From Yellowstone National Park, where heavy rains
last week are giving the landscape more green
and wildflowers, this is that Scott guy you know
and love with a brand new episode of This Week
in Yellowstone. What's up everybody, This Week
in Yellowstone National Park from June 4th to
June 10th, 2026. I tell you to go to the water
features of the park, talk about bear bells,
bear spray, and bear horns, and quickly share
what you need to know if you're visiting Yellowstone
with your pet. I'll also give you the complete
weather forecast, a cool trail to hike, the snowpack
update, the wildlife report, and everything else
you need to have an incredible time this week
in Yellowstone. Standard podcast disclaimer here.
I may miss a few details I'm doing my best if
you need more information about anything I talk
about just reach out to me happy to help you
I also mentioned park locations very casually
So if someplace you hear just doesn't ring a
bell quick search online can help or again Just
reach out to me. You can text me directly at
four zero six five eight nine eighteen seventy
three or just shoot me an email Also, please
know that this podcast is the passion project
of mine if you enjoy it I'd love a review or
a quick email if you want to support my work
more You can check out my hiking and wildlife
watching guidebooks or join me for a guided hiking
tour in Yellowstone's backcountry I am pretty
full now in August is basically packed up now.
So July, I probably have one more opening and
maybe one in late June if you're coming to the
park. Other than that, September is wide open.
So sorry if you're coming and you want to book
with me. I am currently busy, which is a good
thing because it's summer and I get to be outside.
Also, if you do love what you hear and you really
want to help me out, go on any of your social
media. sites, whatever, apps, and recommend this
podcast. That's all I ask. If you had a good
time because of this, go on any of those groups
you're a part of and say, hey, I had a great
time because of this podcast. Very, very finally,
if you do want any information on my hiking tours
or guidebooks, go to outdoor -society .com or
contact me directly. All right, let's talk about
the news. The main news in the park right now
is pretty simple. I talked about it last week.
Elk are calving. they're giving birth all over
the place and the female elk are very aggressive
if you get near their young and they give birth
typically near like the lodges and stuff so You
know if you see any baby animals do not approach
them their moms are going to be very very protective
So give everything room. Also. The other news
is exactly that give animals room There's been
not an increase but a continuation of summer
Visitation late spring visitation of people getting
too close to wildlife. This happens every year
It's happened every year since the dawn of the
park, right? This is not a new thing because
of social media people have always gotten too
close to wildlife the only reason it seems like
it's happening more is one more people are visiting
the park because there's more people on the planet
and in America also there's more people documenting
these behaviors the one thing I do want to mention
with wildlife watching boundaries and rules is
25 yards from bison elk all of that that's 25
yards not 25 feet 25 yards is 75 feet a hundred
yards from wolves and bears at all times a hundred
yards is an entire football field So keep those
distances in mind. Also, if you see somebody
breaking the rules, there are some very simple
things to do. Take their picture. Take a picture
of their car. Go tell a ranger. Also, One thing
I've been noticing is that a lot of people are
documenting people breaking rules and they sit
there quietly filming it, hoping that they get
injured by an animal. That is callous. That is
so awful. If you see somebody breaking a rule,
say something, let them know. Don't yell at them.
Just be like, Hey, just so you know, that's a
little close. If they don't listen to you, great.
Not your problem, but at least you're trying.
Don't just try and document somebody getting
seriously injured. I've been seeing that a lot
from guides, from photographers, from Regular
guests everybody's just sitting and documenting
people breaking rules Documenting people breaking
rules is ineffective in stopping people from
breaking rules The more we can have a conversation
about how to properly behave in the park the
better It's going to be that's all I'm really
gonna say about that because like I'm trying
not to be a bummer But you see somebody breaking
the rules document it report it and also try
and have them stop You know, that's all you can
do other than that move about your day and enjoy
the park It's a beautiful time to be here because
it's a beautiful time to be here Let's talk about
my experience of the week. Do go chasing waterfalls.
While many visitors come for the geysers, bison
and bears, wolves, and all of the things that
Yellowstone is most popular for, waterfall lovers
know that right now is when the parks, rivers,
and creeks are their most spectacular. Snow melt
from the high country is pouring into every drainage
Spring runoff is approaching its peak and afternoon
rainstorms often add an extra surge of water
rushing through everything The result is a landscape
filled with roaring waterfalls these great rushing
canyons roaring rivers I said roaring twice,
but you know you get the point and This is when
everything seems so powerful along the waterways
of the park. So while I could just like Talk
about every waterfall in the park. I'm gonna
talk about some of my favorites and Then if you
want more information on any of these just reach
out to me There are so many waterfalls in the
park and I'm gonna skip probably your favorite
one, too But these are kind of like the can't
miss or they're like Let's make sure that we
have a very good experience and see these obviously
when we start We're gonna talk about the most
famous waterfall in the park and that is the
lower falls of the Yellowstone River in the canyon
area of the park this is a awesome place to go
right now. The Upper Falls is really good too.
Don't skip the Upper Falls. Make sure you do
both of the Upper and Lower Falls, but if you're
looking for like the most dramatic one that everybody
loves the most, that is the Lower Falls. That
is 300 feet pouring down into the Grand Canyon
of the Yellowstone. The sound echoes from canyon
wall to canyon wall, and if you stand at the
brink of the lower falls, there's a rainbow above
the river that happens in the afternoon every
single time it's sunny. And after a rainstorm,
the scene becomes even more dramatic because
you have these clouds shifting by, the light
on the canyon is different, and the river just
raises even an inch more, but that inch is even
more spectacular. A short drive north from there
is another classic, and that's Tower Fall. Now
tower falls, I've talked about this before, tower
fall, again this makes me, it pains me to say
tower fall instead of tower falls, but tower
fall crashes 132 feet besides the towering volcanic
spires that have become one of the park's iconic
landscapes. The waterfall is impressive any time
of the year, but spring runoff really transforms
it into a powerful cascade framed by like fresh
green hillsides and maybe even lingering snow
in the distance. West of there as you head toward
Mammoth you're gonna come into Undine Falls And
that's that's a waterfall that like not a lot
of people actually enjoy I don't know why I knew
of a guidebook author that omitted it from their
book because they said that there are better
things to do and That may be true, but it's a
gorgeous waterfall definitely worth the stop
Undine Falls It's like as you climb from Mammoth
and you're headed toward tower you climb up the
road, and then it's there. There's a big pull
-off however the best way to see it is to go
to lava creek and then walk the lava creek trail
from the picnic area across the plateau to the
top of undine falls you're going to be passing
right now some wildflowers all sorts of great
views this is a classic beautiful place. It's
in every guidebook, it's on maps, but most people
just don't go there. There is another waterfall
in the area. I'm not mentioning it because it's
not worth going to, and I know that I always
say everything's worth going to. It's not. Go
to Undine Falls when near the Mammoth area. South
of Mammoth, there is a Another water feature
that's not quite a waterfall but it's someplace
that I love going and that's the Sheep Eater
Canyon area. And it's really one of the park's
most underrated scenic stops. There's Sheep Eater
Picnic area and everybody goes there. But if
you walk from the picnic area downstream a half
a mile you get to this box canyon that is just
stunning and the river roars right through there
and it is So good. It surges between these dark
basalt walls, and it creates rapid standing waves
and smaller waterfalls throughout the canyon.
It's a short little thing, but it's a mile round
trip of a hike. There's also some marmots out
there. But know that this is a very heavy bear
area, like everywhere in the park, so always
have bear spray. Between Norris and Canyon, there's
Virginia Cascades, and that's a really pretty
area to drive down. The Cascades kind of are
short lived, but you know you can park at one
of the pullouts and walk along and look at them
and I honestly think it's a great little area
that is really underrated there's also some really
good picnic areas down there so check that out
another area to drive for some really cool water
features is the firehole canyon drive it's a
scenic two -mile one -way road that it has really
cool cliffs you have your 40 -foot firehole falls
view and it's a really nice area also right at
the end of that there's a little box canyon if
you leave the Firehole Canyon Drive and pull
out at the pullout right next to it Like you
pull out back on the main road and then just
pull it right away park there and then walk to
the river There's a box canyon. That is one of
my favorite water features It's not like a waterfall,
but it is a narrow box canyon the river just
absolutely roars through there So definitely
check that out So one of the bigger mistakes
people make when visiting the park is thinking
that the park and features are only found within
the boundary of Yellowstone National Park. There's
a lot just outside of the park that everyone
should see and I'm going to talk about a couple
of those places. The first one is located just
outside of Cook City out that northeast entrance.
There's a waterfall before you get to like the
main drive for the Beartooth Highway called Crazy
Creek Falls. It is an overlooked place that,
you know, everybody's driving to Beartooth Highway
and no one goes to Crazy Creek Falls. During
runoff season, which is right now, the waterfall
becomes like this huge cascade that just tumbles
down. It's not super steep. It just pours down.
It's so scenic. It's so awesome. And this is
the time where it has some of the best energy.
It's good to stop year round, but right now,
truly the best. If you are in the Idaho area
of the park, so like Island Park, all of that,
go to Mesa Falls on Idaho's Henry's Fork, and
that is a roaring curtain of water during spring
runoff. The sound can be heard long before the
falls come into view, and the sheer volume of
water rivals most of the region's more famous
waterfalls. To the south of Mesa Falls, there's
a hidden area of Yellowstone National Park It's
called the Beckler region. The easiest waterfall
to get to is Cave Falls. It's right next to the
entrance station out there that isn't manned.
You just drive there. It's great. It is a long
drive from anywhere else in the park, but the
Beckler region, Cave Falls, is this perfect hidden
gem. Unlike the taller plunges found elsewhere
in the region, Cave Falls spreads 250 feet across
and then falls 25 30 feet it is Amazing. It's
a great area and the further you hike out there
the more waterfalls there are This is a region
that I will talk about later in the year that
For those looking to expand their Yellowstone
knowledge. This is where you go And again, these
are the easier to get to waterfalls. These are
mainly front -country waterfalls some takes more
driving than others, but If you went and saw
all of these you would have an appreciation for
the waterfalls of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
If you want more waterfalls though, trust me
I can help you. There's a lot in my guidebook,
my hiking guidebook that I tell everybody to
go to, or you can just reach out to me and I'll
happily share what I can. So good luck with those
and let's get to the tip of the week. Bear bells,
bear spray, or bear horns, what really works
in Yellowstone? If you're planning a trip to
Yellowstone, you've almost certainly come across
advice about bear safety. Since Yellowstone is
home to both grizzly bears and black bears it's
smart to think about how you'll handle a bear
encounter before you ever step on a trail. By
the way by trail I mean every trail. Bears are
on boardwalks, they're on paved paths, they're
on backcountry trails. Expect a bear everywhere
and be prepared. The question many visitors ask
is whether they should carry bear bells, bear
spray, or even a bear horn. While all three are
commonly discussed the evidence strongly points
to one clear winner, and that's bear spray. Bear
horns can have a limited role in certain situations,
and bear bells simply do not deserve the reputation
they've gained over the years, and I'm going
to talk about that a little bit. Bear bells have
been sold to hikers for decades, often with a,
not a promise, but a strong suggestion that the
constant jingling is going to alert bears to
your presence and prevent surprise encounters.
The problem is that there is very little evidence
showing that they work well in the real world.
In fact, most evidence points to them not working
at all. The sound produced by most bear bells
is surprisingly weak and can easily be drowned
out by wind, rushing water, thick vegetation,
or just the normal sounds of the forest. By the
time a bear actually hears the bell, you may
already be closer than you'd like. Wildlife experts
have also pointed out that bears do not naturally
associate the sound of a bell with people. Human
voices are far more recognizable and effective.
A group of hikers talking, laughing, or occasionally
calling out is much easier for a bear to identify
than the faint repetitive jingle of a bell. Some
researchers even say that bear bells are more
like bird sounds than anything else, and bears
are not afraid of birds in the least. Many experienced
Yellowstone hikers and backcountry travelers
consider bear bells little more than a false
sense of security. Instead of helping people
stay alert and proactive, the bells actually
make hikers feel protected when they're really
not. You're creating this false sense of safety
with a bear bell. The best thing you can do?
Human voices. If I hike solo in the park, which
I do often, I talk to myself. Loudly. All the
time. It annoys me. But guess what? Haven't been
attacked by a bear. Now bear spray is a completely
different story than bear bells. The National
Park Service consistently recommends bear spray
as the most effective tool available for defending
yourself during an aggressive bear encounter.
Unlike ordinary pepper spray designed for personal
use against people, bear spray is specifically
formulated to create a large cloud that can stop
or redirect a charging bear. It's much stronger
than pepper spray. Trust me, if you've ever been
around this, it is very bad. Bear spray is designed
to affect the animal's eyes, nose, and respiratory
system, giving you a chance to escape a dangerous
situation without causing permanent harm to the
bear. The effectiveness of bear spray is one
reason Yellowstone strongly encourages visitors
to carry it whenever they venture into bear country.
Park officials also stress that carrying it is
not enough. It needs to be immediately accessible,
and hikers should know how to use it before an
emergency occurs. A canister buried at the bottom
of a backpack is not going to do you any good
if a bear approaches at a close range. Also,
not knowing how to use it is not a good thing.
So know how to use it, have it readily accessible,
and know that if you surprise a bear, you might
have less than five seconds to deploy it. That's
terrifying, but that is a reality that if you
are prepared for, you are going to be much safer.
Now let's talk about bear horns and air horns.
These can be useful as a noise -making device,
particularly if there's a bear in the distance
and you want its attention, but it's not really
anything anyone in Yellowstone uses, and it's
not even recommended by any bear expert I know
out here. In certain situations, that loud blast
from an air horn may encourage a bear to move
away or avoid an area, but you know what else
does that? Your voice yelling, clapping, everything.
The usefulness of an air horn or a bear horn
is much less certain once a bear is already approaching
aggressively or charging. At that point, the
noise is not going to do anything. Again, the
park does not recommend these as noisemakers
at all, so it's best just not even bother with
it. Because of these limitations, bear horns
should be viewed as a supplemental tool rather
than a primary safety device. They can serve
as a last -ditch noise maker, but they are not
a substitute for bear spray and should never
be relied upon as your main line of defense.
The most effective bear safety strategy in Yellowstone
is surprisingly simple. Carry bear spray, keep
it within easy reach, know how to use it, hike
in groups whenever possible, and make regular
human noise as you travel through the landscape.
Talking with your hiking partners or occasionally
calling out in areas with poor visibility does
far more to prevent surprise encounters than
any bell hanging from a backpack could ever do.
Also, while we're on the subject of bells, playing
music also not super effective because music
is not something that bears associate with people,
right? Human voices. If you're listening to a
podcast, we'll have that conversation. If you
listen to my podcast and scare a bear away with
it, by the way, let me know. But also, like,
I don't know if I'll take that as a compliment
or an insult from that bear. But don't rely on
things like that. Have bear spray. Talk loudly.
Be alert. That is how you stay safe in bear country.
So if you're preparing for Yellowstone Adventure,
don't bother with the bells. Don't bother with
the air horn. get a good canister bear spray,
know how to use it, have it ready to go, make
lots of noise with your mouth, and you should
be good to go. My random Yellowstone fact of
the week. Visiting Yellowstone with your pet.
So bringing a pet to Yellowstone is possible,
but it requires careful planning and realistic
expectations. Many first time visitors assume
that they can enjoy Yellowstone with their dog,
much like they would at a city park or local
hiking area or national forest. Yellowstone's
rules are different, largely because the park
protects sensitive wildlife habit, dangerous
geothermal features, and millions of visitors
each year. The most important thing to understand
before arriving is that pets are only allowed
in developed areas in the park. According to
the National Park Service, pets must remain within
100 feet of roads, parking areas, and campgrounds.
They must be physically restrained at all times,
either in a vehicle, crate, or on a leash no
longer than six feet. Pets are not permitted
on hiking trails boardwalks in thermal areas
or in the backcountry even when carried in backpacks
drillers or pet carriers Now I did mention a
few things here, and I'm gonna backtrack a little
You can leave your car or you can leave your
pet in a car. You cannot leave your pet in a
car and Leave it like that is really not something
you should be doing It is very hot Things happen
to pets and cars don't do that also When I talk
about pets not allowed on hiking trails and boardwalks,
this is a steadfast rule. You will see people
skirting this issue by buying fake service animal
like things for their dogs to wear. This is cheating
the system. This is insulting to people who actually
have service animals. And it is something that
people will say, my dog is fine. And nearly every
year, there is something that happens where a
dog gets out, jumps in a thermal pool or runs
away and dies. This happens all the time. It's
not good. Don't be that person. Now that's very
mean. I know that it's hard. I have a dog. I
take him into the park and I follow the rules.
It's really easy to follow the rules and still
have a good time. Now know that if you do have
a dog with you, Yellowstone's most famous attractions
are off limits. Visitors cannot bring dogs onto
the boardwalks at Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic,
North Hot Springs, Mammoth, or any of those other
geothermal areas. Even like that Grand Prismatic
Overlook. Pets are prohibited on the park's hiking
trails again that includes every hiking trail
now There are some paved areas around old faithful
There are some paved areas where you have good
views where you can have your dog The National
Park Service visitor centers have a lot of those
places listed the Rangers will happily help you
out I have a great picture of my dog at old faithful
with old faithful erupting. It was hot his tongues
out He's happy geysers erupting in the background
I'm very happy I have that picture because I
got to spend time with him in a designated dog
area in Yellowstone at Old Faithful and it's
awesome. Now if you are traveling and you're
already coming to the park and you have your
dog, what can you do? Great question. One thing
that I usually do if I'm traveling with somebody
with a dog is we split up our time. One person
gets to hike, the other person hangs out with
the dog, then we switch. That's how I did things
growing up when we brought dogs. That's how I've
done things when I've had dogs else other times
in the park. This is what you may have to do.
Is it inconvenient? Yes, but you still get to
experience the park and you get to keep your
dog safe. All of these restrictions in the park
regarding dogs and pets exist for good reason.
Yellowstone is home to bears, wolves, coyotes,
bison, elk and other wild animals. Pets can attract
unwanted attention from wildlife. They can transmit
diseases or they can provoke defensive behavior
from animals that perceive dogs as threats. The
National Park Service also notes that thermal
features pose a serious hazard. Hot springs,
thermal runoffs, and thin geothermal crusts can
cause severe or fatal burns to both people and
pets. For this reason, animals are prohibited
from all thermal areas and boardwalks. Again,
This happens all the time. If you want to hear
about it, read the first chapter of the book,
Death in Yellowstone. It is truly gruesome, and
it's about a guy and a dog. If you do have your
dog with you, visitors should also plan carefully
for time spent away from their pets. Yellowstone
regulations prohibit leaving pets unattended
or tied to objects. Pets may remain in vehicles
for short periods, but owners are responsible
for ensuring adequate ventilation, shade, water,
and overall safety. I have heard that the park
does crack down on this quite a bit, so just
know that. During summer, temperatures can rise
significantly. Camping with a pet is allowed
in developed campgrounds provided the park regulations
are followed. Dogs just remain under control
at all times and owners are required to clean
up pet waste. Obviously, right? Good campground
etiquette is especially important in Yellowstone
because wildlife frequently moves through these
areas. When I was younger, I camped in the park
with my dog and we had a bear walking through
and the bear like was stuck in the campground.
It was like growling and making lots of noise
and my dog normally like a barky dog at the time,
like just got dead silent, slinked off the bed,
down into the base of my sleeping bag, and cowered
until the bear left. So you don't really want
to encourage any sort of attack and have your
dog not controlled. Again, I know it sounds like
I'm just saying Don't have your dog. Don't have
your dog. It's okay to have your dog But we have
gotten to a point in park visitation where people
are starting to really push these rules with
their dogs I've seen more dogs way in the backcountry
and people being like I didn't know I saw a guy
way in the backcountry and his dog had a vest
with spikes on it that said like Coyote vest
or whatever. So if a coyote attacked his dog,
it would get like they would bite barbs or something
he was in the backcountry and he pretended that
he didn't know that dogs couldn't be in the backcountry
and I pointed at the sign he was like oh my trailhead
didn't have a sign every trailhead has a no dog
sign so I know it's tough but if you do have
a dog great you're able to travel with it the
best approach for this is just treat Yellowstone
as a scenic driving destination and if you have
somebody else with you rotate times where one
of you can hike and one of you is with the dog
Does that change how you experience the park?
Absolutely. Does that take away from the beauty
of the park or the time with your dog? Absolutely
not. I grew up taking dogs here. I still take
my dog to the park all the time. We just follow
the rules. We do what we're allowed to do. And
we all have a great time. So do that. Bring your
dog. Bring your pet. It is a great place to enjoy
time with some with something that you love so
do that but just know the rules and regulations
exist for a reason and by all of us following
all these rules and regulations we can ensure
that we can continue to take our pets in because
otherwise if too many people break it then no
one's going to be allowed right and that would
really not be fun because i enjoy taking my dog
and i'm sure you do too so if you're bringing
your four -leg companion three -leg companion
maybe you know follow the rules enjoy yourself
Do everything you want to do that is within the
bylaws of Yellowstone National Park and make
sure you bring your dog lots of treats and get
it like Some ice or something on hot days The
weather for the coming week as always this the
best forecast for the week at the time of recording
It can't change but this is kind of like a blueprint
of what you can expect. So let's start with Lamar
Valley On Thursday, Lamar Valley is gonna have
a high of 68, low of 37, 24 % chance of rain.
Friday, 73 and 42, 1 % chance. Saturday, 74 and
43, 16 % chance. Sunday, 63 and 33, 24 % chance.
Monday, 67 and 41, 15 % chance. Tuesday, 62 and
39 with a 50 % chance of rain starting late morning,
probably about a quarter of an inch. And Wednesday,
54 and 35, 50 % chance of a quarter inch of rain.
Gardner, Montana. On Thursday, high at 73, low
of 40. Friday, 78 and 46. Saturday, 78 and 46
with a 21 % chance of rain. Sunday, 67 and 37,
24 % chance of rain. Monday, 72 and 45, 9 % chance
of rain. Tuesday, 67 and 42, 56 % chance about
two tenths of an inch of rain. Wednesday, 60
and 38, 41 % chance about a quarter inch of rain.
West Yellowstone, Montana. Thursday, high at
69, low at 34. Friday, 73 and 40. Saturday, 73
and 39, with a chance of some rain in the morning.
Sunday 64 and 31 with a chance of rain in the
morning Monday 68 and 38 rain potentially developing
in the afternoon evening Tuesday 61 and 35 63
percent chance of a quarter inch of rain Wednesday
55 and 32 40 percent chance of a quarter inch
of rain Cody, Wyoming Thursday 75 and 49 Friday
86 and 56 Saturday 86 and 54 with a chance of
thunderstorms in the early afternoon Sunday 72
and 44 24 % chance of rain during the day Monday
76 and 53 Tuesday 76 and 50 with an 18 % chance
of rain and then Wednesday 70 and 45 with a 24
% chance of rain and finally for the weather
Cook City, Montana Thursday highest 63 love 38
chance of rain in the afternoon evening Friday
69 and 45 Saturday 70 and 42 with a 17 % chance
of rain during the day Sunday 59 and 34 with
a 36 % chance of rain Monday 63 and 42 19 % chance
of rain Tuesday 59 38 50 % chance of rain probably
about 0 .15 inches and then Wednesday 52 and
34 with a 50 % chance about a quarter inch of
rain. All right, the snowpack update is officially
over The snowpack is melting quickly. It's not
worth talking about there is some snow in the
higher elevations But generally if you're visiting
the park, it's gonna be a non -issue unless you
climb like the highest of mountains So snowpack
is now retired or the snowpack update is now
retired until the fall. So goodbye snowpack update.
We will miss you road conditions No main park
roads are closed right now, and while unlikely,
be aware that roads can close at any time due
to inclement weather. Looks like that rain in
the afternoon evening could close things up,
but if that last storm didn't, this one may not.
So for up -to -date information, you can call
307 -344 -2117 for recorded road conditions,
or you can just sign up to receive Yellowstone
Road Alerts on your mobile phone by texting the
number 82190 to the number 888... 777 camping
information mammoth is open Madison is open fishing
bridge is open bridge Bay is open tower is open
Canyon is open the wildlife watching update so
as I've been saying the last few weeks the good
times continue for wildlife watching bears are
literally everywhere I saw the other day in a
two -mile section six different bears all black
bears but still six different bears and two miles
is ridiculous if you want the best bear watching
experience probably the bear muted triangle so
from floating island lake and hell roaring area
out to slew creek and then up to tower fall and
that is going to be kind of that general triangle
where you should see some good bear activity
also grizzlies are out east entrance area they're
also out around the norris area they're out around
canyon it's just a good time to see bears right
now lamar and hayden are really good so enjoy
that Wolf sightings have been hit and miss Slew
Creek, Lamar Valley, typically your best area
right now. That's where I would go. Moose, if
you do want to see a moose, probably out toward
Cook City, and even then you're going to be lucky.
There's also supposedly some foxes hanging out
along the northeastern Tinch Road, and that is
less than ideal because they are begging for
food at cars. If you see an animal that approaches
your car, do not give it food. That includes
ravens and other birds too. Don't feed anything
in the park. Big horn sheep. I saw lots of baby
big horn sheep from calcite Springs looking across
the Yellowstone River Canyon There's also some
big horn sheep up out the east entrance by Sylvan
Pass. So go check those guys out Mountain goats
are way off in the distance on baronet and from
round prairie. I've heard some people seeing
them Coyotes are out hunting. They're gonna be
having their babies soon. Same with the wolves
It's this a good time put in the work go to the
main sites, you know You're in the northern range
if you drive between Mammoth and Cook City in
the morning and then in the evening and Then
you also go up to tower at that point and back
and you don't see anything. I'll be shocked There's
baby bison everywhere. There's baby pronghorn
being born. There's baby elk. It is a great time
There's some newborn Eagles that are starting
to learn to fly right now. It is so cool So I
could literally talk about where to see wildlife
right now for the entire podcast because that's
how active the park is. Go anywhere and everywhere
that calls to you especially in the morning or
the cooler days everything's more active on the
cooler days so if it's super hot you're not going
to see as much. Wait until it cools down or start
very very very early in the morning and you're
going to have a great time especially in those
good wildlife corridors. The trail alerts and
updates section is just now me referring to the
backcountry conditions page. I link to that in
the show notes. You can also search Yellowstone
backcountry conditions and there's a website
updated by the park pretty much daily that tells
you what's open, what's closed, everything you
need to know of where to hike. If you need some
interpretation of what you're reading on there,
reach out to me. Happy to help. That brings me
to the Trek of the Week. This week I'm recommending
the Garnet Hill Loop from Hell Roaring. The Garnet
Hill Loop is one of Yellowstone's lesser known
hikes, offering a mix of sagebrushed grasslands,
creek bottom forests, the Yellowstone River overlooks,
and abundant wildlife habitat. While the classic
start to this is near Roosevelt, the current
construction of the area makes starting and ending
here really not fun, so this week I'm suggesting
that you start at the Hell Roaring trailhead.
After all, you'd take the detour to the suspension
bridge at Hell Roaring anyways, so starting there
just makes more sense. From the hell -roaring
trailhead, the trail works its way down the switchbacks
that eventually lead to the suspension bridge.
I suggest taking the time to hit the bridge first,
as you'll have to walk up the switchbacks to
end your day, and generally, one is tired by
that time, and then you will be like, I don't
want to see the bridge, see it first, get it
out of the way, it's beautiful, it's awesome.
To reach the bridge, pass the junction to the
Garnet Hill Cut -Off and keep hiking. From the
trailhead, the bridge is about a mile away, so
you walk one mile, You get to see this beautiful
bridge that spans a powerful section of the river
and provides excellent views of rapids and the
surrounding canyon. Adding the spur increases
the overall distance slightly, but it's often
considered one of the highlights of the area.
So again, go and do that. Once you've enjoyed
the bridge, turn around and head back to the
junction. And then once you hit the main trail,
you have a choice. Like you take the junction
down. You cross a little creek and then you climb
up and then you have a choice. You can either
turn right or left. I suggest going to the right
as it makes the elevation gain more manageable
and it's generally the more dynamic way to take
the loop. The Garnet Hill loop in this section
follows Elk Creek through dense forests, which
are generally known for numerous bears that reside
in the region. Be very loud here and extremely
bear aware. I pretty much always see a bear in
this section. I am not joking be very bear aware
and be very loud scare the bears away. It's narrow
and You will run into them if you try and do
this quiet and it's not going to be good So be
loud. Let them know you're there Eventually,
you're gonna hike all the way through that and
the trees fade away and you enter an open meadow
This next section of trail passes through the
historic Yancey area, which was once the site
of Yellowstone's earliest tourist accommodations,
and now is home to the Roosevelt Old West Dining
Cookout operation and horseback tours. Once you
reach the seasonal buildings at Yancey's, the
route follows portions of the Old Stagecoach
Road back toward Roosevelt. At Roosevelt, which
is not actually technically Roosevelt, because
you're going to run into this, you may have to
do a little route finding to avoid entering the
construction zone. There should be a well -maintained
and even signed trail darting left, but when
in doubt, just head north. You'll eventually
hit the trail, and then if you don't hit the
trail, you're going to hit the river. Just follow
the river downstream. Go with the pace of the
river and you'll find the trail. You really can't
get lost here. This section of trail cuts through
this area called Pleasant Valley, which I think
is aptly named. It's a big sagebrush basin where
hikers frequently encounter bison, pronghorn
and elk, and occasionally bears both grizzly
and black. It also is where you're gonna meet
up with that garnet hill loop trail. While hiking,
enjoy like the sweeping views all around with
the Absaroka Beartooth Mountains and numerous
glacial erratics left behind by ancient ice sheets.
Once you find the main trail again, the route
begins to descend toward the Yellowstone River,
which you hike next to for a few miles. This
section is secluded and rarely visited and it's
awesome and beautiful and wonderful and that's
why I'm telling you to go there. Be prepared
to see more wildlife than people here, but be
aware that the trail around Garnet Hill is a
wildlife corridor and animals use it often. I
almost always run into a bison on this north
section of the trail. Walking right down the
trail, if you encounter a bison, Stay 25 yards,
you may have to climb into the hills, but stay
25 yards away. This section near the Yellowstone
River is possibly the loop's most scenic section.
Trail wraps around the north side of Garnet Hill,
eventually providing elevated views of the River
Canyon, Buffalo Plateau, and Hell Roaring Mountain.
Several stretches follow high benches around
the river, offering dramatic perspectives of
the water winding through the canyon below. The
varied terrain of cliffs, forests, grasslands,
and river scenery makes this one of the most
diverse moderate hikes in Yellowstone's northern
range. The trail then starts to descend toward
Elk Creek and back to the Spur Trail to reach
the junction with Hell Roaring. Here, the character
of the hike changes dramatically. The sagebrush
gives way to groves of pine, rocky canyon walls,
and creekside vegetation, and then you hit the
Spur Trail. From there, hike up to Hell Roaring,
enjoy the switchbacks to get back to your car,
and basically you're done. Please know that wildlife
is very active on this hike. There's a chance
you will see everything that the park has along
this hike. Be prepared. carry bear spray, hike
in groups when possible, and remain alert especially
in those forested sections along Elk Creek where
visibility is limited. Also that sage section
through Pleasant Valley, the sage is really tall
and you would think you would easily see a grizzly
bear walking through there, you wouldn't, the
sage is almost as tall as a grizzly hump, so
really pay attention and constantly make noise.
I know I'm saying like wildlife is dangerous
here, wildlife is dangerous all over the park,
this is one of those trails where it just happens
to seem like it's more active and this trail
seems like it's It's just some place where things
could go wrong quickly. So be smart, be safe,
hike this by all means, but just know you are
hiking in heavy wildlife terrain. And now to
end on a high note. Overall, the Garnet Hill
Loop is an excellent choice for hikers seeking
a quieter Yellowstone experience. Rather than
focusing on geothermal features or crowded overlooks,
this trail showcases the park's northern range
ecosystem through a combination of wildlife -rich
meadows, river views, forested creek bottoms,
and expansive mountain scenery. The total distance
for this hike is around 9 miles with about 1
,500 feet of elevation gain. It's a serious hike.
It's awesome. I love it. I may be doing this
very soon too, so maybe I'll see you out there.
Alright, that is it for this week. In next week's
episode, I'll return with all the information
you need to have a good week in the park, including
wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until then,
book a tour with me, pick up a guidebook of mine,
recommend this podcast to a friend, family member,
or stranger, and happy trails. Abrupt ending!
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