WEBVTT 00:00:00.110 --> 00:00:03.189 From Yellowstone National Park where Hayden Valley, 00:00:03.450 --> 00:00:05.629 Fishing Bridge, and the East entrance are opening, 00:00:06.030 --> 00:00:08.269 this is that Scott guy you know and love with 00:00:08.269 --> 00:00:11.509 a brand new episode of This Week in Yellowstone. 00:00:21.449 --> 00:00:23.850 What's up everybody? This week in Yellowstone 00:00:23.850 --> 00:00:27.210 National Park from April 30th to May 6th. It's 00:00:27.210 --> 00:00:29.820 already May. I'm going to be telling you about 00:00:29.820 --> 00:00:32.299 another road opening in the park, sharing about 00:00:32.299 --> 00:00:35.299 the Bermuda Triangle, and also letting you know 00:00:35.299 --> 00:00:37.780 why many think May is the best month to visit 00:00:37.780 --> 00:00:40.219 the park. I'll also give you the complete weather 00:00:40.219 --> 00:00:43.240 forecast, a cool trail to hike, the snowpack 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:46.020 update, the wildlife report, and everything else 00:00:46.020 --> 00:00:49.100 you need to have an incredible time this week 00:00:49.100 --> 00:00:52.369 in Yellowstone. Quick standard disclaimer here. 00:00:52.649 --> 00:00:55.909 I may miss a few details here and there I try 00:00:55.909 --> 00:00:58.429 and do this the best I can but obviously I'm 00:00:58.429 --> 00:01:01.250 human and I make mistakes So if there's anything 00:01:01.250 --> 00:01:03.490 you catch that's an error reach out to me happy 00:01:03.490 --> 00:01:06.129 to correct things I also want you to know that 00:01:06.129 --> 00:01:08.989 I mentioned park locations very casually So if 00:01:08.989 --> 00:01:11.430 you're unfamiliar with a place that I'm talking 00:01:11.430 --> 00:01:14.530 about a quick search can help Please know that 00:01:14.530 --> 00:01:17.209 this report only covers the drivable areas of 00:01:17.209 --> 00:01:20.560 the park and also that this podcast is the passion 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:23.480 project of mine. I'm not paid. I'm not sponsored. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.260 I do it because I want you to love the park. 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:29.019 If you enjoy this podcast, I'd love a review 00:01:29.019 --> 00:01:31.519 or a quick email. If you want to support my work 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:33.780 more, you can check out my hiking and wildlife 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:36.260 watching guidebooks, or you can join me for a 00:01:36.260 --> 00:01:38.459 guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's backcountry. 00:01:39.060 --> 00:01:41.459 For more information on all of that, visit outdoor 00:01:41.459 --> 00:01:45.439 -society .com or contact me directly. My phone 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:51.209 number, 406 589 1873 send me texts probably not 00:01:51.209 --> 00:01:53.930 gonna answer in chat But will respond to texts 00:01:53.930 --> 00:01:57.090 when I get them this week's Yellowstone news 00:01:57.090 --> 00:01:59.670 So the biggest news this week is that the east 00:01:59.670 --> 00:02:02.549 entrance to Canyon so east entrance to fishing 00:02:02.549 --> 00:02:05.950 bridge through Hayden and up to Canyon is gonna 00:02:05.950 --> 00:02:08.569 open up I'm gonna talk about that more in a little 00:02:08.569 --> 00:02:12.520 bit. There's also a cool news story about how 00:02:12.520 --> 00:02:16.159 much water is actually expelled from Old Faithful 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:18.860 every time it erupts. I'm going to provide that 00:02:18.860 --> 00:02:21.800 link in the show notes, because this is probably 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:23.780 going to be already a little bit longer of an 00:02:23.780 --> 00:02:26.180 episode. And so if you want to check that out, 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:29.719 go ahead and do so. It'll also be in the text 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.139 version of this podcast that's available on my 00:02:32.139 --> 00:02:36.020 website. So go ahead and check that out. We're 00:02:36.020 --> 00:02:37.879 going to jump straight to the experience of the 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:40.120 week, which like I said is driving Canyon to 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:43.800 the east entrance or vice versa. So on May 1st, 00:02:43.860 --> 00:02:46.400 a quieter but incredibly rewarding stretch of 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:48.520 Yellowstone National Park opens back up for the 00:02:48.520 --> 00:02:51.039 season. This is the road between Canyon Village 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:53.259 and the east entrance and it gives you a little 00:02:53.259 --> 00:02:55.759 bit of everything Yellowstone does well. There's 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:58.659 wildlife opportunities, thermal features, big 00:02:58.659 --> 00:03:01.860 lake views, there's a beach, there's cool sweeping 00:03:01.860 --> 00:03:05.780 views up from viewpoints. there's cascades it's 00:03:05.780 --> 00:03:07.740 really a little of everything absolutely love 00:03:07.740 --> 00:03:11.120 it and i'm excited for this section to open up 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:14.159 so the park service is announcing that the road 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:17.400 is going to open up on may 1st weather permitting 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:19.800 now if you remember last time roads were going 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:21.840 to open up the weather didn't quite work out 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:24.400 and it delayed it from an 8 a .m opening till 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:26.639 a noon opening the weather looks better this 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:28.639 week so i would assume that this is going to 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:31.629 open on time So one thing that a lot of people 00:03:31.629 --> 00:03:34.770 are super excited about is the opening of Hayden 00:03:34.770 --> 00:03:37.289 Valley. Now Hayden is one of the park's most 00:03:37.289 --> 00:03:39.569 famous wildlife areas, but I want you to know 00:03:39.569 --> 00:03:42.569 that early May is gonna feel a little slow at 00:03:42.569 --> 00:03:45.229 first. There's animals there, but they're not 00:03:45.229 --> 00:03:47.770 that easy to spot and it's not as active as it 00:03:47.770 --> 00:03:50.560 is in the middle of the summer. Wildlife activity 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:53.000 will increase through the spring as animals emerge 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:55.759 from winter patterns and the remaining snow kind 00:03:55.759 --> 00:03:58.520 of melts There should be maybe some newborn calves 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:01.460 out there. Maybe some bears maybe some wolves 00:04:01.460 --> 00:04:04.680 But generally I would expect Hayden to be pretty 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:08.319 slow right now I could be very wrong, but historically 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:11.060 Hayden starts out very slow later in the year 00:04:11.060 --> 00:04:14.080 I'm going to talk about like Hayden versus Lamar 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:16.779 and which one I feel is better and which one 00:04:16.779 --> 00:04:19.959 has what So stay tuned for that later in the 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:23.000 year, probably in June. So after driving through 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:24.899 Hayden and stopping and scanning and looking 00:04:24.899 --> 00:04:28.779 for wildlife, I highly recommend immediately 00:04:28.779 --> 00:04:30.839 going to Mud Volcano. It's one of my favorite 00:04:30.839 --> 00:04:34.879 little places. I have good bear luck there, and 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:37.180 every year there's something interesting that 00:04:37.180 --> 00:04:39.660 happens. Mud Volcano is also where one of the 00:04:39.660 --> 00:04:43.209 more... Interesting bison versus human experiences 00:04:43.209 --> 00:04:45.730 happened again gonna talk about that next week 00:04:45.730 --> 00:04:49.850 So stay tuned for that, but mud volcano is one 00:04:49.850 --> 00:04:52.250 of my favorite thermal areas They all are my 00:04:52.250 --> 00:04:54.490 favorite so it's easy to say that but there's 00:04:54.490 --> 00:04:58.370 bubbling mud pots. There's Strong sulfur smells. 00:04:58.750 --> 00:05:01.529 There's dragons mouth. There's all sorts of things 00:05:01.529 --> 00:05:04.430 that are really cool to see It's not gonna be 00:05:04.430 --> 00:05:07.350 as colorful as the other basins, but it's very 00:05:07.350 --> 00:05:11.110 raw and very alive, and it's a short little jaunt. 00:05:11.970 --> 00:05:13.910 Further down as you get towards Fishing Bridge, 00:05:14.290 --> 00:05:16.949 Lee Hardy Rapids is one of those quick stops 00:05:16.949 --> 00:05:20.709 that is easy to skip. Most people do. But it's 00:05:20.709 --> 00:05:22.839 right... along the Yellowstone River, and it 00:05:22.839 --> 00:05:25.319 goes through a narrow section here. And in the 00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:28.240 spring runoff, it's loud, it's fast, and there's 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:31.500 a lot of cool aquatic life and birds. Sometimes 00:05:31.500 --> 00:05:33.600 there's bears there and they have to close it, 00:05:33.660 --> 00:05:37.399 but I highly, highly, highly recommend going 00:05:37.399 --> 00:05:40.939 for the harlequin ducks and other waterfowl that 00:05:40.939 --> 00:05:43.639 use this open water. It's a cool little viewpoint, 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:46.180 it's not that long, and it's worth the stop. 00:05:46.660 --> 00:05:48.720 Then as you get toward Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.339 Lake, things start to open up again. This area 00:05:51.339 --> 00:05:54.019 is a bit of a transition zone, both in scenery 00:05:54.019 --> 00:05:56.980 and wildlife. Spring is a good time to keep your 00:05:56.980 --> 00:05:59.699 eyes open for bears here, especially on the stretch 00:05:59.699 --> 00:06:02.959 between Fishing Bridge and Sylvan Pass. That's 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:04.680 gonna be where you're gonna see some grizzly 00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:07.079 bears, some black bears, and some of the more 00:06:07.079 --> 00:06:10.399 famous grizzlies are out there, so I know I will 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:12.519 be heading there, and a lot of people I know 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:16.139 will be heading there as soon as it opens, and 00:06:16.139 --> 00:06:19.649 specifically for grizzly bears. But before you 00:06:19.649 --> 00:06:22.050 head out towards Sylvan Pass and toward the east 00:06:22.050 --> 00:06:25.129 entrance I do want to recommend that you hang 00:06:25.129 --> 00:06:27.410 out near the Lake Lodge and see if there's anybody 00:06:27.410 --> 00:06:29.629 parked on the side of the road They're gonna 00:06:29.629 --> 00:06:31.069 be parked on the side of the road because this 00:06:31.069 --> 00:06:34.189 can be a good spot to see great gray owls These 00:06:34.189 --> 00:06:37.089 birds prefer forest edges and meadows and spring 00:06:37.089 --> 00:06:39.230 is a good time to look for them, especially early 00:06:39.230 --> 00:06:42.009 or late in the day It's one of those sightings 00:06:42.009 --> 00:06:45.689 that are very rare for me. So anytime I get to 00:06:45.689 --> 00:06:48.750 see a great gray owl it is Phenomenal it makes 00:06:48.750 --> 00:06:52.410 my day. It makes my week. It is awesome All right. 00:06:52.529 --> 00:06:54.470 Once you're done looking there, then you can 00:06:54.470 --> 00:06:58.290 start heading out and go to Sylvan Pass and the 00:06:58.290 --> 00:07:00.750 east entrance Now if you're in this area and 00:07:00.750 --> 00:07:02.310 you're looking to stretch your legs the storm 00:07:02.310 --> 00:07:04.810 point trail is a great option It's a short hike 00:07:04.810 --> 00:07:06.269 that I'm going to talk about later in the hiking 00:07:06.269 --> 00:07:10.149 section Nearby Mary Bay is like a quiet lakeside 00:07:10.149 --> 00:07:12.149 stop. Like that's the beach I was saying where 00:07:12.149 --> 00:07:15.339 you can take in the scale of the lake which Yellowstone 00:07:15.339 --> 00:07:17.519 National Park identifies as the largest high 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:20.220 elevation lake in North America, so there's a 00:07:20.220 --> 00:07:23.600 fun little fact for you. One of the best views 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:27.579 of this entire drive that I think you would enjoy 00:07:27.579 --> 00:07:30.959 is from the Lake Butte overlook. From up there, 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:33.100 you get a sweeping look at Yellowstone Lake and 00:07:33.100 --> 00:07:35.060 the surrounding mountains, including the Tetons 00:07:35.060 --> 00:07:38.160 in the distance on a clear day. It's a stop that 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:41.160 a lot of people just zoom by, but it's short. 00:07:41.310 --> 00:07:43.990 It's easy to get to, and it really puts the size 00:07:43.990 --> 00:07:46.709 of the landscape into perspective. Just expect 00:07:46.709 --> 00:07:49.790 some wind and some ravens there. As you continue 00:07:49.790 --> 00:07:52.050 east from here, the climb towards Sylvan Pass 00:07:52.050 --> 00:07:55.490 brings another shift. At over 8 ,500 feet, this 00:07:55.490 --> 00:07:57.370 is one of the higher road sections in the park, 00:07:57.769 --> 00:07:59.689 and in early May it can still feel like winter, 00:07:59.889 --> 00:08:02.069 even in a winter that we didn't quite have a 00:08:02.069 --> 00:08:04.649 real winter. There may be some snow banks there, 00:08:04.970 --> 00:08:07.939 and conditions can and will change quickly. This 00:08:07.939 --> 00:08:09.899 is also a good place to watch for bighorn sheep 00:08:09.899 --> 00:08:12.980 along the rocky slopes. I tend to see them more 00:08:12.980 --> 00:08:15.360 down by the east entrance itself, especially 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.899 this time of the year, but with the lack of snow, 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:20.160 there's, you know, a good chance you're gonna 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:22.720 see them up higher. Finally, as you approach 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:25.860 the east entrance, the geology starts to change. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:28.240 Volcanic features that define much of Yellowstone 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:31.620 begin to give way to the rugged terrain of the 00:08:31.620 --> 00:08:33.879 mountains that are out there. This area is made 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:35.899 up of older volcanic rocks that have been heavily 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:38.419 eroded over time, creating a different look and 00:08:38.419 --> 00:08:40.659 feel compared to the geyser basins and plateaus 00:08:40.659 --> 00:08:43.960 deeper in the park. As you head out of the park 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:45.779 from the east entrance, which again recommend 00:08:45.779 --> 00:08:49.500 doing maybe like 10 -15 miles just to do, you're 00:08:49.500 --> 00:08:51.600 gonna get into some red rock, the river there 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:53.700 is really cool, there's gonna be wildlife, it's 00:08:53.700 --> 00:08:56.919 just a nice shift of pace before you turn around 00:08:56.919 --> 00:08:59.799 and drive back. And that's kind of what makes 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:04.080 this so special. because going from the east 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:06.399 entrance to Canyon or Canyon to the east entrance 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:10.240 is another slice of Yellowstone opening up and 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:13.019 you get to enjoy it. Yellowstone is coming back 00:09:13.019 --> 00:09:16.240 to life in real time. Wildlife is slowly becoming 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:18.919 more active, the landscape is shifting, and every 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:20.860 few miles you drive feels a little different 00:09:20.860 --> 00:09:23.500 than the last. It's quieter than most routes 00:09:23.500 --> 00:09:26.759 this time of the year, very unpredictable as 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:29.190 to what you're gonna see. And it's often overlooked, 00:09:29.370 --> 00:09:32.250 which is exactly why it's worth your time. The 00:09:32.250 --> 00:09:34.309 reason why it's overlooked is unless you're coming 00:09:34.309 --> 00:09:37.570 from Cody, driving out there can take a long 00:09:37.570 --> 00:09:40.769 time. However, highly recommend going. That's 00:09:40.769 --> 00:09:42.889 why it's my experience of the week is because 00:09:42.889 --> 00:09:45.929 I will be doing this. I love it. I do it early 00:09:45.929 --> 00:09:48.669 every year and I always see some really cool 00:09:48.669 --> 00:09:51.289 things. So if you're in the park this week, check 00:09:51.289 --> 00:09:55.769 it out. My tip of the week is may the best month 00:09:55.769 --> 00:09:58.330 to visit the park. If you're trying to pick the 00:09:58.330 --> 00:10:00.629 perfect time to visit Yellowstone National Park, 00:10:01.129 --> 00:10:02.549 that's really just a matter of preference. There 00:10:02.549 --> 00:10:04.450 is no perfect time. The perfect time is when 00:10:04.450 --> 00:10:06.750 you're there because you're in the park. But 00:10:06.750 --> 00:10:09.769 May makes a strong case to be that perfect time. 00:10:10.470 --> 00:10:13.190 It's not perfect in that traditional sense, but 00:10:13.190 --> 00:10:16.009 nothing in Yellowstone ever is. But that's exactly 00:10:16.009 --> 00:10:19.149 why it stands out. This is the month where wildlife 00:10:19.149 --> 00:10:21.830 is active, landscapes are changing by the day, 00:10:22.049 --> 00:10:24.669 and the crowds haven't fully arrived yet. you 00:10:24.669 --> 00:10:27.029 just have to be willing to accept a few trade 00:10:27.029 --> 00:10:30.870 -offs. The biggest reason to visit May is the 00:10:30.870 --> 00:10:34.370 wildlife. Spring is the most active time of the 00:10:34.370 --> 00:10:36.870 year for animals. Bears are emerging from their 00:10:36.870 --> 00:10:39.409 dens, bison calves, often called red dogs, are 00:10:39.409 --> 00:10:42.450 being born, and elk, pronghorn, and wolves are 00:10:42.450 --> 00:10:45.690 easier to spot in the open valleys because the 00:10:45.690 --> 00:10:48.690 vegetation is still pretty low and they're just 00:10:48.690 --> 00:10:50.269 easier to see and they're more active because 00:10:50.269 --> 00:10:53.909 it's still pretty cold outside. Once summer hits, 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:56.559 Grasses are a little higher, temperatures are 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.059 a little warmer, things aren't as active. So 00:10:59.059 --> 00:11:03.460 right now is a really good time. The timing that 00:11:03.460 --> 00:11:07.080 wildlife uses in May is one reason why I love 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:09.100 it. Animals are moving more, they're feeding 00:11:09.100 --> 00:11:11.039 more, they're spending time in open terrain, 00:11:11.340 --> 00:11:13.279 which increases your chance of seeing something 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:15.980 without having to go that far. It's one of the 00:11:15.980 --> 00:11:18.039 few times of the year when you can head out early 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:21.639 or late and realistically expect multiple wildlife 00:11:21.639 --> 00:11:24.470 encounters in a single outing. That alone makes 00:11:24.470 --> 00:11:27.289 May stand out compared to other months. May is 00:11:27.289 --> 00:11:32.149 when I see so many bears. So, so, so many bears. 00:11:32.190 --> 00:11:35.210 I'm going to talk about this all month, but this 00:11:35.210 --> 00:11:37.210 is the time where I see lots of bears. There's 00:11:37.210 --> 00:11:39.610 newborn bison being born. They're jumping around. 00:11:39.990 --> 00:11:42.509 The wolves are a little active because they are 00:11:42.509 --> 00:11:44.649 denning right now. And so one of the wolves is 00:11:44.649 --> 00:11:47.090 super pregnant, right? And so all the other wolves 00:11:47.090 --> 00:11:49.009 are bringing food back to the den. And if you 00:11:49.009 --> 00:11:50.929 know where that den is, which I'll talk about 00:11:50.929 --> 00:11:53.899 in the wildlife report, You can go and set up 00:11:53.899 --> 00:11:56.179 a spotting scope miles away and just watch that 00:11:56.179 --> 00:11:58.740 activity throughout the day. Temperature is also 00:11:58.740 --> 00:12:01.440 colder, like I said, so that way everything is 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:05.519 a little more active. Then there's the crowds, 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:09.539 or more accurately, the lack of them. May sits 00:12:09.539 --> 00:12:12.740 right before the surge of summer visitation. 00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:15.419 I would say that the first two weeks, two and 00:12:15.419 --> 00:12:17.820 a half weeks of May, are right before that surge 00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:21.389 starts. The majority of Yellowstone's visitors 00:12:21.389 --> 00:12:25.250 arrive between late May and the end of September, 00:12:25.669 --> 00:12:28.549 which means May is noticeably quieter, that early 00:12:28.549 --> 00:12:31.769 part of May. Parking is easier, traffic is lighter, 00:12:32.049 --> 00:12:33.929 and you're far less likely to feel rushed at 00:12:33.929 --> 00:12:36.649 major stops. You can actually take your time, 00:12:36.649 --> 00:12:38.909 whether that means watching a herd of bison or 00:12:38.909 --> 00:12:41.830 wolves for longer than planned, or lingering 00:12:41.830 --> 00:12:43.970 at a geyser basin without feeling like you need 00:12:43.970 --> 00:12:47.000 to move along. You will still encounter crowds 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:49.440 here and there. Popular places are going to be 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:52.500 popular. Bear jams are going to become bear jams, 00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:55.720 right? There's going to be people at the activity, 00:12:55.779 --> 00:12:58.799 but it's not going to be as crowded as it will 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.500 be in the summer. Another reason I love May is 00:13:01.500 --> 00:13:04.840 that the landscape itself is part of that draw 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:07.240 and part of like this energy that is emerging. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:10.220 May is this transition month in every sense. 00:13:10.679 --> 00:13:12.879 Snow is still cleaning to higher elevations while 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:15.909 the valleys are turning green. Rivers and waterfalls 00:13:15.909 --> 00:13:18.250 start to swell with snowmelt, and it makes them 00:13:18.250 --> 00:13:21.149 more powerful and dramatic and much louder. There's 00:13:21.149 --> 00:13:23.169 cooler air that makes the geothermal features 00:13:23.169 --> 00:13:25.990 feel more vivid, with steam hanging low across 00:13:25.990 --> 00:13:29.789 basins and drifting through the trees. It's also 00:13:29.789 --> 00:13:32.990 just downright gorgeous, and it's quiet, and 00:13:32.990 --> 00:13:35.389 there's birds calling, and it's just this energy 00:13:35.389 --> 00:13:38.929 that's always shifting and always changing, and 00:13:38.929 --> 00:13:42.549 it's just... impossible to explain. I know I'm 00:13:42.549 --> 00:13:44.789 trying here and you can hear me kind of just 00:13:44.789 --> 00:13:48.169 stammering because I love May. It is a great 00:13:48.169 --> 00:13:51.110 time in the park and I think you'll like it. 00:13:51.889 --> 00:13:55.730 That said, May comes with some very real downsides 00:13:55.730 --> 00:13:58.129 and it's better to know them ahead of time. The 00:13:58.129 --> 00:14:00.990 biggest one is access and amenities. Yellowstone 00:14:00.990 --> 00:14:04.070 doesn't fully open all at once as you know. Roads 00:14:04.070 --> 00:14:07.269 open in phases throughout April and May and full 00:14:07.269 --> 00:14:10.000 access to the park doesn't happen until later 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:12.539 in the month, and that is even depending on the 00:14:12.539 --> 00:14:16.240 weather. Even when roads are open, services can 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:19.240 lag behind. Lodges, restaurants, visitor centers, 00:14:19.419 --> 00:14:22.179 and even bathrooms can be limited or just beginning 00:14:22.179 --> 00:14:24.580 to open for the season, which can catch people 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:26.539 off guard if they're expecting a full summer 00:14:26.539 --> 00:14:30.159 experience. This is also something for those 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:34.600 towns outside of the park. Gardner, West Yellowstone, 00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:38.649 Cody, Cook City, Silvergate, all of those areas 00:14:38.649 --> 00:14:41.370 are going to have fewer amenities earlier in 00:14:41.370 --> 00:14:43.070 the month than they will later in the month. 00:14:43.590 --> 00:14:46.149 So plan ahead, be prepared, and you'll be fine. 00:14:46.970 --> 00:14:49.509 One thing that you also need to know about visiting 00:14:49.509 --> 00:14:51.649 in May is that trail conditions, if you're a 00:14:51.649 --> 00:14:53.909 hiker, are another factor why a lot of people 00:14:53.909 --> 00:14:57.509 don't like May. Snowmelt turns many lower elevation 00:14:57.509 --> 00:15:00.250 trails into mud, and the higher elevation hikes 00:15:00.250 --> 00:15:03.769 still will have snow or ice on them. Boardwalks 00:15:03.769 --> 00:15:06.029 in the thermal areas can be icy in the morning 00:15:06.029 --> 00:15:09.049 and some trails may be closed for resource protection 00:15:09.049 --> 00:15:12.490 or seasonal conditions or there's bears and wildlife 00:15:12.490 --> 00:15:16.789 there. If hiking is your main goal, May can and 00:15:16.789 --> 00:15:19.450 will be inconsistent depending on where you go 00:15:19.450 --> 00:15:22.690 and what type of trails you're looking for. This 00:15:22.690 --> 00:15:25.809 is where off the top of the show I gave you my 00:15:25.809 --> 00:15:28.169 phone number. I'm doing it again. If you need 00:15:28.169 --> 00:15:31.179 a trail, I will try to sell you a book because 00:15:31.179 --> 00:15:33.519 I wrote a guidebook to the region and since I 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:35.360 don't get paid for this podcast, buying a book 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.919 helps me out. But if you need a hike and you're 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:40.200 visiting and you need to know it's perfect, reach 00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:45.720 out to me 406 -589 -1873. Happy to recommend 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:48.679 a trail. I will recommend my book as well, but 00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:53.240 I have to, right? It's a business. Okay. Finally, 00:15:53.580 --> 00:15:56.330 know that weather is inconsistent. This April, 00:15:56.730 --> 00:15:59.690 we have had multiple days of snow. It snowed 00:15:59.690 --> 00:16:02.870 more in April than it did in January and February 00:16:02.870 --> 00:16:05.129 combined. Actually, I will say December, January, 00:16:05.230 --> 00:16:08.909 and February combined. We have more snow in Livingston, 00:16:08.909 --> 00:16:11.149 where I live, than those three months combined 00:16:11.149 --> 00:16:15.129 in April. May could be the exact same. It has 00:16:15.129 --> 00:16:17.610 snowed in May. It's been 80 in May. It's rained 00:16:17.610 --> 00:16:20.409 heavy. We've had flooding. You never know what 00:16:20.409 --> 00:16:24.919 to expect with May. Always be prepared for anything. 00:16:25.399 --> 00:16:28.019 Know that you may have a warm, sunny afternoon 00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:30.539 followed by a snowstorm overnight. You may have 00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:32.940 thunderstorms throughout the day, and then it 00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:34.379 will clear up at night and you might see the 00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:36.820 northern lights. You have no idea what to expect, 00:16:36.860 --> 00:16:41.200 so pack and plan for everything. So with all 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:43.580 of this, is May the best month to visit Yellowstone? 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:47.220 Depends on what you're looking for, but if wildlife, 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:50.870 extra space at all, the cool places you can visit, 00:16:51.169 --> 00:16:54.230 and a more dynamic, energetic version of the 00:16:54.230 --> 00:16:56.629 park are high on your list, it's hard to beat. 00:16:57.129 --> 00:16:59.509 You're likely to see more animals right now, 00:16:59.730 --> 00:17:01.990 deal with fewer crowds, and experience Yellowstone 00:17:01.990 --> 00:17:04.650 in a way that feels a little more raw and a lot 00:17:04.650 --> 00:17:07.470 less polished than peak summer. It's not the 00:17:07.470 --> 00:17:10.049 easiest time to visit, and it's not the most 00:17:10.049 --> 00:17:13.450 predictable. But for a lot of people, that's 00:17:13.450 --> 00:17:17.509 exactly what makes it the best. My random Yellowstone 00:17:17.509 --> 00:17:21.809 fact of the week. the Bermuda Triangle. Like 00:17:21.809 --> 00:17:23.970 most places that are seasonally awesome in the 00:17:23.970 --> 00:17:26.190 park, you're not going to find this on any official 00:17:26.190 --> 00:17:29.750 map. If you ask people about the Bermuda Triangle, 00:17:30.009 --> 00:17:31.690 some will know what you're talking about, others 00:17:31.690 --> 00:17:33.730 will think that you're just asking about the 00:17:33.730 --> 00:17:37.240 Bermuda Triangle and wondering, you know... if 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:38.920 you're worried about your compass not working 00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:42.000 or looking for lost ships. But the Bermuda Triangle 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.819 is uniquely Yellowstone and a really cool place. 00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:47.940 It loosely covers the area between Lamar Valley, 00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:50.680 Tower Junction, and the slopes around Spetsman 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:54.000 Ridge. If you're visiting in early to late May, 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:56.579 this is one of the best places in the park to 00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:59.680 spend time looking for bears. The reason has 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:01.700 a lot to do with what bears are eating this time 00:18:01.700 --> 00:18:04.809 of year. By May, most grizzly bears have emerged 00:18:04.809 --> 00:18:06.910 from their den. Adult males typically come out 00:18:06.910 --> 00:18:09.130 first, followed by females, and then females 00:18:09.130 --> 00:18:12.089 with cubs. After months without food, they need 00:18:12.089 --> 00:18:14.970 to rebuild energy, but early spring in Yellowstone 00:18:14.970 --> 00:18:17.869 isn't exactly overflowing with options. Instead 00:18:17.869 --> 00:18:20.549 of big dramatic feeding events, much of what 00:18:20.549 --> 00:18:23.329 bears are doing is slower and more methodical. 00:18:23.730 --> 00:18:26.710 They're grazing. A huge part of a bear spring 00:18:26.710 --> 00:18:29.730 diet is actually plant -based, and as the snow 00:18:29.730 --> 00:18:32.269 melts, the first green shoots begin to appear, 00:18:32.809 --> 00:18:35.450 like grasses, sedges, and forbs, bears spend 00:18:35.450 --> 00:18:37.869 long stretches of time with their heads down, 00:18:38.130 --> 00:18:41.529 slowly moving across hillsides and valleys, just 00:18:41.529 --> 00:18:44.230 feeding on this early vegetation. You'll see 00:18:44.230 --> 00:18:47.849 them digging with their long claws, and those 00:18:47.849 --> 00:18:50.769 claws really can rip open whatever they want 00:18:50.769 --> 00:18:53.930 to. Usually it's logs in the ground, and those 00:18:53.930 --> 00:18:57.289 long claws are in search of roots like biscuit 00:18:57.289 --> 00:18:59.849 root and yampa, which are rich in nutrients and 00:18:59.849 --> 00:19:02.829 become available as the soil thaws. Now you will 00:19:02.829 --> 00:19:05.779 see bears on carcasses. this is something that 00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:08.559 happens bears will be that especially the grizzly 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:11.519 boars are going to be going after the newborn 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:14.559 bison they're going to be going to where the 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:16.299 wolves have killed something and trying to take 00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:19.099 over that carcass bears are going to be also 00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:22.920 on carcasses but don't expect them to be eating 00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:26.859 just meat they eat a lot of vegetation and this 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:28.920 area that I'm talking about the Bermuda Triangle 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:32.400 is super productive The northern range tends 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:34.619 to green up earlier than the higher elevations, 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:37.039 creating a patchwork of feeding areas that draws 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:40.059 bears out into the open. The mix of rolling hills, 00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:42.819 exposed slopes, and wide valleys make it easier 00:19:42.819 --> 00:19:45.119 to both find food and see bears while they're 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:47.680 doing it. Unlike summer when vegetation grows 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:50.720 tall and dense, May keeps things relatively open, 00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:52.819 which is why sightings can feel more frequent. 00:19:53.380 --> 00:19:56.579 As the month goes on, things build. Early May 00:19:56.579 --> 00:19:59.039 will still feel a little quiet. Right now, you'll 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:02.039 hear in the wildlife report, bear sightings are 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:04.740 up in Lamar Valley, but they're largely far away. 00:20:05.390 --> 00:20:08.130 By mid to late May, bears are more active across 00:20:08.130 --> 00:20:10.549 the landscape and females with cubs become more 00:20:10.549 --> 00:20:13.069 visible as they move farther from their den sites, 00:20:13.210 --> 00:20:16.410 which are more remote. So at the same time, food 00:20:16.410 --> 00:20:19.009 options continue to expand with more plant growth 00:20:19.009 --> 00:20:21.410 and other seasonal opportunities emerging. So 00:20:21.410 --> 00:20:24.500 bear sightings continually pick up. Not every 00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:26.680 bear you see in the bear -mute triangle is going 00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:29.000 to be a grizzly. Chances are you may see more 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:32.380 black bears, especially when the road from Tower 00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:36.559 Junction to Tower Falls opens up. I have seen 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:39.000 seven black bears in that two and a half mile 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:41.339 stretch. I've also seen at one time five grizzly 00:20:41.339 --> 00:20:45.099 bears in that area. You never know. Now, I will 00:20:45.099 --> 00:20:46.799 talk about how to tell the difference between 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:50.180 grizzly bears and black bears briefly. Happy 00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:52.279 to tell you more. There's a lot of good resources 00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:54.720 online as well. So grizzly bears are generally 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:57.680 larger, with a distinct shoulder hump. They have 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.000 a slightly concave face and long claws built 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:03.500 for digging. Their color ranges from blonde to 00:21:03.500 --> 00:21:05.980 dark brown. Black bears, despite their name, 00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:08.599 can also be brown. They can look just like grizzlies, 00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:11.759 but they lack the shoulder hump, have a straighter 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:14.380 facial profile, and shorter claws that are better 00:21:14.380 --> 00:21:18.140 suited for climbing trees. Even in a place nicknamed 00:21:18.140 --> 00:21:20.880 Bermuda Triangle, though, nothing is guaranteed. 00:21:21.180 --> 00:21:23.359 Bears cover a lot of ground and their movements 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:25.359 change daily depending on food, weather, and 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:28.019 human activity. You might scan for an hour and 00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:30.380 see nothing, or you might just be driving and 00:21:30.380 --> 00:21:32.880 you might see just bears walking across the road 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:35.660 throughout the day. This happens all the time. 00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:38.380 That unpredictability is part of the experience 00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:40.720 of Yellowstone, so if you're visiting in May, 00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:44.099 your best chances are to drive this road if you 00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:46.900 want to see bears. I will say that early morning 00:21:46.900 --> 00:21:48.779 and late evening when bears are most active is 00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:51.220 the best time, but again this time of the year, 00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:53.119 depending on the temperature, they're out all 00:21:53.119 --> 00:21:56.180 the time. If you can't get up in the morning 00:21:56.180 --> 00:21:57.839 or you only have a little bit of time in the 00:21:57.839 --> 00:22:00.500 day, I have seen bears every hour of the day 00:22:00.500 --> 00:22:04.279 that I'm in the park. So go to the Bermuda Triangle 00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:07.880 again. It is basically from around the Tower 00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:11.799 Roosevelt area. Just know that. I will continue 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:14.750 to talk about this region. Every single week, 00:22:14.829 --> 00:22:17.049 especially through May and early June as this 00:22:17.049 --> 00:22:19.910 will be a good place to start seeing bears I 00:22:19.910 --> 00:22:23.670 do want to say if bears are near the road Do 00:22:23.670 --> 00:22:26.470 not stop in the road unless the bear is directly 00:22:26.470 --> 00:22:28.849 in front of your car Do not get out of your car 00:22:28.849 --> 00:22:30.950 to take pictures if the bear is right next to 00:22:30.950 --> 00:22:34.990 the road. You must maintain 100 yards from bears 00:22:34.990 --> 00:22:39.250 at all times If there is a ranger there and allows 00:22:39.250 --> 00:22:41.750 you to pull off at an approved pullout and you 00:22:41.750 --> 00:22:43.950 can get out of your car, they will let you. You 00:22:43.950 --> 00:22:45.910 will see them there. They'll be wearing vests. 00:22:46.329 --> 00:22:48.990 They are impossible to miss. Listen to them. 00:22:49.710 --> 00:22:54.069 A lot of them are just volunteers. So when you 00:22:54.069 --> 00:22:57.470 are at a bear event, Listen to the people in 00:22:57.470 --> 00:23:00.170 charge stay far away. Don't stop your car in 00:23:00.170 --> 00:23:02.170 the road and whatever you do Don't get out of 00:23:02.170 --> 00:23:04.670 your car and run toward bears. I know it sounds 00:23:04.670 --> 00:23:07.049 simple and I know some of you're like I would 00:23:07.049 --> 00:23:11.690 never do that. I have had friends and family 00:23:11.690 --> 00:23:16.089 who are Who have told me I would never do that 00:23:16.089 --> 00:23:17.829 and then there's a bear and they immediately 00:23:17.829 --> 00:23:19.329 get out of the car and walk Toward it because 00:23:19.329 --> 00:23:21.490 there's other people there This is something 00:23:21.490 --> 00:23:23.069 that happens in Yellowstone. We're going to talk 00:23:23.069 --> 00:23:25.250 about it more in the future episodes. But right 00:23:25.250 --> 00:23:27.369 now, if you want to see bears, go to the Bear 00:23:27.369 --> 00:23:30.009 Muted Triangle and follow all park rules and 00:23:30.009 --> 00:23:33.309 regulations. The weather for the coming week. 00:23:33.910 --> 00:23:35.789 As always, this is the best forecast for the 00:23:35.789 --> 00:23:38.869 week at the time of the recording. And it's going 00:23:38.869 --> 00:23:41.230 to be better through the weekend. And then after 00:23:41.230 --> 00:23:43.869 this weekend, I can't really guarantee it. It's 00:23:43.869 --> 00:23:46.289 just a good model to kind of say, OK, this is 00:23:46.289 --> 00:23:48.250 what I should expect. So we're going to start 00:23:48.250 --> 00:23:51.490 with Lamar Valley. Thursday in Lamar Valley, 00:23:51.670 --> 00:23:55.930 high of 48, low of 23, shouldn't be much rain 00:23:55.930 --> 00:23:57.869 if any at all and should be a little cloudy. 00:23:58.410 --> 00:24:02.670 On Friday, high of 57, low of 28, almost all 00:24:02.670 --> 00:24:07.299 sun. Saturday, 59 and 30, almost all sun. Sunday, 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:12.059 59 and 30, 18 % chance of rain. Monday, 60 and 00:24:12.059 --> 00:24:16.700 32, 14 % chance of rain. Tuesday, 54 and 28, 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:21.079 14 % chance of rain. And Wednesday, 54 and 31, 00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:24.940 with a 9 % chance of rain. And that brings us 00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:28.059 to Gardner, Montana. In Gardner on Thursday, 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:31.440 high of 51, low of 26, 4 % chance of precipitation. 00:24:32.140 --> 00:24:36.339 Friday 61 and 33 percent chance Saturday 62 and 00:24:36.339 --> 00:24:41.680 34 1 percent chance Sunday 62 and 34 17 percent 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:45.900 chance Monday 64 and 35 with a 19 percent chance 00:24:45.900 --> 00:24:48.880 of rain looks like the afternoon evening Tuesday 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:55.400 56 and 30 Wednesday 57 and 33 out in West Yellowstone 00:24:55.769 --> 00:24:59.809 On Thursday, high of 49, low of 22, 6 % chance 00:24:59.809 --> 00:25:04.470 of rain. Friday, 57 and 27, 5 % chance. Saturday, 00:25:04.809 --> 00:25:09.869 59 and 32, 2 % chance. Sunday, 60 and 31, 8 % 00:25:09.869 --> 00:25:14.309 chance. Monday, 61 and 31, with a 23 % chance. 00:25:14.769 --> 00:25:18.089 Again, afternoon, evening. Tuesday, 54 and 28, 00:25:18.250 --> 00:25:21.809 with a 13 % chance. And Wednesday, 54 and 30, 00:25:22.049 --> 00:25:26.160 with a 7 % chance. Cody Wyoming welcome to the 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:29.839 weather forecast Cody in Cody on Thursday 56 00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:36.000 and 33 on Friday 66 and 39 on Saturday 71 and 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:41.140 42 on Sunday 67 and 42 chance of some rain in 00:25:41.140 --> 00:25:45.119 the afternoon evening 22 % chance on Monday 68 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:50.200 and 44 at Tuesday 57 and 36 with a 12 % chance 00:25:50.200 --> 00:25:54.349 of rain overnight and Wednesday 60 and 38 Then 00:25:54.349 --> 00:25:58.369 finally Cook City, Montana on Thursday high of 00:25:58.369 --> 00:26:02.369 43 low of 20 4 % chance of precipitation Friday 00:26:02.369 --> 00:26:07.599 52 and 29 4 % chance Saturday, 54 and 30, 5 % 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:12.119 chance. Sunday, 54 and 30, 23 % chance, mostly 00:26:12.119 --> 00:26:15.579 during the daytime hours. Monday, 55 and 32, 00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:20.500 16 % chance. Tuesday, 48 and 26, with a 36 % 00:26:20.500 --> 00:26:23.400 chance of some snow. And then Wednesday, high 00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:26.420 of 50, low of 30, 11 % chance of precipitation. 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:30.559 And that brings us to the snowpack update. So 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:32.980 the snowpack right now, still really good on 00:26:32.980 --> 00:26:35.799 the eastern side of the park. It's 91 % of normal. 00:26:36.380 --> 00:26:38.980 On the western side of the park, it's about 70 00:26:38.980 --> 00:26:43.390 to 71 % of normal. So, not terrible, but... not 00:26:43.390 --> 00:26:45.930 great at least the that eastern side is doing 00:26:45.930 --> 00:26:49.309 pretty well last year at this time the entire 00:26:49.309 --> 00:26:51.890 park was about 96 percent of normal if you want 00:26:51.890 --> 00:26:53.670 to put that in perspective so we're obviously 00:26:53.670 --> 00:26:56.670 much lower this year but the entire west is much 00:26:56.670 --> 00:27:00.670 lower road conditions so i forgot in the news 00:27:00.670 --> 00:27:02.890 section to announce something i meant to so at 00:27:02.890 --> 00:27:05.730 least it's road related so it fits here um the 00:27:05.730 --> 00:27:10.650 plug is open from Cook City to Cody through the 00:27:10.650 --> 00:27:14.349 Chief Joseph Scenic Highway. Beartooth Highway 00:27:14.349 --> 00:27:18.069 not open but you can now drive from Cody to Cook 00:27:18.069 --> 00:27:21.170 City and that is really cool because if you are 00:27:21.170 --> 00:27:23.450 in the park and you're looking for a long day 00:27:23.450 --> 00:27:26.250 highly recommend driving through Lamar Valley 00:27:26.250 --> 00:27:31.009 to Cook City out through Chief Joseph down to 00:27:31.009 --> 00:27:33.630 Cody and then back in through that east entrance. 00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:36.980 It's a solid and scenic drive and it's absolutely 00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:40.880 great. The plug is open and it should remain 00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:43.710 open as long as the weather is good. Park roads 00:27:43.710 --> 00:27:46.130 I've said what's open you can drive from West 00:27:46.130 --> 00:27:48.650 Yellowstone down to Old Faithful and Starting 00:27:48.650 --> 00:27:50.730 on the first you can drive all the way out to 00:27:50.730 --> 00:27:53.410 Cody through the east entrance You cannot drive 00:27:53.410 --> 00:27:55.950 from Old Faithful along the lake through West 00:27:55.950 --> 00:27:58.890 Thumb You have to go up from Old Faithful to 00:27:58.890 --> 00:28:01.549 Canyon down through Hayden and then out the east 00:28:01.549 --> 00:28:04.170 entrance Lamar Valley to Cook City open year 00:28:04.170 --> 00:28:06.599 -round There will be some construction here and 00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:09.619 there. Expect some delays on the Gardiner River 00:28:09.619 --> 00:28:12.720 Bridge outside of Mammoth, and then there's just 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:14.839 other little projects going on, but nothing should 00:28:14.839 --> 00:28:17.680 be that big of a delay. If you want up -to -date 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:22.119 road information, you can call 307 -344 -2117 00:28:22.119 --> 00:28:24.420 for recorded information, or you can do what 00:28:24.420 --> 00:28:26.660 we all do, is sign up to receive Yellowstone 00:28:26.660 --> 00:28:30.460 Road Alerts on your mobile phone by texting 82190 00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:35.769 to the number 888 -777. Right now there is only 00:28:35.769 --> 00:28:37.910 one campground open in the park and that's mammoth 00:28:37.910 --> 00:28:39.670 campground, which is open year -round. That's 00:28:39.670 --> 00:28:42.430 the camping information We will be announcing 00:28:42.430 --> 00:28:46.849 new campgrounds opening soon, but not yet The 00:28:46.849 --> 00:28:49.809 wildlife watching update. So right now if you 00:28:49.809 --> 00:28:52.390 want to see bears the best place to see them 00:28:52.390 --> 00:28:56.490 Northern Range head to Lamar Valley from Lamar 00:28:56.490 --> 00:29:01.150 basically then back to Roosevelt Junction I know 00:29:01.150 --> 00:29:04.210 there have been Lots of bears sighted. There's 00:29:04.210 --> 00:29:07.069 also been some bears out by blacktail ponds There's 00:29:07.069 --> 00:29:10.269 been wolves out by blacktail ponds and the best 00:29:10.269 --> 00:29:12.609 wolf sightings right now are happening in Slough 00:29:12.609 --> 00:29:16.029 Creek as of the time of recording The best wolf 00:29:16.029 --> 00:29:20.490 watching is by Slough Creek Now I hesitate to 00:29:20.490 --> 00:29:23.750 say this but because my listenership is not giant 00:29:23.750 --> 00:29:26.230 and because this is pretty well -known I'm gonna 00:29:26.230 --> 00:29:28.450 tell you something. There's a wolf den out of 00:29:28.450 --> 00:29:31.490 Slough Creek that is being used People will be 00:29:31.490 --> 00:29:34.210 out there. They'll be set up. They will be watching 00:29:34.210 --> 00:29:37.289 wolves off in the distance. It's a great experience. 00:29:37.410 --> 00:29:40.470 If you've never seen wolves go to and fro, it's 00:29:40.470 --> 00:29:44.309 great. This area will be very popular until the 00:29:44.309 --> 00:29:47.349 wolves leave after they've been born and go outside 00:29:47.349 --> 00:29:49.569 and play and all of these other things. Slough 00:29:49.569 --> 00:29:53.910 Creek from now for a long time, well into late 00:29:53.910 --> 00:29:57.329 June, gonna be extremely, extremely busy and 00:29:57.329 --> 00:30:01.269 very popular with wildlife watchers. Baby bison 00:30:01.269 --> 00:30:04.890 are popping off more and more every day You're 00:30:04.890 --> 00:30:06.789 gonna start seeing them more most of them are 00:30:06.789 --> 00:30:09.369 out that northern range I have been getting reports 00:30:09.369 --> 00:30:12.250 of some down near the geyser basins and with 00:30:12.250 --> 00:30:14.490 Hayden opening up We're gonna see what's down 00:30:14.490 --> 00:30:18.210 there When Hayden opens up as I said earlier, 00:30:18.230 --> 00:30:21.910 but I'm gonna reiterate this You might see some 00:30:21.910 --> 00:30:23.849 really cool things in Hayden or you might see 00:30:23.849 --> 00:30:26.869 nothing There is a very high likelihood that 00:30:26.869 --> 00:30:29.509 you will see Grizzlies in the next week or two 00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:32.980 out that east entrance road this is a very popular 00:30:32.980 --> 00:30:35.660 spot some of the most well -known bears in the 00:30:35.660 --> 00:30:38.640 park are out that area so it's a long drive but 00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:41.000 it's worth it to get out there other than that 00:30:41.210 --> 00:30:44.849 Elk are pretty active. That famous elk, number 00:30:44.849 --> 00:30:48.710 24, he has got a 24 tag in one of his ears. He 00:30:48.710 --> 00:30:51.210 already has. He's growing his rack and it's all 00:30:51.210 --> 00:30:53.349 velvety and awesome right now. He's been hanging 00:30:53.349 --> 00:30:56.109 around mammoth. There's been other elk hanging 00:30:56.109 --> 00:30:58.309 around out there. Pronghorn are on the move. 00:30:58.670 --> 00:31:00.890 Osprey are everywhere. Eagles are everywhere. 00:31:01.430 --> 00:31:04.369 Bluebirds. Sandhill cranes. You're going to have 00:31:04.369 --> 00:31:07.150 a great time wildlife watching this week, especially 00:31:07.150 --> 00:31:09.410 because of how the weather is. It's going to 00:31:09.410 --> 00:31:12.240 be glorious. But since it's going to be warmer, 00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:16.299 I am saying to go earlier or later in the day. 00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:18.880 Midday may not be as active as you would like. 00:31:19.099 --> 00:31:21.200 However, if the only time you can go is midday, 00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:23.579 great, go. You'll still see some awesome stuff. 00:31:24.019 --> 00:31:27.119 Other than that, I am going to be in the park 00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:30.130 multiple times this coming week. and I'll have 00:31:30.130 --> 00:31:33.369 a lot more in next week's Wildlife Report. If 00:31:33.369 --> 00:31:35.849 you do kind of want to know where to see animals 00:31:35.849 --> 00:31:38.769 just generally based on my entire lifetime of 00:31:38.769 --> 00:31:40.869 visiting the park, you can pick up my Wildlife 00:31:40.869 --> 00:31:43.309 Watching Guidebook. It's available in both ebook 00:31:43.309 --> 00:31:46.849 and paperback formats. Go to outdoor -society 00:31:46.849 --> 00:31:51.890 .com or reach out to me 406 -589 -1873 and I'll 00:31:51.890 --> 00:31:53.750 send you a text so you can pick up that book. 00:31:54.910 --> 00:31:57.410 Trail Alerts and Updates There are currently 00:31:57.410 --> 00:32:00.430 no real restrictions on trails. Higher up you 00:32:00.430 --> 00:32:02.269 go there's going to be some snow. If you're doing 00:32:02.269 --> 00:32:04.109 something like Bunsen Peak expect quite a bit 00:32:04.109 --> 00:32:06.650 of snow and not necessarily a fun time unless 00:32:06.650 --> 00:32:09.849 you prepared for it. If you do have creek crossings 00:32:09.849 --> 00:32:13.289 or river crossings it's gonna be bad. Don't do 00:32:13.289 --> 00:32:16.890 it. Stay away from those trails. Otherwise, it's 00:32:16.890 --> 00:32:18.609 it's good hiking You might have spots of mud 00:32:18.609 --> 00:32:21.930 here and there but I think lower elevation trails 00:32:21.930 --> 00:32:24.630 are very good right now I'm looking at the backcountry 00:32:24.630 --> 00:32:26.970 conditions page right now and I'm not seeing 00:32:26.970 --> 00:32:30.789 a lot of alerts. So everything is like snow hazards 00:32:30.789 --> 00:32:34.230 or Forting river hazards, so should be good to 00:32:34.230 --> 00:32:37.539 go that leads me to my trail of the week now 00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:39.799 I'm taking a risk here because I'm recommending 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:42.380 a trail that I am assuming is going to be opening 00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:45.619 when the road out the east entrance opens it 00:32:45.619 --> 00:32:49.940 may not be because of bear activity but I'm like 00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:52.480 99 % sure it's going to be open so that's why 00:32:52.480 --> 00:32:55.059 I'm recommending it and that trail is the storm 00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:58.220 point trail so if you're heading out on the storm 00:32:58.220 --> 00:33:00.700 point trail in the first week of May it's gonna 00:33:00.700 --> 00:33:03.440 feel a bit like stepping into Yellowstone's Wild 00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:06.640 right as it's waking up. Nothing is fully on 00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:08.519 yet, but everything is starting to move, and 00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:11.900 that includes landscape and the wildlife. The 00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:14.240 hike itself is short and easy. It's about 2 .3 00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:16.880 miles round -trip, starting near Indian Pond 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:19.539 just east of Fishing Bridge. Right away you're 00:33:19.539 --> 00:33:21.740 walking through an open meadow, and this is where 00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:24.180 things get interesting in May. This stretch of 00:33:24.180 --> 00:33:26.400 grassland and wet ground is prime habitat for 00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:29.160 bison, and it's very common to see them here, 00:33:29.160 --> 00:33:31.980 sometimes right on or near the trail. In fact, 00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:35.460 this area is specifically noted as good habitat 00:33:35.460 --> 00:33:37.759 for bison and other wildlife, moving between 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:42.099 forests and the lake, and it's also a place where 00:33:42.099 --> 00:33:44.240 every so often someone gets charged by a bison. 00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:47.859 That means you need to be paying attention. Bison 00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:50.539 may look slow, but they're unpredictable and 00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:52.680 are responsible for more injuries in Yellowstone 00:33:52.680 --> 00:33:55.859 than any other animal. They can run 30 to 35 00:33:55.859 --> 00:33:58.839 miles an hour and supposedly have a 6 foot vertical. 00:33:59.500 --> 00:34:03.119 One quick tip is to look at their tail. If their 00:34:03.119 --> 00:34:06.099 tail is down, they're probably calm. If their 00:34:06.099 --> 00:34:08.659 tail is straight out, they're on edge. If their 00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:10.880 tail is up, it's going to defecate or charge. 00:34:11.260 --> 00:34:14.239 Always watch their tail and always stay at least 00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:17.639 25 yards away and have an exit strategy if there 00:34:17.639 --> 00:34:20.940 is one nearby. I'm going to be talking more about 00:34:20.940 --> 00:34:24.260 bison and bison -human interactions more in next 00:34:24.260 --> 00:34:27.320 week's episode. Also in this first section, know 00:34:27.320 --> 00:34:30.000 that probably will be muddy so your feet are 00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:33.699 going to get probably wet. As you move away from 00:34:33.699 --> 00:34:35.320 here the trail is going to dip into the trees 00:34:35.320 --> 00:34:37.139 and eventually works its way to the shoreline 00:34:37.139 --> 00:34:40.980 of Yellowstone Lake. Early May out here is awesome. 00:34:41.579 --> 00:34:44.659 The lake is still cold and gray and sometimes 00:34:44.659 --> 00:34:48.280 there's ice lingering along the edges and the 00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:50.280 wind can sometimes just come whipping off that 00:34:50.280 --> 00:34:52.539 water very hard. That's where the name Storm 00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:56.139 Point really makes sense. Wildlife is a big part 00:34:56.139 --> 00:34:58.099 of what makes this hike stand out, and it's not 00:34:58.099 --> 00:35:00.860 just the obvious stuff. You're gonna see waterfowl 00:35:00.860 --> 00:35:02.860 and maybe ducks riding the waves or working the 00:35:02.860 --> 00:35:04.980 shoreline, and if you look carefully around the 00:35:04.980 --> 00:35:07.460 rocky point, there's a really good chance of 00:35:07.460 --> 00:35:10.800 spotting yellow -bellied marmots. The mix of 00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:13.099 meadow, forest, and lake creates a surprising 00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:15.920 amount of diversity for such a short walk. Now 00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:17.900 one thing that really defines this trail in the 00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:21.559 spring is bears. The area is well known for grizzly 00:35:21.559 --> 00:35:23.579 activity, especially in late spring and early 00:35:23.579 --> 00:35:25.940 summer, and the trail is sometimes closed because 00:35:25.940 --> 00:35:28.559 of it. Even when the trail is open, even if there's 00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:31.519 no sign saying recent bear activity on the trail, 00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:34.639 expect to see a bear here. You probably won't, 00:35:34.699 --> 00:35:37.260 but they are here. Last year I did this a couple 00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:39.300 of times, and there are fresh bear tracks every 00:35:39.300 --> 00:35:42.539 single time I did it. National Park Service makes 00:35:42.539 --> 00:35:44.820 it very clear that both grizzly and black bears 00:35:44.820 --> 00:35:47.260 use this entire region. It's right next to a 00:35:47.260 --> 00:35:49.699 bear management area, and hikers are advised 00:35:49.699 --> 00:35:52.119 to carry bear spray, make noise, and traveling 00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:55.300 groups when possible. Early May is right in this 00:35:55.300 --> 00:35:57.840 window where bears are out of their dens and 00:35:57.840 --> 00:35:59.719 moving through the lower elevations like this. 00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:01.920 They're often using the same meadows and forest 00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:04.699 edges you're walking through. So just stay safe, 00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:07.380 make noise, look for bear signs, and if you see 00:36:07.380 --> 00:36:09.239 something that makes you feel uncomfortable, 00:36:09.659 --> 00:36:12.690 turn around and go back. What makes Storm Point 00:36:12.690 --> 00:36:15.190 unique is that you're not deep in the backcountry. 00:36:15.750 --> 00:36:17.949 You're also not separated from wildlife. You're 00:36:17.949 --> 00:36:20.110 just right in it. Bison graze in the meadow, 00:36:20.349 --> 00:36:23.110 birds are along the lake, and the very real possibility 00:36:23.110 --> 00:36:25.269 that bears pass through the same trail earlier 00:36:25.269 --> 00:36:27.989 that day is right there. That's why flexibility 00:36:27.989 --> 00:36:30.610 matters. It's not uncommon again for this trail 00:36:30.610 --> 00:36:32.710 to be temporarily closed in the spring due to 00:36:32.710 --> 00:36:35.110 bear activity, and it's always worth checking 00:36:35.110 --> 00:36:37.480 conditions before heading out. If it is open 00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:40.340 though, it's one of the best short hikes in this 00:36:40.340 --> 00:36:42.619 area of the park for seeing how much life is 00:36:42.619 --> 00:36:45.659 packed into a relatively small area. In early 00:36:45.659 --> 00:36:48.320 May, Storm Point feels like Yellowstone in transition. 00:36:48.760 --> 00:36:51.460 The ground is waking up, the lake is still holding 00:36:51.460 --> 00:36:54.019 on to that last gasp of winter, and wildlife 00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:56.360 is starting to move in meaningful ways. It's 00:36:56.360 --> 00:36:58.639 not a flashy hike, but it doesn't need to be. 00:36:58.960 --> 00:37:01.480 It's a quiet little jaunt, it's unpredictable, 00:37:01.760 --> 00:37:04.579 and it's very much alive, and it's exactly what 00:37:04.579 --> 00:37:09.130 makes it worth doing. this week All right next 00:37:09.130 --> 00:37:11.530 week in the next episode I'm gonna return with 00:37:11.530 --> 00:37:13.510 all the information you need to have a good week 00:37:13.510 --> 00:37:16.489 in the park including that wildlife weather and 00:37:16.489 --> 00:37:20.849 trail update until then Book a tour with me pick 00:37:20.849 --> 00:37:34.469 up a guidebook of mine and happy trails Abrupt 00:37:34.469 --> 00:37:36.920 ending This week in Yellowstone is brought to 00:37:36.920 --> 00:37:39.159 you by the Outdoor Society. That's my company. 00:37:39.539 --> 00:37:41.860 It's just me. I do this. It's a labor of love. 00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:44.440 If you like it, tell your friends, rate and review 00:37:44.440 --> 00:37:47.780 it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening, 00:37:47.860 --> 00:37:50.599 and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:52.139 2026, baby.