Maybe so hang in there, 00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:29.400 but just know that right now bear sightings are 00:24:29.400 --> 00:24:31.660 more common. I've seen more bear tracks They 00:24:31.660 --> 00:24:35.339 keep popping up Carry bear spray know how to 00:24:35.339 --> 00:24:38.039 use it. Don't put it in your backpack. Never 00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:40.700 put it in the bottom of your backpack I saw somebody 00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:43.900 hiking and I asked them this last week Hey, do 00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:45.279 you have your bear spray and they're like, oh, 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:47.980 yeah I have it on my backpack and I had to ask 00:24:47.980 --> 00:24:50.220 them like well How long is it gonna take you 00:24:50.220 --> 00:24:52.980 to get it? Because a bear is not going to wait 00:24:52.980 --> 00:24:56.140 and then that look of realization hitting their 00:24:56.140 --> 00:24:59.400 face is priceless. I love it. But I also like 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:02.480 making sure that people are safe. So always have 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:06.119 your bear spray on you very quickly accessible. 00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:08.960 We're talking within one second. If you can't 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:11.359 get your bear spray within one second, your bear 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:14.380 spray is too far away. All right, enough about 00:25:14.380 --> 00:25:15.880 bear spray. I'm going to talk about that later 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:18.440 in the year. But right now, let's talk about 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:21.799 the Trek of the Week. My truck of the week this 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:25.019 week is the road up to calcite and tower Which 00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:28.299 will be mostly snow free at the time of writing 00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:31.559 this all out. It was snow free, but At the time 00:25:31.559 --> 00:25:34.960 of recording it is dumping snow and so it's not 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:37.519 going to be completely snow free But you shouldn't 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:40.720 need any snow shoes or anything like that So 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:43.359 walking the road from Roosevelt Junction to tower 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:47.819 fall in the early spring is great The pavements 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:50.490 usually clear but the route is still closed to 00:25:50.490 --> 00:25:52.690 cars, so it's one of those experiences that almost 00:25:52.690 --> 00:25:55.430 feels like you're breaking the rules. It's about 00:25:55.430 --> 00:25:58.970 2 .65 miles each way, and without traffic, it 00:25:58.970 --> 00:26:01.730 turns into a quiet, easy walk through one of 00:26:01.730 --> 00:26:04.329 the more geologically interesting and panoramic 00:26:04.329 --> 00:26:07.029 view stretches of Yellowstone's northern range. 00:26:07.930 --> 00:26:09.970 Right from the start, the biggest difference 00:26:09.970 --> 00:26:12.170 you're gonna see this time of the year if you've 00:26:12.170 --> 00:26:13.950 been there in the summer is the lack of noise. 00:26:14.390 --> 00:26:17.329 As soon as you leave the junction, all unnatural 00:26:17.329 --> 00:26:20.180 noise fades away. In a month, this road is going 00:26:20.180 --> 00:26:22.599 to be busy, with people rushing back and forth, 00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:25.200 looking at the falls, and hoping to catch a sighting 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:28.339 of bears. Right now though, it's just you, the 00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:31.059 sound of the wind, and the growing roar of the 00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:34.059 Yellowstone River far below. As you make your 00:26:34.059 --> 00:26:36.460 way toward Tower, the views start to open up, 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:39.259 but the real standout along this route is the 00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:43.059 geology. Not far into the walk, you'll pass sections 00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:45.819 of columnar basalt cliffs where ancient lava 00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:48.880 flows cooled and cracked into vertical hexagonal 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:51.759 columns. These formations are a result of slow 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:54.259 cooling volcanic rock and they give the stretch 00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:56.660 of the road a completely different feel compared 00:26:56.660 --> 00:26:59.519 with other parts of the park. It's the kind of 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:01.960 feature most people drive past without really 00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:04.359 noticing or glancing at and saying that's cool, 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:07.779 but when you're walking You're surrounded in 00:27:07.779 --> 00:27:09.920 it and you're going to stop and take it in because 00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:13.180 it's really hard not to. About halfway along 00:27:13.180 --> 00:27:15.140 the road as you're going up, you're going to 00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:17.140 reach one of the highlights of the entire route, 00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:20.119 Cal Side Springs. This is one of my favorite 00:27:20.119 --> 00:27:22.819 viewpoints in the park and one I go to dozens 00:27:22.819 --> 00:27:25.930 of times a year. At Calcite, you get a take in 00:27:25.930 --> 00:27:27.750 stunning views of the Yellowstone River as it 00:27:27.750 --> 00:27:30.390 cuts through dark volcanic rock, and it's going 00:27:30.390 --> 00:27:32.849 to be moving very fast, especially this time 00:27:32.849 --> 00:27:34.950 of the year because snow melt is starting to 00:27:34.950 --> 00:27:37.890 build. There's informative displays that tell 00:27:37.890 --> 00:27:40.329 you the geological history, as well as pointing 00:27:40.329 --> 00:27:43.049 out layers of ash from previous volcanic events. 00:27:44.309 --> 00:27:47.069 At Calcite Springs, the view looking west is 00:27:47.069 --> 00:27:49.250 stunning. It shows off a bend in the river at 00:27:49.250 --> 00:27:51.869 Bumpus Butte where steam rises from the springs 00:27:51.869 --> 00:27:54.069 along the bank. That's why it's called Calcite 00:27:54.069 --> 00:27:57.529 Springs. After enjoying Calcite, which you should 00:27:57.529 --> 00:28:00.029 walk the whole thing like there's a boardwalk 00:28:00.029 --> 00:28:03.690 little thing to walk, do it. It's great. The 00:28:03.690 --> 00:28:05.829 walk to Tower continues with more open views 00:28:05.829 --> 00:28:08.809 as you get closer to the waterfall. Sweeping 00:28:08.809 --> 00:28:11.349 views emerge and with no cars or people around, 00:28:11.670 --> 00:28:15.190 there's no rush to move on. Stop and scan the 00:28:15.190 --> 00:28:18.890 cliffs across the way for wildlife as it's often 00:28:18.890 --> 00:28:22.529 seen here, especially like bighorn sheep. Arriving 00:28:22.529 --> 00:28:25.329 at Tower Fall without crowds is a completely 00:28:25.329 --> 00:28:27.890 different experience as well. The falls drop 00:28:27.890 --> 00:28:31.009 132 feet over jagged volcanic rocks surrounded 00:28:31.009 --> 00:28:33.990 by those sharp spires that have been shaped by 00:28:33.990 --> 00:28:37.369 erosion over thousands of years. Normally Tower 00:28:37.369 --> 00:28:40.470 is a quick stop with people coming and going, 00:28:40.490 --> 00:28:42.130 but this time of year you can actually stand 00:28:42.130 --> 00:28:45.019 there and take it in. The walk to tower itself 00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:47.500 isn't difficult, but it's still early spring. 00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:51.180 You might run into patches of ice or snow or 00:28:51.180 --> 00:28:54.299 water running across the road. Just be prepared 00:28:54.299 --> 00:28:56.900 for changing conditions, even on these paved 00:28:56.900 --> 00:29:00.539 routes, and you'll be fine. Also, I mentioned 00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:03.400 bear spray leading into this. Always have bear 00:29:03.400 --> 00:29:06.480 spray. This area increases with bear activity 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:09.500 every single week, and by mid -May, it's going 00:29:09.500 --> 00:29:11.900 to have numerous bear sightings every single 00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:15.779 day. This is part of the Bermuda Triangle. I'm 00:29:15.779 --> 00:29:17.180 going to be talking about that in a couple of 00:29:17.180 --> 00:29:21.559 weeks. This is a very bear heavy area. If you 00:29:21.559 --> 00:29:24.500 want to see bears during your visit in May, this 00:29:24.500 --> 00:29:27.700 is where you go. But what really makes this stretch 00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:30.940 special right now is the timing. The weather 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:33.059 won't be great this week, but the truck will 00:29:33.059 --> 00:29:36.690 be. It always is. For a short period each year, 00:29:36.950 --> 00:29:39.490 the road shifts from a busy connector to something 00:29:39.490 --> 00:29:42.849 quiet and immersive. This is an easy walk, giving 00:29:42.849 --> 00:29:46.690 you access to geology, amazing views, and a version 00:29:46.690 --> 00:29:49.609 of Yellowstone that most people never slow down 00:29:49.609 --> 00:29:53.130 enough to see. Plus, you may even see bison, 00:29:53.309 --> 00:29:56.369 bighorn sheep, and maybe a bear. When hiking 00:29:56.369 --> 00:29:59.170 this, please park near the pit toilets at Roosevelt 00:29:59.170 --> 00:30:02.970 and walk up the road. Alright, that's it for 00:30:02.970 --> 00:30:05.670 this week. In the next episode next week, I'm 00:30:05.670 --> 00:30:07.150 going to return with all the information you 00:30:07.150 --> 00:30:09.309 need to have a good week in the park. That includes 00:30:09.309 --> 00:30:12.230 the wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until 00:30:12.230 --> 00:30:15.210 then, book a tour with me, pick up a guidebook 00:30:15.210 --> 00:30:30.740 of mine, and happy trails. This week in Yellowstone 00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:32.960 is brought to you by the Outdoor Society. That's 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:35.680 my company. It's just me. I do this. It's a labor 00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:38.359 of love. If you like it, tell your friends, rate 00:30:38.359 --> 00:30:41.299 and review it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, 00:30:41.619 --> 00:30:43.799 keep listening and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. 00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:46.460 Copyright 2026, baby.