WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:03.120 From Yellowstone National Park where last week 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:06.059 the Wappity Pack of Wolves put on a show right 00:00:06.059 --> 00:00:08.779 next to the road, this is that Scott guy you 00:00:08.779 --> 00:00:11.740 know and love with a brand new episode of This 00:00:11.740 --> 00:00:24.570 Week in Yellowstone. What's up everybody, this 00:00:24.570 --> 00:00:27.149 week at Yellowstone National Park from April 00:00:27.149 --> 00:00:31.670 23rd to April 29th, 2026. I'll let you know about 00:00:31.670 --> 00:00:34.189 the return of the Red Dogs, give some advice 00:00:34.189 --> 00:00:36.630 about trying to do all of the open sections of 00:00:36.630 --> 00:00:39.969 the park in a day, share a birthday celebration 00:00:39.969 --> 00:00:43.289 of sorts for an iconic park location, and hope 00:00:43.289 --> 00:00:46.429 to convince you to trek in a geyser basin. I'll 00:00:46.429 --> 00:00:48.310 also give you the complete weather forecast, 00:00:48.649 --> 00:00:51.369 the snowpack update, the wildlife report, and 00:00:51.369 --> 00:00:53.630 everything else you need to have an incredible 00:00:53.630 --> 00:00:58.210 time this week in Yellowstone. Standard disclaimer, 00:00:58.829 --> 00:01:00.689 I may miss a few details here and there, I'm 00:01:00.689 --> 00:01:03.289 not perfect on this. If there's anything you 00:01:03.289 --> 00:01:06.390 need answered, any questions, reach out to me, 00:01:06.409 --> 00:01:08.969 happy to help. I also mention park locations 00:01:08.969 --> 00:01:12.250 very casually, so if you're unfamiliar, a quick 00:01:12.250 --> 00:01:14.890 search online can help, or again, just reach 00:01:14.890 --> 00:01:17.409 out to me. Also, please know that this report 00:01:17.409 --> 00:01:21.510 only covers the drivable areas of the park. Finally 00:01:21.510 --> 00:01:24.469 in this intro, this podcast is a passion project 00:01:24.469 --> 00:01:28.030 of mine. If you enjoy it, I'd love a review or 00:01:28.030 --> 00:01:30.370 a quick email. If you want to support my work, 00:01:30.510 --> 00:01:32.750 check out my hiking and wildlife watching guidebooks, 00:01:33.109 --> 00:01:36.209 or join me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's 00:01:36.209 --> 00:01:39.310 backcountry. For more information, visit outdoor 00:01:39.310 --> 00:01:43.269 -society .com or contact me directly. Seriously 00:01:43.269 --> 00:01:46.909 though, book a trail tour with me. This week's 00:01:46.909 --> 00:01:50.170 Yellowstone news There's really no news right 00:01:50.170 --> 00:01:53.290 now. Um, it's gonna be an interesting weather 00:01:53.290 --> 00:01:55.650 week So I'll talk about that in the weather report. 00:01:55.769 --> 00:01:57.730 Wildlife watching has been really good. I'm gonna 00:01:57.730 --> 00:02:00.280 talk about that in the wildlife report The only 00:02:00.280 --> 00:02:03.359 thing that really should be mentioned is there's 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:06.939 some construction projects going on, so pay attention 00:02:06.939 --> 00:02:09.719 to that. You'll hear about those probably in 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:13.180 the road reports, if I remember, but generally 00:02:13.180 --> 00:02:16.520 you're going to have some construction here and 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:18.500 there throughout the park. It's just going to 00:02:18.500 --> 00:02:21.340 be that way. Delays aren't going to be long at 00:02:21.340 --> 00:02:24.319 all, so don't worry. Alright, that's it for the 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:26.580 news. Let's get to something more interesting. 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:30.810 My experience of the week. The return of red 00:02:30.810 --> 00:02:34.370 dogs. Every spring in Yellowstone National Park, 00:02:34.750 --> 00:02:36.669 there's a moment that people are waiting for. 00:02:37.210 --> 00:02:40.210 It's not tied to a specific road opening or even 00:02:40.210 --> 00:02:43.150 the weather. It's when the first red dogs show 00:02:43.150 --> 00:02:46.490 up, those bright orange -red baby bison that 00:02:46.490 --> 00:02:48.969 seem to glow against the landscape that still 00:02:48.969 --> 00:02:51.789 could look like winter. What catches a lot of 00:02:51.789 --> 00:02:54.250 people off guard, though, is how slowly this 00:02:54.250 --> 00:02:58.060 starts. As of last week, There are only a handful 00:02:58.060 --> 00:03:01.099 of visible newborn bison in the park, but each 00:03:01.099 --> 00:03:03.919 day and every week those numbers are going to 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:07.340 increase. By late April, you might expect to 00:03:07.340 --> 00:03:10.240 see calves everywhere, but that's usually not 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:13.879 the case. Bison follow a pretty consistent biological 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:17.400 timeline. After breeding in mid to late summer, 00:03:17.800 --> 00:03:20.300 cows carry their calves for about nine to nine 00:03:20.300 --> 00:03:22.680 and a half months, which lines up birds with 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:25.719 spring. Most calves are born in late April and 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:28.500 May, but that doesn't mean they all arrive at 00:03:28.500 --> 00:03:32.080 once. In fact, the season tends to increase gradually. 00:03:32.780 --> 00:03:35.620 Early on, like right now, it's often just a few 00:03:35.620 --> 00:03:38.460 scattered calves. You might spot one in a place 00:03:38.460 --> 00:03:41.400 like Lamar Valley or Little America, maybe even 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.060 by Norris or the thermal areas, and when you 00:03:44.060 --> 00:03:46.740 see one, it's going to be tucked close to its 00:03:46.740 --> 00:03:49.139 mother while the rest of the herd looks unchanged. 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:51.479 While many come to the park this time of year 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:53.939 hoping to see the prairies full of frolicking 00:03:53.939 --> 00:03:57.139 red dogs, late April is really just the front 00:03:57.139 --> 00:03:59.960 edge of the season. These first calves stand 00:03:59.960 --> 00:04:02.419 out in a big way. Their reddish coats, which 00:04:02.419 --> 00:04:04.840 give them the nickname red dogs, are completely 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:07.099 different from the dark brown coats of adults. 00:04:07.819 --> 00:04:10.259 That color doesn't last long. Within a couple 00:04:10.259 --> 00:04:12.900 of months, by the end of summer usually, they 00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:16.019 start to blend in. But right now, they're impossible 00:04:16.019 --> 00:04:19.360 to miss. Even more impressive, They're up and 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:22.379 moving within a few hours of being born, sticking 00:04:22.379 --> 00:04:24.860 close to their mothers and keeping pace with 00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:29.060 the herd almost immediately. They also grow fast. 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:33.160 Really fast. Within the first few months, calves 00:04:33.160 --> 00:04:35.879 can gain a couple of pounds per day, quickly 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:37.879 building the strength they'll need to handle 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:41.199 that first winter. By the time fall rolls around, 00:04:41.540 --> 00:04:44.040 they already look much more like small versions 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:46.930 of adults. Over the next couple of years, they 00:04:46.930 --> 00:04:49.410 continue filling out, with females typically 00:04:49.410 --> 00:04:52.149 reaching maturity around age two to three, and 00:04:52.149 --> 00:04:55.990 males taking a bit longer. In the wild, bison 00:04:55.990 --> 00:04:59.350 and Yellowstone generally live around 12 to 15 00:04:59.350 --> 00:05:02.870 years, which is wild to think about. Like, 12 00:05:02.870 --> 00:05:06.709 to 15 years for a bison to live is incredibly 00:05:06.709 --> 00:05:09.370 long, and some can live longer under the right 00:05:09.370 --> 00:05:12.870 conditions. Now of course, life isn't easy for 00:05:12.870 --> 00:05:15.850 these early calves, or any of the calves. One 00:05:15.850 --> 00:05:18.889 of the biggest risks they face comes from predators, 00:05:19.310 --> 00:05:22.149 especially grizzly bears. Spring is when grizzlies 00:05:22.149 --> 00:05:24.970 are emerging from their dens, often having lost 00:05:24.970 --> 00:05:28.050 significant body weight over the winter, and 00:05:28.050 --> 00:05:30.230 they're actively searching for high -calorie 00:05:30.230 --> 00:05:33.910 food. Newborn bison are vulnerable, particularly 00:05:33.910 --> 00:05:37.110 in these first few days of life. Bears will target 00:05:37.110 --> 00:05:39.629 calves when opportunities arise, especially if 00:05:39.629 --> 00:05:42.490 they can isolate one from the herd. Wolves and 00:05:42.490 --> 00:05:44.949 other predators also pose a threat, but grizzlies 00:05:44.949 --> 00:05:47.449 are a major factor in the early season of calf 00:05:47.449 --> 00:05:52.670 survival. That risk shapes behavior. Mother bison 00:05:52.670 --> 00:05:55.670 are extremely protective, and herds often group 00:05:55.670 --> 00:05:59.189 tightly when calves are present. Like, in the 00:05:59.189 --> 00:06:01.410 summer, late summer, they're all spread out, 00:06:01.410 --> 00:06:04.529 but when these calves are being born, they're 00:06:04.529 --> 00:06:07.790 much more tight. and that's really a protection 00:06:07.790 --> 00:06:11.209 method they will protect their young and you 00:06:11.209 --> 00:06:13.230 know they will kick anything that tries to attack 00:06:13.230 --> 00:06:17.589 them or charge at them there's also another risk 00:06:17.589 --> 00:06:20.569 that these calves are facing and that's just 00:06:20.569 --> 00:06:23.610 the weather in late April which is still very 00:06:23.610 --> 00:06:27.389 unpredictable snowstorms are common night time 00:06:27.389 --> 00:06:29.970 temperatures drop well below freezing and new 00:06:29.970 --> 00:06:33.120 grass is just starting to emerge Calves born 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:36.019 too early face tougher odds, which is another 00:06:36.019 --> 00:06:39.339 reason most birds are a bit later. As the weeks 00:06:39.339 --> 00:06:42.000 go on, things change quickly. What starts as 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:45.199 one or two calves turns into dozens. Herds take 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:47.420 on completely different energy, with young calves 00:06:47.420 --> 00:06:50.000 running, resting, and bunching together while 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:53.259 their mothers graze. By mid -May, it becomes 00:06:53.259 --> 00:06:55.199 one of the most visible wildlife events in the 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:58.879 park. But late April has its own feel. It's quieter. 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:01.379 You might spend a long time scanning before you 00:07:01.379 --> 00:07:04.480 find a single calf. And when you do, it feels 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:07.560 earned. It's not a crowded roadside scene. It's 00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:10.480 a small fleeting moment. A newborn bison standing 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:13.019 in a landscape that's still caught between winter 00:07:13.019 --> 00:07:16.000 and spring. That's how calving season really 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:19.120 begins in Yellowstone. Not all at once, but slowly. 00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:22.360 There's a few red dogs at a time, scattered across 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:24.899 the valleys, signaling that something bigger 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:28.540 is just around the corner. My tip of the week. 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:32.220 Even in April, Yellowstone is bigger than you 00:07:32.220 --> 00:07:36.000 expect. Yellowstone National Park is deceptively 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.519 big. It doesn't always feel that way when you're 00:07:38.519 --> 00:07:41.180 looking at a map or planning a quick trip, but 00:07:41.180 --> 00:07:43.879 once you're inside the park, the scale becomes 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:48.600 very, very real very quickly. A lot of the first 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:50.680 time visitors assume they can see everything 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:53.500 in a day, especially in April when the roads 00:07:53.500 --> 00:07:56.740 aren't fully open. That mindset is one of the 00:07:56.740 --> 00:08:00.879 fastest ways to end up frustrated, rushed, and 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:03.100 walking away feeling like you missed something. 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:06.899 Take a common early season route this week. If 00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:09.579 you start in West Yellowstone, drive down to 00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:12.800 Old Faithful, head back up through Madison Junction, 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:16.019 continue north to Mammoth Hot Springs, then out 00:08:16.019 --> 00:08:18.560 toward Lamar Valley, and then return to West 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:22.279 Yellowstone, you're looking at roughly 200 miles 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:26.279 of driving. On paper, that might not sound like 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:29.899 that much. In Yellowstone, that's about six hours 00:08:29.899 --> 00:08:33.500 of driving with no stops. And that's the key 00:08:33.500 --> 00:08:37.700 part, no stops. Add in even a handful of stops, 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:40.600 a walk through a geyser basin, or time spent 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:43.679 watching wildlife, and that six hour drive can 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:47.580 easily turn into a 10 or 12 hour day. Now this 00:08:47.580 --> 00:08:49.970 original route that I've just mentioned, also 00:08:49.970 --> 00:08:52.309 skips one of the park's biggest highlights, the 00:08:52.309 --> 00:08:55.289 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Adding that 00:08:55.289 --> 00:08:58.669 means heading east from Norris, which tackes 00:08:58.669 --> 00:09:01.190 on at least another hour to an hour and a half, 00:09:01.690 --> 00:09:05.169 and that's still not factoring time walking around 00:09:05.169 --> 00:09:07.549 at the viewpoints or watching the waterfalls. 00:09:07.889 --> 00:09:09.750 So you're adding an hour and hour and a half 00:09:09.750 --> 00:09:13.230 round trip to go to the waterfalls. Now, some 00:09:13.230 --> 00:09:15.929 will also look at mileage on a map and not factor 00:09:15.929 --> 00:09:18.659 in the speed limit in the park. Average travel 00:09:18.659 --> 00:09:21.620 speeds in Yellowstone fluctuate between 25 and 00:09:21.620 --> 00:09:25.080 45 miles an hour. The fastest you can legally 00:09:25.080 --> 00:09:28.419 drive in the park is 45. Now some of you may 00:09:28.419 --> 00:09:32.440 think you can push this to 50 or 55, and honestly 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:36.159 no, this is wrong on so many levels. Winding 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:39.200 roads, wildlife on or near the road, and frequent 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:42.500 stops in slow vehicles will hinder you. Plus, 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:44.960 This is pretty blunt of me to say, but I feel 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:47.700 that it's true. Speeding in a national park is 00:09:47.700 --> 00:09:51.919 selfish, idiotic, and dangerous. One of these 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:54.100 weeks I'm going to talk about exactly why when 00:09:54.100 --> 00:09:56.480 I talk about how many animals die from getting 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:59.320 hit by cars in the park. It is a lot more than 00:09:59.320 --> 00:10:02.679 you think. Now last week at Madison Junction, 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:05.139 I ended up talking with a family visiting Yellowstone 00:10:05.139 --> 00:10:08.059 for the first time. They had two days, Friday 00:10:08.059 --> 00:10:10.610 and Saturday. and were taking it easy on their 00:10:10.610 --> 00:10:13.230 first day, planning to see Grand Prismatic Springs 00:10:13.230 --> 00:10:16.169 and some of the mudpots. Their second day, though, 00:10:16.269 --> 00:10:18.649 was ambitious. They wanted to wake up early, 00:10:18.870 --> 00:10:21.789 drive from West to Lamar Valley, come back and 00:10:21.789 --> 00:10:24.230 hike Norris Geyser Basin, and finish the day 00:10:24.230 --> 00:10:26.789 at Old Faithful. They asked me if it was too 00:10:26.789 --> 00:10:30.470 much. My honest answer was this. It's not too 00:10:30.470 --> 00:10:33.850 much. It's just going to be a lot, and it's going 00:10:33.850 --> 00:10:37.470 to take a minimum of six to eight hours. They 00:10:37.470 --> 00:10:40.990 looked at me a little shocked. But I hope they 00:10:40.990 --> 00:10:43.690 did everything and if you only have a day you 00:10:43.690 --> 00:10:46.809 make do and do everything you can in a day Now 00:10:46.809 --> 00:10:48.929 it's hard to accept based on how we all live 00:10:48.929 --> 00:10:51.769 our lives That Yellowstone doesn't run on our 00:10:51.769 --> 00:10:55.110 schedule nor can we control the pace of the park 00:10:55.110 --> 00:10:59.470 But that's what makes it special Yeah, you know 00:10:59.470 --> 00:11:03.139 it makes planning tricky but You know, a quick 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:05.340 stop at a geyser basin can turn into an hour 00:11:05.340 --> 00:11:08.080 without you realizing it. A wildlife sighting 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:10.440 can bring traffic to a complete stop and then 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:13.460 you have a herd of bison walking by, which is 00:11:13.460 --> 00:11:16.019 a bison jam, and those can delay traffic for 00:11:16.019 --> 00:11:18.620 20 minutes or longer, so herds just move down 00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:21.080 the road and everybody stops and takes a picture. 00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:23.480 And if you happen to come across a bear or wolf 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:26.179 sighting, you're probably not just going to drive 00:11:26.179 --> 00:11:29.000 right past it, right? All of these moments that 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:31.789 are amazing that you should experience, stack 00:11:31.789 --> 00:11:35.389 up. Yellowstone National Park actually recommends 00:11:35.389 --> 00:11:37.929 planning multiple days to explore Yellowstone 00:11:37.929 --> 00:11:41.009 at a comfortable place, precisely because of 00:11:41.009 --> 00:11:43.570 these variables. Trying to see everything in 00:11:43.570 --> 00:11:46.289 one or two days isn't impossible, but it does 00:11:46.289 --> 00:11:49.269 mean long hours, a lot of time in the car, and 00:11:49.269 --> 00:11:51.950 less time actually experiencing the places you 00:11:51.950 --> 00:11:54.850 came to see. Again, if you only have one or two 00:11:54.850 --> 00:11:58.470 days, awesome. Do it all. Have those long days. 00:11:58.789 --> 00:12:02.559 Be exhausted. It's worth it. If you only have 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:05.799 a short window, go for it. Drive the miles, see 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:08.679 as much as you can. Just go into it with realistic 00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:11.639 expectations. Understand that it's going to be 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:14.539 a long day, that plans may shift, and that you 00:12:14.539 --> 00:12:16.840 may not see everything you want on this first 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:19.659 trip. That just means you have to come back, 00:12:19.700 --> 00:12:22.019 right? Oh no, you have to come back to Yellowstone. 00:12:22.779 --> 00:12:26.539 Now, if you do only have a day or two, and you 00:12:26.539 --> 00:12:30.080 really are like I need something I need to make 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:32.559 sure I don't miss the highlights you can find 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:34.960 a lot of those resources online or like I say 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:37.879 at the top of this show every week reach out 00:12:37.879 --> 00:12:41.440 to me I am happy to help I am going to be adding 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:44.730 some park consulting so I can help people plan 00:12:44.730 --> 00:12:47.230 trips. I do currently have my guides and I'm 00:12:47.230 --> 00:12:49.870 going to be phasing those out and instead replacing 00:12:49.870 --> 00:12:52.370 those with these consulting hours. So that way 00:12:52.370 --> 00:12:55.009 I can answer emails, I can do everything you 00:12:55.009 --> 00:12:57.909 need to make sure that no matter how much time, 00:12:58.269 --> 00:13:01.590 be it an afternoon or a week, I can help you 00:13:01.590 --> 00:13:04.230 plan that trip. If you're interested in that, 00:13:04.429 --> 00:13:07.129 before I officially launch it, reach out to me. 00:13:07.230 --> 00:13:11.200 Happy to tell you the details. My random Yellowstone 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:14.820 fact of the week Roosevelt arch dedication day 00:13:14.820 --> 00:13:18.840 on the 24th of April if You've ever entered Yellowstone 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:20.899 National Park through the North Gate at Gardiner 00:13:20.899 --> 00:13:23.580 You've probably stopped or passed under one of 00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:26.779 the park's most recognizable landmarks the Roosevelt 00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:30.039 arch It's such a familiar sight that it's easy 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:32.720 to overlook the story behind it, especially the 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:38.480 significance of April 24th 1903 on that day Theodore 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:40.960 Roosevelt happened to be vacationing in the park 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:43.620 during its construction and was asked to speak 00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:46.620 at the dedication ceremony. The arch was not 00:13:46.620 --> 00:13:49.340 originally intended to honor Roosevelt, but was 00:13:49.340 --> 00:13:52.159 named because the president was there. For him, 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:54.500 it was a chance to emphasize something he strongly 00:13:54.500 --> 00:13:56.980 believed in, the protection of public lands. 00:13:57.740 --> 00:13:59.840 Yellowstone was already the country's first national 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:03.100 park, but the idea of conservation was still 00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:06.039 gaining traction. Roosevelt's presence helped 00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:08.620 reinforce that these landscapes were meant to 00:14:08.620 --> 00:14:11.879 be preserved and enjoyed by everyone, not just 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:15.139 a few. At the time, the north entrance was the 00:14:15.139 --> 00:14:17.860 primary way into the park. The Northern Pacific 00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:20.940 Railroad had reached Gardner in 1883, well, just 00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:24.220 outside of Gardner, bringing visitors directly 00:14:24.220 --> 00:14:27.100 to Yellowstone's doorstep. From there, they would 00:14:27.100 --> 00:14:30.120 continue by stagecoach into the park. As visitation 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:32.639 increased, there was a push to create a more 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:35.100 formal entrance, something that reflected the 00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:37.320 importance of the place people were about to 00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:40.539 experience. The result was the Roosevelt Arch. 00:14:41.179 --> 00:14:44.240 To construct the arch, hundreds of tons of native 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:46.279 columnar basalt were hauled from a quarry in 00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:49.340 the area. The structure stands about 50 feet 00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:53.360 tall and is about 30 feet wide. It cost around 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:56.740 $10 ,000 to construct, which was a significant 00:14:56.740 --> 00:14:59.070 investment at the time. It was completed in just 00:14:59.070 --> 00:15:03.049 a few months in 1903 after Roosevelt laid the 00:15:03.049 --> 00:15:05.850 cornerstone. The design is simple but powerful 00:15:05.850 --> 00:15:08.789 and the inscription across the top for the benefit 00:15:08.789 --> 00:15:11.350 and enjoyment of the people comes directly from 00:15:11.350 --> 00:15:15.730 the 1872 act that established Yellowstone. A 00:15:15.730 --> 00:15:18.690 fun fact about the arch is that the initial design 00:15:18.690 --> 00:15:22.330 called for two ponds and a waterfall right by 00:15:22.330 --> 00:15:25.769 the arch, but this plan proved impossible due 00:15:25.769 --> 00:15:29.299 to Gardner's dry climate. Now on the arch, on 00:15:29.299 --> 00:15:31.779 the inside of the arch, so if you drive through 00:15:31.779 --> 00:15:34.980 it, it's going to be on the south side, so the 00:15:34.980 --> 00:15:37.200 electric peak side, not the garden or town side. 00:15:37.500 --> 00:15:40.200 There's a cornerstone that has this date etched 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:43.940 in it. There's a few details here that go unnoticed, 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:45.460 and that's why I just want you to know where 00:15:45.460 --> 00:15:48.100 it is. So this cornerstone was placed by Roosevelt, 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:51.980 and it includes a time capsule with documents 00:15:51.980 --> 00:15:56.409 and items from the area. Who knows what's in 00:15:56.409 --> 00:15:58.629 there? I think there is some documentation of 00:15:58.629 --> 00:16:00.669 what's in there, but I didn't feel like looking 00:16:00.669 --> 00:16:03.389 it up and reading it. I could probably spend 00:16:03.389 --> 00:16:06.970 all day talking about the arch, so instead I 00:16:06.970 --> 00:16:10.370 just wanted to give this brief overview. Now, 00:16:10.830 --> 00:16:13.149 the arch itself was built while the park was 00:16:13.149 --> 00:16:16.070 still managed by the U .S. Army. And that was 00:16:16.070 --> 00:16:18.210 before the creation of the National Park Service, 00:16:18.450 --> 00:16:21.850 which was in 1916. There were soldiers stationed 00:16:21.850 --> 00:16:24.289 at nearby Fort Yellowstone and they played a 00:16:24.289 --> 00:16:27.509 major role in overseeing construction and maintaining 00:16:27.509 --> 00:16:30.629 the park during this period. For decades, every 00:16:30.629 --> 00:16:33.230 visitor entering Yellowstone from the north passed 00:16:33.230 --> 00:16:35.610 directly beneath this arch. Whether arriving 00:16:35.610 --> 00:16:38.470 by train, stagecoach, or later automobile, this 00:16:38.470 --> 00:16:41.730 was the official gateway. Even after cars were 00:16:41.730 --> 00:16:44.549 allowed in the park in 1915, the arch has remained 00:16:44.549 --> 00:16:47.710 a central part of that arrival experience. Today 00:16:47.710 --> 00:16:49.909 you don't have to drive under it. but I highly 00:16:49.909 --> 00:16:54.070 recommend that you do. What makes the April 24th 00:16:54.070 --> 00:16:56.769 ceremony so meaningful is how it connects to 00:16:56.769 --> 00:17:00.210 this bigger picture. Roosevelt wasn't just dedicating 00:17:00.210 --> 00:17:03.850 a structure, he was reinforcing a vision. During 00:17:03.850 --> 00:17:06.269 his presidency, he would go on to protect millions 00:17:06.269 --> 00:17:08.750 of acres of land, establish national forests, 00:17:09.069 --> 00:17:11.450 and expand conservation efforts across the country. 00:17:11.789 --> 00:17:13.829 Today, the Roosevelt Lodge still stands much 00:17:13.829 --> 00:17:16.750 as it did over a century ago, in a small town 00:17:16.750 --> 00:17:20.569 that people are stopping by quickly before they 00:17:20.569 --> 00:17:23.930 go into the park. The arch no longer serves as 00:17:23.930 --> 00:17:26.269 the only entrance, but it remains one of the 00:17:26.269 --> 00:17:28.789 park's most iconic features. People stop for 00:17:28.789 --> 00:17:31.670 pictures, walk beneath it, and often pass through 00:17:31.670 --> 00:17:33.910 without realizing they're stepping into a piece 00:17:33.910 --> 00:17:38.890 of history. Every year on April 24th, that history 00:17:38.890 --> 00:17:41.750 is quietly remembered by a handful of park visitors 00:17:41.750 --> 00:17:45.589 and locals. When we sit and remember what a president 00:17:45.589 --> 00:17:49.220 stood for for conservation and what a president 00:17:49.220 --> 00:17:52.200 did to help protect Yellowstone. When Roosevelt 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:55.599 visited, made a speech, and laid that cornerstone, 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:58.839 it helped set the foundation, both literally 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:01.640 and symbolically, for one of Yellowstone's most 00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:06.039 enduring man -made landmarks. Alright, the weather 00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:08.059 for the coming week. It's going to be a weird 00:18:08.059 --> 00:18:12.440 one, so let's jump in with Lamar Valley. On Thursday, 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:15.539 there's going to be a high of 39, a low of 21, 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:19.180 and about an inch of snow. On Friday, mostly 00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:23.900 cloudy, high of 32, low of 12, 24 % chance of 00:18:23.900 --> 00:18:26.900 precipitation. Saturday looks pretty good, high 00:18:26.900 --> 00:18:31.119 of 42, low of 22, not much chance of precipitation. 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:35.339 On Sunday, high of 40, low of 24, an inch of 00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:37.900 snow developing in the afternoon. On Monday, 00:18:38.059 --> 00:18:41.279 high of 42, low of 25, an inch of snow throughout 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:45.319 the day. On Tuesday, a high of 45, a low of 25, 00:18:45.779 --> 00:18:48.440 and that could be rain or snow. Then Wednesday, 00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:54.289 partly cloudy, high of 49, low of 24. Gardner, 00:18:54.289 --> 00:18:57.230 Montana's weather for the week on Thursday a 00:18:57.230 --> 00:19:01.809 high of 43 a low of 24 65 percent chance of snow 00:19:01.809 --> 00:19:05.029 But currently the forecast is calling for a tenth 00:19:05.029 --> 00:19:09.789 of an inch on Friday partly sunny high of 37 00:19:09.789 --> 00:19:13.069 low of 16 24 percent chance of precipitation 00:19:13.069 --> 00:19:18.849 on Saturday high of 45 low of 24 no real precipitation 00:19:18.849 --> 00:19:23.819 Sunday High of 42, low of 25, 53 % chance of 00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:26.700 at least an inch of snow. On Monday, high of 00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:31.819 46, low of 28, 51 % chance of snow. On Tuesday, 00:19:32.579 --> 00:19:36.759 high of 50, low of 28, 37 % chance of some snow. 00:19:37.339 --> 00:19:41.980 And on Wednesday, high of 53, low of 29, 24 % 00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:45.619 chance of snow. And that brings us to West Yellowstone. 00:19:46.089 --> 00:19:48.269 Now West Yellowstone is going to be a little 00:19:48.269 --> 00:19:50.730 colder than elsewhere and this also will apply 00:19:50.730 --> 00:19:53.549 to temperatures in Old Faithful So on Thursday 00:19:53.549 --> 00:19:57.490 high of 39 low of 18 80 percent chance of some 00:19:57.490 --> 00:20:03.170 snow on Friday 34 and 10 22 percent chance some 00:20:03.170 --> 00:20:08.410 precipitation on Saturday 42 and 19 just partly 00:20:08.410 --> 00:20:13.319 cloudy on Sunday High of 41, low of 20, 60 % 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:16.079 chance of an inch of snow. On Monday, high of 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:19.920 42, low of 21, 54 % chance of an inch of snow. 00:20:20.279 --> 00:20:24.680 On Tuesday, 46 and 21, with a 20 % chance of 00:20:24.680 --> 00:20:27.559 some rain or snow. And on Wednesday, high of 00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:32.180 49, low of 22, and an 18 % chance of some rain 00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:35.859 or snow, but should be a pretty nice day. All 00:20:35.859 --> 00:20:39.559 right, Cook City, Montana. On Thursday, High 00:20:39.559 --> 00:20:45.140 of 35, low of 17, 2 inches of snow. Friday, 28 00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:48.720 and 9, 54 % chance of about an inch of snow. 00:20:49.299 --> 00:20:54.380 On Saturday, 37 and 20, 21 % chance of some precipitation 00:20:54.380 --> 00:20:58.579 in the afternoon. Sunday, 37 and 22, with about 00:20:58.579 --> 00:21:02.519 2 inches of snow. Monday, 38 and 24, with about 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:07.160 an inch of snow. Tuesday 48 and 24 with a 33 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:11.200 % chance of some snow and Wednesday 45 and 25 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:14.839 with currently a 40 % chance of some rain So 00:21:14.839 --> 00:21:17.079 if you're heading to the park this week, it's 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:19.819 gonna be cold It's gonna be wet and it's probably 00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:23.559 gonna snow so be prepared for that Speaking of 00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:27.079 snow the snowpack update. So right now the snowpack 00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:32.319 in the park is it's okay The eastern side is 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:35.339 at 85 % of normal. The western side is about 00:21:35.339 --> 00:21:40.079 63 % of normal. Now, it obviously could be better. 00:21:40.380 --> 00:21:42.799 I don't think this snowstorm is really going 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:45.140 to make that big of a difference. So don't expect 00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:47.440 those numbers to climb. And if you're curious, 00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:51.140 last year at this time, park wide, the snowpack 00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:55.829 was about 93 % of normal. All right road conditions 00:21:55.829 --> 00:21:58.549 So the road between West Yellowstone and Old 00:21:58.549 --> 00:22:00.829 Faithful all the way up to Mammoth and out to 00:22:00.829 --> 00:22:03.190 Canyon is open The road from Gardner, Montana 00:22:03.190 --> 00:22:05.809 to Cook City Montana is also open So basically 00:22:05.809 --> 00:22:08.630 you can drive from West to Canyon down to Old 00:22:08.630 --> 00:22:11.150 Faithful up to Mammoth and Gardner and all the 00:22:11.150 --> 00:22:14.230 way out to Cook City Closures due to weather 00:22:14.230 --> 00:22:17.329 could happen this week. So in order to stay on 00:22:17.329 --> 00:22:19.849 top of this best There's two things you can do 00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:22.559 you can well three things you can check the park 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:28.819 website you can call 307 -344 -2117 for recorded 00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:31.180 information or you can do what most everyone 00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:34.099 else does and sign up for Yellowstone road alerts 00:22:34.099 --> 00:22:38.200 on your cell phone by texting the number 82190 00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:45.000 to the number 888 -777 camping information There's 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:47.420 only one campground open in the park right now, 00:22:47.660 --> 00:22:49.960 and that's the Mammoth Campground, which is open 00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:54.420 year round. The Wildlife Watching Report. So 00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:56.500 with this weather, obviously, wildlife watching 00:22:56.500 --> 00:22:59.440 is going to be a little hit and miss. But to 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:01.500 be honest, this is kind of my favorite weather 00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:04.799 for things because one, not everybody is out, 00:23:05.220 --> 00:23:07.539 and two, animals are still active despite the 00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:10.420 weather. Visibility just might be less than ideal. 00:23:11.099 --> 00:23:13.559 Also, roads might close, you know, so stay on 00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:16.059 top of that. So here's what's been going on this 00:23:16.059 --> 00:23:19.240 last week over the weekend I mentioned this at 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:22.259 the very top of the episode the Wapiti pack was 00:23:22.259 --> 00:23:26.619 right by The road at Fountain Flats Drive. They 00:23:26.619 --> 00:23:29.579 put on a show. They were very close to the road 00:23:29.579 --> 00:23:33.160 crossing the road back and forth I was lucky 00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:36.640 enough to drive by and Had a wolf next to the 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:39.140 car and then I stopped and you know with everybody 00:23:39.140 --> 00:23:41.420 else at the pullouts and just watch the wolves 00:23:41.420 --> 00:23:45.579 for Far too long or not long enough depending 00:23:45.579 --> 00:23:49.039 my dog that was in the car because he wanted 00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:52.720 a trip to the park and had to stay in the car 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:55.819 the whole time he got to see wolves and I was 00:23:55.819 --> 00:23:59.240 trying to tell him, you know how he is a very 00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:02.660 lucky dog that he saw three wolves within like 00:24:02.660 --> 00:24:05.480 50 feet and he sat there and was quiet and awesome 00:24:05.480 --> 00:24:09.519 now I'm gonna talk about dogs in Yellowstone 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:12.700 in the coming weeks But I have talked about that 00:24:12.700 --> 00:24:14.500 in the past and there's plenty of stuff out there. 00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:16.660 If you're bringing a dog to the park, please 00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:19.640 know the rules and regulations, especially when 00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:22.519 watching wildlife. There was somebody with a 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:25.140 husky in their car that was barking and yipping, 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:28.259 and that was less than ideal because that is 00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:31.779 disturbing the natural habitat. Now, that's a 00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:33.799 thing. Again, a conversation for a later day. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:36.890 Back to real wildlife report. If you go into 00:24:36.890 --> 00:24:39.890 the interior and you drive from west down to 00:24:39.890 --> 00:24:42.269 the geyser basins There's a chance you might 00:24:42.269 --> 00:24:44.950 see some bison. You're gonna see some pronghorn. 00:24:44.950 --> 00:24:47.410 Maybe you're definitely gonna see some sandhill 00:24:47.410 --> 00:24:51.890 cranes you're gonna see some osprey and It'll 00:24:51.890 --> 00:24:56.660 be nice but The wildlife watching there is not 00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:59.059 going to be as good as the Northern Range right 00:24:59.059 --> 00:25:02.059 now. If you want the best chance to see wolves, 00:25:02.460 --> 00:25:04.839 the best chance to see bears, the best chance 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:08.299 to see baby bison, go to the Northern Range. 00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:12.839 That is from Mammoth through Lamar Valley out 00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:16.500 to Cook City and back. I say all the way out 00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:18.559 to Cook City because there's been some foxes 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:21.200 out in Cook City, out by Baronet Peak, there's 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:24.000 been multiple moose wandering around, and then 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:26.599 as you get back toward Lamar Valley, there's 00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:28.619 been lots more bear sightings. As you get to 00:25:28.619 --> 00:25:30.519 Little America, there's more bear sightings. 00:25:30.740 --> 00:25:33.779 As you get to, like, Floating Island Lake and 00:25:33.779 --> 00:25:35.779 all of these other places, there's more bears. 00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:37.900 Out towards Hell Roaring, there's been wolves 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:39.740 through Creek, Lamar Valley, there's been Wolf 00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:43.299 Lake. This is where you want to go. The Northern 00:25:43.299 --> 00:25:46.980 Range is still and will be for a while the most 00:25:46.980 --> 00:25:50.319 active wildlife watching place in the park. If 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:53.720 you want to see wildlife, go there. I can't stress 00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:56.160 this enough. Every time I tell people this, they're 00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:58.339 like, well, yeah, but you can see things elsewhere. 00:25:58.680 --> 00:26:04.859 You can, but you may not. The wolves that I saw 00:26:04.859 --> 00:26:08.789 this last weekend were Very rare this has never 00:26:08.789 --> 00:26:11.210 happened to me down there and it's happened once 00:26:11.210 --> 00:26:14.069 in my entire lifetime of visiting The amount 00:26:14.069 --> 00:26:16.710 of times I see wolves in the northern range almost 00:26:16.710 --> 00:26:20.109 every time I go Now they might be three miles 00:26:20.109 --> 00:26:24.230 away, but you can see wolves If you want I'm 00:26:24.230 --> 00:26:26.869 just gonna stress this again if you want wildlife 00:26:26.869 --> 00:26:30.410 watching that is amazing Go to the northern range. 00:26:30.630 --> 00:26:34.769 I can't promise you that it's gonna be Full of 00:26:34.769 --> 00:26:36.589 animals everywhere, but that's going to give 00:26:36.589 --> 00:26:38.970 you the highest likelihood. All right. I think 00:26:38.970 --> 00:26:42.130 I've kind of beaten that point Again, though 00:26:42.130 --> 00:26:44.609 drive from mammoth all the way out toward Cook 00:26:44.609 --> 00:26:47.250 City and back try and do it in the morning or 00:26:47.250 --> 00:26:49.369 evening But with this colder weather animals 00:26:49.369 --> 00:26:50.950 are gonna be active in the middle of the day. 00:26:51.329 --> 00:26:54.750 So Don't stress it. Just go and look you never 00:26:54.750 --> 00:26:57.529 know what you're gonna see the wolves I saw down 00:26:57.529 --> 00:27:01.779 By the geyser basin. I saw it 11 a .m So don't 00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:04.119 fall into that trap of animals are only active 00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:07.599 before 8 a .m. Or after 6 p .m. You're going 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:09.880 to see what you're gonna see if it wants to be 00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:13.640 seen so hang in there put in the miles Stop where 00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:15.319 when you see people looking at things and if 00:27:15.319 --> 00:27:17.539 you see something that looks interesting Use 00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:20.420 a pair of binoculars and look at it Good luck, 00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:24.380 and I hope to hear stories of success Via text 00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:27.279 or email if you go into the park this week trail 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:29.990 alerts and updates there's bears on the trails 00:27:29.990 --> 00:27:33.230 everyone carry bear spray know how to use it 00:27:33.230 --> 00:27:36.289 have it very quickly accessible and if you see 00:27:36.289 --> 00:27:38.750 prints and things like that and don't feel safe 00:27:38.750 --> 00:27:42.529 turn around go back don't push it be it if there's 00:27:42.529 --> 00:27:46.069 a bear on a trail a bison pronghorn any wildlife 00:27:46.069 --> 00:27:48.109 if something is blocking the trail on the way 00:27:48.109 --> 00:27:51.970 out turn around don't try and hurt it away now 00:27:51.970 --> 00:27:53.809 if you're hiking back and there's something blocking 00:27:53.809 --> 00:27:57.230 the trail Walk all the way around it stay 25 00:27:57.230 --> 00:28:00.089 yards from bison and all ungulates and a hundred 00:28:00.089 --> 00:28:04.210 yards from wolves and bears If you want any other 00:28:04.210 --> 00:28:05.990 trail alerts and updates either reach out to 00:28:05.990 --> 00:28:08.069 me and say hey, I'm gonna hike here What's it 00:28:08.069 --> 00:28:10.890 like? I'll let you know or check out the backcountry 00:28:10.890 --> 00:28:13.690 conditions page on Yellowstone National Park's 00:28:13.690 --> 00:28:16.789 website and That leads me to the trek of the 00:28:16.789 --> 00:28:19.930 week Now this time of the year, especially this 00:28:19.930 --> 00:28:23.670 week. It's not really ideal for hiking for everyone 00:28:23.880 --> 00:28:26.019 Well, I'd love to recommend things like Bunsen 00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:28.019 Peak, which people are doing right now, and it's 00:28:28.019 --> 00:28:30.680 awesome, or Osprey Falls, which is a great trail, 00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:33.460 or Mystic Falls, or even Blacktail Deer Creek. 00:28:33.859 --> 00:28:36.259 The level of mud, standing water, and lingering 00:28:36.259 --> 00:28:39.500 snow really limits how fun those adventures will 00:28:39.500 --> 00:28:42.319 be for the average hiker. If you're more experienced 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:44.079 and looking for something just kind of gnarly 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:47.640 and, you know, that next level of fun, do the 00:28:47.640 --> 00:28:51.140 ones I just mentioned. But if you're not, instead 00:28:51.140 --> 00:28:53.819 of sending you to a potential slog that's going 00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:56.900 to be less than ideal, I'm proposing you take 00:28:56.900 --> 00:29:00.019 a trek around Old Faithful. Now I know, hiking, 00:29:00.579 --> 00:29:02.200 if you think about hiking, most people are like, 00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:03.940 well, I don't want to hike the boardwalks or 00:29:03.940 --> 00:29:07.200 a paved path at Old Faithful. I get that. I completely 00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:10.559 understand. However, right now, Old Faithful 00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:14.099 is pretty empty and that includes the trails, 00:29:14.539 --> 00:29:17.420 making it perfect for this coming week. Well, 00:29:17.420 --> 00:29:19.720 there's no wrong choice of where to wander as 00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:21.980 long as you stay on the designated trails around 00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:24.829 Old Faithful. there are a few solid choices that 00:29:24.829 --> 00:29:28.210 I think you're going to love. Again, I understand 00:29:28.210 --> 00:29:30.029 kind of that hesitation to say I'm going to spend 00:29:30.029 --> 00:29:32.509 all day hiking around Old Faithful, but chances 00:29:32.509 --> 00:29:35.470 are if you do it this week, you're going to find 00:29:35.470 --> 00:29:38.529 a gem that is truly spectacular and you're going 00:29:38.529 --> 00:29:40.950 to witness something with no one else there more 00:29:40.950 --> 00:29:45.529 than likely. So the first adventure I have is 00:29:45.529 --> 00:29:50.339 up to observation point. Now that will be slightly 00:29:50.339 --> 00:29:54.220 more popular I mean it's it's closer so it's 00:29:54.220 --> 00:29:56.180 and it's a good view of old faithful when it 00:29:56.180 --> 00:29:58.839 erupts so know that there might be more people 00:29:58.839 --> 00:30:01.839 there if it's open with this inclement weather 00:30:01.839 --> 00:30:04.700 it might not be so just ask at the visitor center 00:30:04.700 --> 00:30:07.660 if it's not sorry to recommend it now if you 00:30:07.660 --> 00:30:09.960 do this it's a little over a mile and a half 00:30:09.960 --> 00:30:13.019 round trip from the old faithful like viewing 00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:16.059 area with all the benches and there's a few hundred 00:30:16.059 --> 00:30:18.569 feet of elevation gain At the top of this trail, 00:30:18.990 --> 00:30:21.410 there's a stunning view of Old Faithful, so obviously 00:30:21.410 --> 00:30:24.269 the goal is to time it with an eruption. There 00:30:24.269 --> 00:30:26.470 are some logs to sit on and it makes for a perfect 00:30:26.470 --> 00:30:29.130 outing. Once you're done with watching an eruption 00:30:29.130 --> 00:30:32.029 at an observation point, continue along the boardwalk 00:30:32.029 --> 00:30:34.890 paths on the upper geyser basin trail. This will 00:30:34.890 --> 00:30:37.569 lead you to even more thermal features, most 00:30:37.569 --> 00:30:40.150 of which are unseen by the masses who visit the 00:30:40.150 --> 00:30:43.220 region. Walk this all the way to morning glory 00:30:43.220 --> 00:30:45.880 pool, which many consider to be the best hot 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:48.799 spring pool in all of Yellowstone Once you're 00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:51.259 done there start heading back on the main path, 00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:54.039 but make sure to swing out and watch daisy geyser 00:30:54.039 --> 00:30:56.779 erupt It's like a mini old faithful and it's 00:30:56.779 --> 00:31:00.140 a personal favorite of mine In total going up 00:31:00.140 --> 00:31:03.140 to observation point out to morning glory and 00:31:03.140 --> 00:31:05.819 back to old faithful with that daisy geyser detour 00:31:05.819 --> 00:31:08.099 It's gonna be about four and a half to five miles. 00:31:08.660 --> 00:31:11.809 It's not Difficult in terms of elevation gain, 00:31:12.150 --> 00:31:14.950 aside from that observation point. But it's going 00:31:14.950 --> 00:31:16.769 to take you longer than you might expect. Not 00:31:16.769 --> 00:31:18.970 because of the mileage, but because of everything 00:31:18.970 --> 00:31:21.690 you're going to stop for. Geyser eruptions, thermal 00:31:21.690 --> 00:31:24.730 features, wildlife, and just the sheer amount 00:31:24.730 --> 00:31:27.579 of things to see. I know it may sound simple, 00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:30.140 but this loop adventure is truly spectacular, 00:31:30.619 --> 00:31:33.380 made even better this time of year due to lack 00:31:33.380 --> 00:31:35.779 of crowds along the way. If you come in June 00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:38.299 or July, doing this is going to be a whole different 00:31:38.299 --> 00:31:41.119 experience. You do it now, you might have the 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:44.940 majority of the route to yourself. All right, 00:31:44.940 --> 00:31:47.839 that does it for me in this episode. In next 00:31:47.839 --> 00:31:49.660 episode, I'm going to return with all the information 00:31:49.660 --> 00:31:52.019 you need to have a good week in the park, including 00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:55.460 wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until then... 00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:58.000 Book a trail tour with me, pick up a guidebook 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:01.680 of mine, and happy trails. Oh, and if you're 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:04.240 listening all the way through here, let me know 00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:06.559 if you could hear my dog snoring in the background. 00:32:07.339 --> 00:32:09.740 He just started snoozing about halfway through, 00:32:09.859 --> 00:32:25.559 so let me know. Bye! This week in Yellowstone 00:32:25.559 --> 00:32:27.759 is brought to you by the Outdoor Society. That's 00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:30.480 my company. It's just me. I do this. It's a labor 00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:33.160 of love. If you like it, tell your friends, rate 00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:36.140 and review it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, 00:32:36.420 --> 00:32:38.660 keep listening and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:41.299 Copyright 2026, baby.