WEBVTT 00:00:00.010 --> 00:00:02.669 From Yellowstone National Park where the hills 00:00:02.669 --> 00:00:05.790 are emerald green and full of wildlife This is 00:00:05.790 --> 00:00:08.390 that Scott guy you know and love with a brand 00:00:08.390 --> 00:00:21.469 new episode of this week in Yellowstone What's 00:00:21.469 --> 00:00:23.730 up everybody this week in Yellowstone National 00:00:23.730 --> 00:00:28.719 Park from June 11th to June 17th 2026 I hope 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:30.980 to convince you to set an early morning alarm, 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:34.359 tell you to take those side roads, and let you 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:36.920 know why moose are so tricky to find in Yellowstone. 00:00:37.539 --> 00:00:39.659 I'll also give you the complete weather forecast, 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:43.340 a cool trail to hike, the wildlife report, and 00:00:43.340 --> 00:00:45.340 everything else you need to have an incredible 00:00:45.340 --> 00:00:49.380 time this week in Yellowstone. standard disclaimer 00:00:49.380 --> 00:00:52.399 I'm gonna miss a few details here and there so 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:54.179 if there's something that you need more information 00:00:54.179 --> 00:00:57.079 on reach out to me I also mentioned park locations 00:00:57.079 --> 00:01:00.219 very casually so again if you're unfamiliar a 00:01:00.219 --> 00:01:02.380 quick search online can help or just reach out 00:01:02.380 --> 00:01:09.840 to me you can text me 406 -589 -1873 also This 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:12.480 podcast is a passion project of mine. I do not 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:15.260 get paid for this. I am not sponsored. So if 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:17.900 you enjoy it, I'd love a review or a quick email. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:20.000 If you want to support my work, you can check 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:22.159 out my hiking and wildlife watching guidebooks, 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:24.719 or you can join me for a guided hiking tour in 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:26.900 Yellowstone's backcountry. For more information 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:29.719 on all of that, you can contact me directly at 00:01:29.719 --> 00:01:32.099 that phone number I just gave or go to outdoor 00:01:32.099 --> 00:01:36.780 -society .com. This week's Yellowstone news. 00:01:36.969 --> 00:01:40.370 So the main news that happened today in the park 00:01:40.370 --> 00:01:43.329 on Wednesday June 10th was that we had some snow 00:01:43.329 --> 00:01:45.730 in the park Couple roads were closed for a little 00:01:45.730 --> 00:01:50.629 bit and now the roads are open Snow in June is 00:01:50.629 --> 00:01:53.750 actually pretty common. There are a lot of people 00:01:53.750 --> 00:01:55.569 I don't want to say freaking out but I can't 00:01:55.569 --> 00:01:56.989 think of a better word off the top of my head 00:01:56.989 --> 00:01:59.209 right now so there are a lot of people reacting 00:01:59.209 --> 00:02:02.590 to this snow that we just had is like they can't 00:02:02.590 --> 00:02:05.430 believe it happens all the time happens almost 00:02:05.430 --> 00:02:09.370 every June one year on June 21st which was the 00:02:09.370 --> 00:02:12.210 solstice to start summer I went on a hike and 00:02:12.210 --> 00:02:15.250 I got snowed on You're at elevation in the Rockies, 00:02:15.830 --> 00:02:19.069 so expect snow every month. It may not happen, 00:02:19.169 --> 00:02:21.650 especially July and August. It rarely happens 00:02:21.650 --> 00:02:24.250 then, but it can snow every month, and we're 00:02:24.250 --> 00:02:27.110 just seeing that right now. So roads are open 00:02:27.110 --> 00:02:29.289 again. Doesn't look like there's another storm 00:02:29.289 --> 00:02:31.830 coming in, so it shouldn't happen again in June, 00:02:32.009 --> 00:02:35.870 but it might, so be ready. Otherwise, the only 00:02:35.870 --> 00:02:38.330 other news story really worthy of talking about 00:02:38.330 --> 00:02:43.840 right now is that the May 2026 visitation statistics 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:48.460 came out, and visitation in May of 2026 was the 00:02:48.460 --> 00:02:51.439 busiest on record for the month of May, and it 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:55.780 showed a 20 % increase from May of 2021, which 00:02:55.780 --> 00:02:59.719 was Yellowstone's most busy year. However, this 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:03.699 is only up 1 % from last year's May visitation. 00:03:04.300 --> 00:03:09.460 In May of this year, we saw 773 ,653 visitors. 00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:13.560 That's about 11 ,000 more visitors than came 00:03:13.560 --> 00:03:17.539 in May of 2025. So visitation is up. However, 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:20.699 it's just one of those, you know, parks popular. 00:03:20.979 --> 00:03:23.039 A lot of people came out. We had a low snowpack, 00:03:23.060 --> 00:03:25.909 so that really helped get more people in. I threaten 00:03:25.909 --> 00:03:28.330 this every time I talk about park statistics. 00:03:28.469 --> 00:03:31.889 I love park statistics. I can do a deep dive 00:03:31.889 --> 00:03:35.090 into this. If anybody is really interested in 00:03:35.090 --> 00:03:38.310 a deep dive in park statistics, reach out to 00:03:38.310 --> 00:03:41.590 me. Happy to just jump in and do just a full 00:03:41.590 --> 00:03:44.849 standalone episode. I will dive into this a little 00:03:44.849 --> 00:03:47.889 more next week's episode, but this week is pretty 00:03:47.889 --> 00:03:50.229 busy. So we're just going to jump right into 00:03:50.229 --> 00:03:53.919 the experience of the week. My experience of 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:57.180 the week is embrace the early mornings now most 00:03:57.180 --> 00:03:59.960 people don't associate Vacations with alarm clocks 00:03:59.960 --> 00:04:02.780 or waking up early for most of us We wake up 00:04:02.780 --> 00:04:05.460 pretty early when we're working and then we're 00:04:05.460 --> 00:04:07.919 on vacation. It's kind of nice to sleep in especially 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:10.159 if you're away from home There's not as many 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:12.939 responsibilities like sleeping in is great I 00:04:12.939 --> 00:04:16.100 love sleeping in but if you do sleep in in Yellowstone 00:04:16.100 --> 00:04:19.279 National Park You're going to miss some of the 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:22.709 most exciting moments in the park Some of the 00:04:22.709 --> 00:04:25.410 park's most memorable moments happen before breakfast 00:04:25.410 --> 00:04:28.470 right after sunrise, and visitors who embrace 00:04:28.470 --> 00:04:31.569 the early mornings often see a side of Yellowstone 00:04:31.569 --> 00:04:35.730 that many others will never experience. The first 00:04:35.730 --> 00:04:37.509 thing you're going to notice when you're up way 00:04:37.509 --> 00:04:40.509 too early, or the right amount of early, is you're 00:04:40.509 --> 00:04:43.129 going to notice how alive the park feels at dawn. 00:04:43.750 --> 00:04:45.889 While most visitors are still tucked away in 00:04:45.889 --> 00:04:48.170 lodges, campgrounds, cabins, and hotels out of 00:04:48.170 --> 00:04:51.670 the park, Yellowstone's wildlife is already active. 00:04:52.279 --> 00:04:54.720 National Park Service after all recommends dawn 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.000 and dusk as the best time for wildlife viewing 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:00.480 and it's easy to understand why. Cool morning 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:02.759 temperatures encourage animals to move, feed, 00:05:02.860 --> 00:05:06.040 and travel before the heat of the day sets in. 00:05:06.339 --> 00:05:09.360 Mid -June is an especially exciting time because 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:11.620 many young animals are still visible across the 00:05:11.620 --> 00:05:14.259 park. Bison calves are going to be dotting the 00:05:14.259 --> 00:05:17.879 valleys with their reddish coats. Elk cows are 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:20.079 going to be you know, protecting their newborn 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:23.040 calves, and bears are spending long hours foraging 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:26.500 for food or moving their cubs around. In places 00:05:26.500 --> 00:05:32.399 like Hayden, Lamar, even out in SLU, Little America, 00:05:32.579 --> 00:05:35.339 all those places, you are going to have some 00:05:35.339 --> 00:05:38.579 really good wildlife viewing very early in the 00:05:38.579 --> 00:05:42.040 morning. The scenery itself also seems to come 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:44.060 alive in a different way during the first hours 00:05:44.060 --> 00:05:46.920 of daylight. Yellowstone's geothermal features 00:05:46.920 --> 00:05:49.810 never stop working. but they often put on their 00:05:49.810 --> 00:05:52.829 most dramatic displays when the morning air is 00:05:52.829 --> 00:05:55.589 still really cool. Overnight temperatures in 00:05:55.589 --> 00:05:58.870 June can still dip into the 20s, 30s, and that 00:05:58.870 --> 00:06:01.290 can create ideal conditions for thick steam to 00:06:01.290 --> 00:06:03.949 rise from geysers, fumaroles, and hot springs. 00:06:04.670 --> 00:06:06.910 As sunlight begins filtering across the landscape, 00:06:07.569 --> 00:06:09.730 enormous clouds of steam can be seen drifting 00:06:09.730 --> 00:06:12.350 through the geyser basins, creating scenes that 00:06:12.350 --> 00:06:15.649 feel almost otherworldly. Places like old faithful 00:06:15.649 --> 00:06:18.569 Norris upper geyser basin can look completely 00:06:18.569 --> 00:06:21.569 different But also just all of those little thermal 00:06:21.569 --> 00:06:23.629 areas that you drive by and don't think much 00:06:23.629 --> 00:06:26.149 of are all going to be steaming in the morning 00:06:26.149 --> 00:06:28.709 and Just with that soft morning light creates 00:06:28.709 --> 00:06:32.220 an atmosphere that is just perfect The sunrise 00:06:32.220 --> 00:06:35.259 itself is worth seeing and so by mid -June the 00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:38.180 sun's gonna rise around 6 a .m. and the light 00:06:38.180 --> 00:06:41.139 just starts peeking over the mountains and across 00:06:41.139 --> 00:06:43.480 Yellowstone's rivers, forests and valleys and 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.740 lakes, transforming the landscape just into this 00:06:46.740 --> 00:06:50.740 beautiful glowing golden early morning view. 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:54.000 Yellowstone Lake often lies really calm in the 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:56.199 early morning hours reflecting the surrounding 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:59.300 mountains and sky. Mist can rise from rivers 00:06:59.300 --> 00:07:01.980 and wetlands while the first sunlight illuminates 00:07:01.980 --> 00:07:05.480 distant peaks. The famous viewpoints, they're 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:08.199 all going to be extremely gorgeous. Being in 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:12.060 the Grand Canyon at sunrise, really cool. But 00:07:12.060 --> 00:07:14.899 those little roadside pullouts that barely earned 00:07:14.899 --> 00:07:17.420 a glance the day before can suddenly become one 00:07:17.420 --> 00:07:19.360 of the most memorable stops of an entire trip 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:22.139 when you see it at sunrise. There is another 00:07:22.139 --> 00:07:24.319 practical benefit to getting an early start. 00:07:24.829 --> 00:07:26.790 As we know Yellowstone is one of the most visited 00:07:26.790 --> 00:07:29.870 national parks in the US and June marks kind 00:07:29.870 --> 00:07:32.329 of that beginning of the really busy summer season. 00:07:33.029 --> 00:07:35.410 During the day parking lots fill, traffic backups 00:07:35.410 --> 00:07:38.050 develop, and popular attractions become crowded 00:07:38.050 --> 00:07:41.110 as the morning progresses. Visitors who begin 00:07:41.110 --> 00:07:44.769 early before sunrise or right at sunrise often 00:07:44.769 --> 00:07:48.290 enjoy several hours of relative solitude. They 00:07:48.290 --> 00:07:51.009 find easier parking, quieter boardwalks, and 00:07:51.009 --> 00:07:53.339 less congestion on the road. There's something 00:07:53.339 --> 00:07:56.240 special about standing near Old Faithful or walking 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:59.740 to the Grand Prismatic Overlook when there's 00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:02.620 only a handful of other people around. These 00:08:02.620 --> 00:08:04.519 moments become increasingly difficult to find 00:08:04.519 --> 00:08:06.519 as the day unfolds, and that's why it's even 00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:09.500 better to have those. The atmosphere of Yellowstone 00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:11.949 also feels very different in the early morning. 00:08:12.250 --> 00:08:14.110 The air is going to be really crisp and cool, 00:08:14.529 --> 00:08:16.550 birdsong carries across meadows and forests, 00:08:16.970 --> 00:08:18.949 the sound of rushing river and bubbling thermal 00:08:18.949 --> 00:08:21.430 features seem more noticeable when there's fewer 00:08:21.430 --> 00:08:23.829 people around and less road noise. Instead of 00:08:23.829 --> 00:08:26.129 rushing from one famous attraction to another, 00:08:26.730 --> 00:08:29.089 the early hours invite visitors to slow down 00:08:29.089 --> 00:08:32.029 and appreciate the park itself. Yellowstone has 00:08:32.029 --> 00:08:34.549 always been a place of grand scenery and iconic 00:08:34.549 --> 00:08:37.289 landmarks, but it's often the quieter moments 00:08:37.289 --> 00:08:40.220 that leave the strongest impressions. Perhaps 00:08:40.220 --> 00:08:42.740 the greatest reward for getting up early is that 00:08:42.740 --> 00:08:45.399 the day is still ahead of you. By the time many 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:47.299 visitors are finishing breakfast and waiting 00:08:47.299 --> 00:08:50.120 in line at West Yellowstone, you've already seen 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:52.779 wildlife in the valleys, you've seen geothermal 00:08:52.779 --> 00:08:55.100 basins have steam rising from them and the steam 00:08:55.100 --> 00:08:58.879 vanishes as it gets warmer, you've seen the sunrise, 00:08:59.240 --> 00:09:01.100 and you've visited some of the park's most famous 00:09:01.100 --> 00:09:04.299 attractions without anybody else there. Rather 00:09:04.299 --> 00:09:08.080 than losing sleep, you've gained access to a 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:11.340 more dramatic peaceful version of Yellowstone 00:09:11.340 --> 00:09:13.720 that just feels more connected to the rhythms 00:09:13.720 --> 00:09:17.259 of the park itself. I do want to say that when 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:19.679 you do enter in the morning, and if you're thinking 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:22.500 about hiking it early in the morning, don't start 00:09:22.500 --> 00:09:26.539 hiking right at sunrise. Wait a little bit. Sunrise 00:09:26.539 --> 00:09:29.159 is a really good time, you would think, to go 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:32.720 out. However, This is the time where bears are 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:36.039 really active where you may also come across 00:09:36.039 --> 00:09:39.019 Sleeping bison that you don't see below the stage 00:09:39.019 --> 00:09:42.340 So give the day a little bit of time to wake 00:09:42.340 --> 00:09:45.679 up before you hit the trails Use those really 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:48.340 early morning hours around sunrise to drive around 00:09:48.340 --> 00:09:52.360 go to the more populated or popular boardwalk 00:09:52.360 --> 00:09:55.240 areas and That way you can be safe and not be 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:57.379 in the backcountry where it's a little more dangerous 00:09:57.379 --> 00:10:00.700 really at that dawn time So next time you're 00:10:00.700 --> 00:10:02.919 tempted to hit the snooze button when you're 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:05.299 visiting Yellowstone, consider what you're gonna 00:10:05.299 --> 00:10:08.000 be missing. The wildlife is already gonna be 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:10.100 moving around, the thermal features are gonna 00:10:10.100 --> 00:10:12.279 be sending clouds of steam into the morning air, 00:10:12.679 --> 00:10:14.679 the first sunlight's gonna paint the landscape 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:18.519 in gold, and long before the crowds arrive, Yellowstone 00:10:18.519 --> 00:10:20.919 is waiting for you and wanting to put on one 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:24.480 of its best shows of the day just for you. My 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:28.610 tip of the week. Take the side roads. If you 00:10:28.610 --> 00:10:30.929 want to experience Yellowstone a little differently, 00:10:31.350 --> 00:10:34.409 there's an easy way to do it. Most visitors stick 00:10:34.409 --> 00:10:36.870 to the main roads, rushing from Old Faithful 00:10:36.870 --> 00:10:41.590 to Canyon to Mammoth to Lamar and back. What 00:10:41.590 --> 00:10:44.029 many don't realize is that some of Yellowstone's 00:10:44.029 --> 00:10:46.429 most memorable moments happen just a few miles 00:10:46.429 --> 00:10:49.490 off the main route. There are some short scenic 00:10:49.490 --> 00:10:51.870 drives that offer a slower, quieter side of the 00:10:51.870 --> 00:10:55.429 park, where wildlife sightings, waterfalls, rivers, 00:10:55.769 --> 00:10:58.429 and wide -open landscapes often outshine the 00:10:58.429 --> 00:11:01.970 more famous attractions. One of the classic side 00:11:01.970 --> 00:11:05.210 roads is Virginia Cascades Drive, a narrow one 00:11:05.210 --> 00:11:08.629 -way road just east of Norris. The 2 .5 mile 00:11:08.629 --> 00:11:11.289 drive follows a given river through dense lodgepole 00:11:11.289 --> 00:11:13.889 pine forest before arriving at Virginia Cascades, 00:11:14.289 --> 00:11:18.429 which is a 60 -foot waterfall. Waterfall is not 00:11:18.429 --> 00:11:20.250 quite the right word. It's a cascade, right? 00:11:20.450 --> 00:11:23.289 It tumbles over volcanic rock and it's like a 00:11:23.289 --> 00:11:26.000 giant water slide. The road itself feels like 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:28.279 stepping into an older less hurried Yellowstone 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:31.399 and since RVs and buses aren't permitted traffic 00:11:31.399 --> 00:11:34.700 is usually light making it peaceful and a much 00:11:34.700 --> 00:11:37.879 better way to avoid that busy highway. It's also 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:40.980 that stretch is not the most exciting stretch 00:11:40.980 --> 00:11:43.799 in the park from Norris to Canyon so having these 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:45.980 two and a half miles really helps break it up. 00:11:46.220 --> 00:11:48.460 This is also a really cool area to have a picnic 00:11:48.460 --> 00:11:51.710 midday. A little farther south, the Firehole 00:11:51.710 --> 00:11:54.870 River Drive offers another worthwhile detour. 00:11:55.009 --> 00:11:57.090 Running alongside the Firehole River near Madison 00:11:57.090 --> 00:11:59.970 Junction, this short one -way route reveals the 00:11:59.970 --> 00:12:01.929 side of Yellowstone many people just speed past 00:12:01.929 --> 00:12:04.690 again. The road traces the river, which cuts 00:12:04.690 --> 00:12:07.190 through a dramatic canyon with overlooks of waterfalls, 00:12:07.330 --> 00:12:11.929 river scenery, and just a great way to enjoy 00:12:11.929 --> 00:12:14.149 Yellowstone, right? This is what Yellowstone 00:12:14.149 --> 00:12:16.590 used to be. There used to just be narrow roads 00:12:16.590 --> 00:12:20.320 and a slower pace of travel. Firehole River is 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:23.200 one of Yellowstone's most unique waterways because 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:25.840 it's warm by the park's geothermal activity upstream. 00:12:26.419 --> 00:12:28.440 So it creates landscapes unlike anywhere else 00:12:28.440 --> 00:12:32.019 in the park. Along this road though, this is 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:36.559 a great place to see the water features, look 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:40.100 around, look for birds. The osprey have a nest 00:12:40.100 --> 00:12:43.139 there. I usually see eagles. There's sometimes 00:12:43.139 --> 00:12:46.000 bison just walking down the road. It's a gorgeous 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:50.289 drive that really should be experienced. In fact, 00:12:50.409 --> 00:12:53.070 I take this every time I drive by it, so I think 00:12:53.070 --> 00:12:56.470 you should too. Near Yellowstone Lake, Goal Point 00:12:56.470 --> 00:12:58.809 Drive offers a completely different experience. 00:12:59.429 --> 00:13:02.110 The seasonal road meanders through lakeside forests 00:13:02.110 --> 00:13:05.029 and then drops down the shoreline where the viewpoints 00:13:05.029 --> 00:13:08.769 of the lake and the surrounding area are unrivaled. 00:13:09.230 --> 00:13:11.330 The drive is especially rewarding for bird watchers 00:13:11.330 --> 00:13:13.389 and photographers with opportunities to enjoy 00:13:13.389 --> 00:13:15.970 sweeping views across North America's largest 00:13:15.970 --> 00:13:19.120 high elevation lake, a chance to just see some 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:21.340 wildlife as they're walking along the shoreline. 00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:24.580 I've seen elk out here and bison and again, as 00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:28.639 I mentioned, lots of good birds. So this is also 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:30.720 a really good place for a lunch spot, so when 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:32.539 you're driving by the lake and you need something, 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:36.159 go down Gold Point Drive, have a lunch, take 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:38.779 in the views, wade in the water a little bit, 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:42.570 and just enjoy the lake. Now for wildlife enthusiasts, 00:13:42.950 --> 00:13:45.009 Blacktail Plateau Drive is one of Yellowstone's 00:13:45.009 --> 00:13:48.870 most underrated roads. This about six mile one 00:13:48.870 --> 00:13:52.049 -way gravel route between Mammoth and Tower winds 00:13:52.049 --> 00:13:54.549 through open meadows, forests, and high ridges 00:13:54.549 --> 00:13:56.809 that provide excellent habitat for wildlife. 00:13:57.230 --> 00:13:59.809 I just drove this the other day and I saw three 00:13:59.809 --> 00:14:03.870 bears in one mile. So definitely go up there. 00:14:04.429 --> 00:14:06.870 The National Park Service really highlights this 00:14:06.870 --> 00:14:10.120 as the drive that gives you a more rustic alternative 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:12.960 to the Grand Loop. You may see elk, you're probably 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:15.480 gonna see bears there, there's bison, and there's 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:18.639 other animals, as well as wildflowers are starting 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:21.240 to pop off right now, and sweeping views of the 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:24.480 northern range. Early mornings and evenings are 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:26.340 usually the best here, but I drove it in the 00:14:26.340 --> 00:14:28.659 middle of the day when I saw my bears, so you 00:14:28.659 --> 00:14:30.779 just never know what you're gonna do. Again, 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:34.039 do not skip Blacktail Plateau Drive, especially 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:37.470 early morning or the evening. Now, if your goal 00:14:37.470 --> 00:14:40.769 is spotting predators, Slough Creek Road deserves 00:14:40.769 --> 00:14:44.690 a place on your itinerary. Located just west 00:14:44.690 --> 00:14:47.690 of Lamar Valley, this gravel road leads to one 00:14:47.690 --> 00:14:49.750 of Yellowstone's most celebrated wildlife watching 00:14:49.750 --> 00:14:52.110 areas. I think I've talked about this before, 00:14:52.129 --> 00:14:54.669 but a lot of people just lump in Lamar Valley 00:14:54.669 --> 00:14:57.769 as that whole northern range as soon as you leave 00:14:57.769 --> 00:15:00.450 Tower Roosevelt Junction and go all the way to 00:15:00.450 --> 00:15:02.470 Cook City, that's Lamar Valley. Technically, 00:15:02.809 --> 00:15:06.019 that is not true, but... you know it's easy to 00:15:06.019 --> 00:15:08.419 lump it in there however slew creek is its own 00:15:08.419 --> 00:15:11.000 unique area and it is one of the better places 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:13.600 that's why i'm mentioning it it's a short out 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:16.879 and back road when you drive it i usually see 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:19.879 coyotes bears uh there's some badgers out there 00:15:19.879 --> 00:15:22.820 there's some cool birds there's a wolf den that 00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:24.879 was out there i'll talk about that in a little 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:29.120 bit probably and then you know there's just Big 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:32.559 big views with bison with pronghorn with elk 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:35.899 all of those also There's a mountain nearby there 00:15:35.899 --> 00:15:38.480 that has some mountain lions, so maybe you'll 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:40.299 get lucky and see one of the elusive mountain 00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:44.399 lions The road itself is short But it is one 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.299 of those places where it opens the door to one 00:15:47.299 --> 00:15:49.460 of the richest wildlife habitats in the entire 00:15:49.460 --> 00:15:53.440 Greater Yellowstone ecosystem If you're driving 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:57.110 over Dunraven Pass, there's Chittenden Road which 00:15:57.110 --> 00:15:59.769 is just a branch off of Dunraven Pass. While 00:15:59.769 --> 00:16:02.549 many visitors know Mount Washburn as one of Yellowstone's 00:16:02.549 --> 00:16:05.450 premier hikes, fewer take the spur road that 00:16:05.450 --> 00:16:08.049 climbed toward the mountain's trailhead. Even 00:16:08.049 --> 00:16:11.970 if you're not planning a hike, when open, the 00:16:11.970 --> 00:16:15.009 drive up Chittenden Road rewards visitors with 00:16:15.009 --> 00:16:17.370 sweeping mountain views and excellent opportunities 00:16:17.370 --> 00:16:20.870 to spot bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, black bears, 00:16:21.330 --> 00:16:24.259 marmots, all sorts of wildlife. It's often really 00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:26.720 windy up here, but on clear days you're going 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:31.539 to have an amazing opportunity to take in Yellowstone's 00:16:31.539 --> 00:16:35.639 immense scale from up above. There's also a side 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:38.879 road heading back to West Yellowstone that I 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:41.700 highly recommend. It's a one -way road heading 00:16:41.700 --> 00:16:44.100 west that skirts along the river and allows you 00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:46.299 a chance to slow down and enjoy a few more moments 00:16:46.299 --> 00:16:49.000 in the park before you exit. Sometimes there's 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:51.240 bison down there, sometimes there's elk, usually 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:54.720 there's some birds. and it's just not that popular 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:57.759 of a drive so if you're like battling crowds 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:00.159 in West Yellowstone like heading back in the 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:02.580 afternoon and everybody's stopping for a bison 00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:04.400 one last time and you don't want to deal with 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.859 that take the side road for a mile or so and 00:17:07.859 --> 00:17:10.859 just have it to yourself it's great there are 00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:12.960 a couple other side roads that i could mention 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:15.579 here but part of the reason i'm telling you just 00:17:15.579 --> 00:17:18.720 a few of them is you have an opportunity to look 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:21.119 at a map and say i want to drive this other road 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:23.839 Drive that road, see what's down there. Worst 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:26.599 case is you drive a couple more miles. Best case 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:29.000 is you have an opportunity to drive somewhere 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:32.319 that you didn't know existed and have a new memory 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:36.480 of the park that rivals any other memory. Yellowstone 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.519 side roads aren't just shortcuts or alternative 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:41.319 routes. They're invitations to slow down. They 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:43.460 encourage you to trade the rush of seeing everything 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:46.079 for the experience of truly seeing something 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:49.119 unique. While everyone else is rushing back and 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:50.920 forth between the park's headline attractions, 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:53.740 these quieter roads offer a chance to discover 00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:56.259 the Yellowstone that many people miss. A place 00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:59.059 of hidden waterfalls, wildlife filled meadows, 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:02.599 peaceful lakeshores, and unexpected moments of 00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:07.000 solitude. My random Yellowstone fact of the week. 00:18:07.660 --> 00:18:10.660 Why are moose so hard to see in Yellowstone? 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:14.279 If you ask visitors what they hope to see in 00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:16.880 Yellowstone, Most are going to mention bears, 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:20.900 wolves, bison, or elk. If you start prying, most 00:18:20.900 --> 00:18:23.420 people want to see a moose. Now if you talk to 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:24.740 the people that have been in the park a lot, 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:27.539 what's an animal they haven't seen? A moose. 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:31.119 This can be a little surprising. Moose are huge. 00:18:31.740 --> 00:18:34.059 They can weigh almost a thousand pounds, and 00:18:34.059 --> 00:18:37.500 they can stand six feet tall at shoulder. You 00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:39.319 would think something this large would be easy 00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:43.220 to spot. Yet many people spend days in Yellowstone 00:18:43.220 --> 00:18:45.339 without seeing a single moose. and the reason 00:18:45.339 --> 00:18:47.980 has less to do with the animal itself and more 00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:51.440 to do with what happened to Yellowstone about 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:54.839 four decades ago. For much of the 20th century, 00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:56.799 moose were far more common in Yellowstone than 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:59.140 they are today. According to the National Park 00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:01.660 Service, Yellowstone's moose population reached 00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:05.519 roughly a thousand animals in the 1970s. Today, 00:19:06.099 --> 00:19:09.279 fewer than 200 remain in the park. The northern 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:11.720 Yellowstone population has declined by at least 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:16.160 75 % since the 1980s. One of the biggest turning 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:19.079 points came during the historic fires of 1988. 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:22.920 Those fires affected about 36 % of Yellowstone 00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:25.539 National Park, transforming hundreds of thousands 00:19:25.539 --> 00:19:29.000 of acres of forest. While many Yellowstone species 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:32.539 quickly recovered, the moose did not. National 00:19:32.539 --> 00:19:35.259 Park Service notes that moose were the only native 00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:38.640 ungulate in Yellowstone whose population declined 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:42.769 after the fires. Elk, deer, bison rebounded, 00:19:43.190 --> 00:19:46.130 but moose numbers continued to fall. So why were 00:19:46.130 --> 00:19:49.190 the moose hit so hard? The answer lies in the 00:19:49.190 --> 00:19:52.269 type of habitat they depend on. Unlike many moose 00:19:52.269 --> 00:19:55.130 populations elsewhere in North America, Yellowstone's 00:19:55.130 --> 00:19:58.369 moose rely heavily on mature spruce and fir forests 00:19:58.369 --> 00:20:02.109 for winter survival. The 1988 fires burned large 00:20:02.109 --> 00:20:04.690 areas of those older forests, removing important 00:20:04.690 --> 00:20:07.609 winter habitat and reducing available browsing. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:10.900 After the fires, deeper snow accumulated in places 00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:13.039 where those protective forest canopies had been 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:16.700 lost, making survival even more difficult. The 00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:20.759 winter of 1988 -89 was very harsh, and many older 00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:24.279 moose died during that period. In a sense, many 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:26.920 moose didn't simply disappear. They lost the 00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:28.980 habitat that made portions of Yellowstone attractive 00:20:28.980 --> 00:20:31.799 to them in the first place. The fires weren't 00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:35.779 the only factor, however. The MPS points to combination 00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:39.500 long -term moose decline including habitat loss, 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:41.579 predators, hunting pressure outside the park, 00:20:42.019 --> 00:20:45.079 and changes to the surrounding ecosystem. Moose 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:48.039 reproduce more slowly than elk and are naturally 00:20:48.039 --> 00:20:51.339 less numerous, making population recovery a much 00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:54.380 slower process. Another challenge for visitors 00:20:54.380 --> 00:20:56.420 is that Yellowstone isn't necessarily the best 00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:59.079 moose habitat in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:01.980 anymore. Many of the region's moose are found 00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:05.059 in areas outside the park, particularly in wetter 00:21:05.059 --> 00:21:07.019 habitats and drainages that provide the food 00:21:07.019 --> 00:21:10.160 and cover they need year -round. Within Yellowstone, 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:13.980 moose are now often found in the park's northeastern 00:21:13.980 --> 00:21:17.420 corner near Cook City and Silvergate, or the 00:21:17.420 --> 00:21:20.740 southeastern corner, which is the side of the 00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:23.599 lake that no one can get to. Now this isn't to 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:25.660 say that you're not going to see a moose There 00:21:25.660 --> 00:21:27.640 have been more moose hanging out the last couple 00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:30.799 of years by like floating Island Lake Even out 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:34.200 by Indian Creek campground by Swan Lake flats 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:37.420 that area is rebounding But the numbers of moose 00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:40.619 that are around still are not that high if we 00:21:40.619 --> 00:21:43.400 think that there's about 200 250 moose in the 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:48.099 park There are about 80 to 90 wolves in the park. 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:51.910 So there's only two and a half times more moose 00:21:51.910 --> 00:21:54.470 than wolves in the park, and wolves are still 00:21:54.470 --> 00:21:57.009 one of those very rare things to see, and so 00:21:57.009 --> 00:22:00.130 moose need to be treated that way as well. Moose 00:22:00.130 --> 00:22:02.009 are also pretty solitary. They don't like to 00:22:02.009 --> 00:22:04.309 be by the roads, and when you have a landscape 00:22:04.309 --> 00:22:07.849 the size of Yellowstone, they have a lot of places 00:22:07.849 --> 00:22:10.650 to go where they aren't gonna ever see a person. 00:22:10.970 --> 00:22:13.829 That's why Yellowstone visitors can always see 00:22:13.829 --> 00:22:16.910 hundreds of bison, dozens of elk, a couple bears, 00:22:17.130 --> 00:22:19.450 some wolves, and still go home without seeing 00:22:19.450 --> 00:22:22.250 a moose. Ironically, that rarity is part of what 00:22:22.250 --> 00:22:25.049 makes a moose sighting so memorable. When one 00:22:25.049 --> 00:22:27.930 finally steps out along a willow -lined creek 00:22:27.930 --> 00:22:31.269 or appears beside a quiet river at dawn, you're 00:22:31.269 --> 00:22:33.890 looking at one of Yellowstone's most elusive 00:22:33.890 --> 00:22:36.410 success stories and one of its most challenging 00:22:36.410 --> 00:22:39.880 conservation puzzles. The next time someone tells 00:22:39.880 --> 00:22:42.039 you they didn't see a moose in Yellowstone, it 00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:44.140 isn't because they weren't looking hard. It's 00:22:44.140 --> 00:22:46.079 because they're searching for an animal whose 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:48.660 numbers have never fully recovered from a dramatic 00:22:48.660 --> 00:22:50.599 shift in the park's landscape that began with 00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:55.220 the fires in 1988 and continues today. Now, if 00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:57.380 you do want to see a moose, what I always tell 00:22:57.380 --> 00:23:00.480 people, go to the Tetons. There's a lot more 00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:02.960 moose down there. There's also a lot of moose 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:06.099 out by Big Sky, that whole Gallatin Gateway along 00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:08.720 the Gallatin River. There's even a lot of moose 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:11.319 in Paradise Valley if you go into the Absaroka 00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:14.140 Beartooth Wilderness. There's a couple drainages 00:23:14.140 --> 00:23:16.559 that I hike at near my house, and there's moose 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:19.539 there all the time. We even have a resident moose 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:22.140 near Livingston that comes into town sometimes. 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:25.440 But in the park, it's just a lot more rare. So 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:28.099 if you're looking for moose, best of luck, and 00:23:28.099 --> 00:23:30.400 if you don't see one... Now you at least know 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:34.740 why. It's not you. It's the moose. The weather 00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:38.039 for the coming week. So as always, this is the 00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:40.160 best forecast for the week at the time of recording. 00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:44.380 It is 4 p .m. on Wednesday, June 10th, so this 00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:46.400 is going to change a couple times depending on 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:49.359 what day you're around. Forecast always changes, 00:23:49.460 --> 00:23:51.279 but this should be within the ballpark of what 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:53.619 you'll experience. So let's start with Lamar 00:23:53.619 --> 00:23:56.599 Valley. where right now it's currently 40 degrees. 00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:59.799 On Thursday, it's going to be much warmer. 62 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:03.660 is a high, 33 is a low, no real rain. Friday, 00:24:04.180 --> 00:24:09.640 69 and 37. Saturday, 57 and 31 with a 24 % chance 00:24:09.640 --> 00:24:11.819 of rain, largely in the morning and evening. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:15.460 Sunday, 65 and 32 with early morning chance of 00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:20.599 rain. Monday, 70 and 39. Tuesday, 76 and 45. 00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:25.799 And Wednesday, 75 and 40. The weather for Gardner, 00:24:26.740 --> 00:24:30.599 Montana Thursday Highest 67, Low of 37 Friday 00:24:30.599 --> 00:24:34.680 Highest 74, Low of 40 Saturday Highest 60, Low 00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:39.839 of 34 30 % chance of some rain Sunday 67 and 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:43.420 36 with a 13 % chance of morning rain Monday 00:24:43.420 --> 00:24:49.299 74 and 43 Tuesday 81 and 49 Wednesday 80 and 00:24:49.299 --> 00:24:53.259 43 In West Yellowstone, Montana, Thursday Highest 00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:58.400 61, Low of 30, Friday 69 and 33, Saturday 60 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:04.839 and 29, Sunday 66 and 31, Monday 72 and 38, Tuesday 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:10.880 76 and 43, Wednesday 76 and 38. In Cody, Wyoming, 00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:14.839 a high of 72 and 48 for Thursday. Friday will 00:25:14.839 --> 00:25:19.359 be 79 and 45. Saturday will be 58 and 42 with 00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:23.839 a 33 % chance of some rain. Sunday, 68 and 45. 00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:29.680 Monday, 76 and 50. Tuesday, 87 and 58. And Wednesday, 00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:34.440 85 and 52. And finally, we end the weather with 00:25:34.440 --> 00:25:37.460 Cook City, where it's currently snowing and should 00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:40.180 continue to snow through the night. On Thursday, 00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:44.480 high of 58, low of 35. On Friday, high of 64, 00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:47.700 low of 37 with some rain in the evening. Saturday, 00:25:48.140 --> 00:25:52.019 high of 52, low of 30 with a 31 % chance of rain 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:55.690 throughout the day. Sunday 59 and 32 with some 00:25:55.690 --> 00:25:59.430 rain in the morning, Monday 65 and 40, Tuesday 00:25:59.430 --> 00:26:04.289 71 and 46, and Wednesday 71 and 40. Now obviously 00:26:04.289 --> 00:26:06.650 these temperatures and this forecast can change 00:26:06.650 --> 00:26:08.809 a bit, but it's gonna be cold in the morning, 00:26:09.369 --> 00:26:12.329 hot in the daytime. By the way, 70 in the park 00:26:12.329 --> 00:26:15.630 will feel like 80 or 90 even if there's no humidity. 00:26:16.089 --> 00:26:19.390 Please take the warmer days seriously, wear layers, 00:26:19.490 --> 00:26:23.150 and be ready to shed layers when needed. So the 00:26:23.150 --> 00:26:26.170 road conditions road should be opening up in 00:26:26.170 --> 00:26:28.829 the morning as I was recording. There's another 00:26:28.829 --> 00:26:31.220 alert that A couple of the roads are closed again, 00:26:31.619 --> 00:26:33.619 so check the roads before you go into the park. 00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:36.519 They should be open Thursday morning and shouldn't 00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:39.059 have any problem throughout the week. Beartooth 00:26:39.059 --> 00:26:42.000 Highway may be closed, so we're just going to 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:44.460 see what happens there. If you do want up -to 00:26:44.460 --> 00:26:49.039 -date information, you can call 307 -344 -2117 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:51.460 for recorded information from the park, or you 00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:53.700 can sign up to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts 00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:57.480 on your mobile phone by texting 82190 to the 00:26:57.480 --> 00:27:03.869 number 888... 777 Camping information. Mammoth 00:27:03.869 --> 00:27:06.309 is open, Madison is open, Fishing Bridge is open, 00:27:06.490 --> 00:27:08.869 Bridge Bay is open, Tower is open, Canning is 00:27:08.869 --> 00:27:12.130 open, Indian Creek opens on the 12th, Slough 00:27:12.130 --> 00:27:14.950 Creek opens on the 15th, and Lewis Lake also 00:27:14.950 --> 00:27:17.650 opens on the 15th. That's pretty much all of 00:27:17.650 --> 00:27:20.230 the campgrounds that are open. The only one that 00:27:20.230 --> 00:27:22.710 is not going to be open for a little bit longer 00:27:22.710 --> 00:27:26.269 is going to be Grant, which is closed until June 00:27:26.269 --> 00:27:30.839 26th. The wildlife watching update so I teased 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:33.740 this earlier. It's not is it teasing if it's 00:27:33.740 --> 00:27:37.440 not good news It looks like distemper has run 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:40.259 rampant through the wolf packs again The wolves 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:43.019 in the den apparently all the pups have died 00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:46.160 If not all of them most of them because of distemper 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:48.960 is the rumor it looks like this is another very 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:52.400 bad Puppy year for the park wolf populations 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:54.380 will continue to drop. It's currently in the 00:27:54.380 --> 00:27:57.779 80s right now Probably will drop much lower by 00:27:57.779 --> 00:28:00.539 next year, so we will continue to monitor that. 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:02.619 That is something I wanted to mention right off 00:28:02.619 --> 00:28:04.640 the bat in case you're going and you're wanting 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:07.519 to see pups. It's not gonna happen this year, 00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:10.559 unfortunately. Very sad, but there's not much 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:12.559 we can do about it. The one thing we can do about 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:16.359 it, continue to support places that support wolves. 00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:20.799 If you're active voting and you care about wolves, 00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:23.259 maybe don't vote for people who are super anti 00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:25.079 -wolf. That's all I'm going to say about that. 00:28:26.140 --> 00:28:29.819 It's a very complicated issue. So right now, 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:32.880 wolf populations struggling in Yellowstone. All 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:35.900 right, positive wildlife watching news. Right 00:28:35.900 --> 00:28:38.880 now, Lamar Valley is absolutely popping off with 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:42.019 activity. This last week has been insane. There's 00:28:42.019 --> 00:28:44.200 been grizzlies on carcasses getting chased off 00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:47.259 by wolves. Everybody's been chasing the coyotes 00:28:47.259 --> 00:28:50.099 off the carcasses. There's been a bison funeral, 00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:51.440 which I'm going to talk about in a couple of 00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:53.440 weeks. There have been all of these things in 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:55.299 Lamar Valley that you definitely need to get 00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:57.339 out there and see. Will they continue through 00:28:57.339 --> 00:29:00.099 this coming week? Who knows, but Lamar Valley, 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:03.220 Little America, that whole north eastern side 00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:06.160 of the park, definitely very good. there's mountain 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:08.680 goats up on baronet peak people are seeing i 00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:10.680 mentioned moose earlier people are still seeing 00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:13.559 some moose out by cook city so hit that up i 00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:16.000 also heard like i mentioned there's some moose 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:17.660 that are hanging out by floating island lake 00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:20.859 every so often so that's good Pronghorn are gonna 00:29:20.859 --> 00:29:23.339 start having their babies. Best place I usually 00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:26.259 see them is Little America by the Specimen and 00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:29.180 Ridge West trailhead, so by the Yellowstone River 00:29:29.180 --> 00:29:31.500 picnic area. There's usually a field that they 00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:33.880 have their babies out there. There's been lots 00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:36.019 of black bears all around the Bermuda Triangle, 00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:38.339 which I've recently talked about. And then when 00:29:38.339 --> 00:29:41.220 you dip into Hayden, you're gonna see lots of 00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:42.900 wildlife out there. It's really starting to pick 00:29:42.900 --> 00:29:45.420 up in Hayden as well. Heading out the east entrance, 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:48.329 bighorn sheep, grizzly bears all over. It's a 00:29:48.329 --> 00:29:50.250 good place to go. Just make sure you keep your 00:29:50.250 --> 00:29:54.150 distance. Big horn sheep are also visible from 00:29:54.150 --> 00:29:56.430 calcite springs. There's babies still running 00:29:56.430 --> 00:29:59.309 around out there, so check that out. There's 00:29:59.309 --> 00:30:02.690 some badgers out by Slough Creek and out by the 00:30:02.690 --> 00:30:05.109 petrified, not the petrified tree area you're 00:30:05.109 --> 00:30:08.349 thinking of, but the petrified forest trail just 00:30:08.349 --> 00:30:10.269 near Slough Creek. There's a couple out there 00:30:10.269 --> 00:30:14.210 as well. Other than that, I didn't see a lot 00:30:14.210 --> 00:30:17.430 driving up from West to Mammoth the other day. 00:30:17.589 --> 00:30:19.990 Maybe it was just my timing, but saw a couple 00:30:19.990 --> 00:30:23.450 bison, one elk. But that doesn't mean there's 00:30:23.450 --> 00:30:25.190 going to be nothing there. Just know that that 00:30:25.190 --> 00:30:27.950 may not be the most active place. You may see 00:30:27.950 --> 00:30:29.970 some bison in the thermal areas as well down 00:30:29.970 --> 00:30:32.309 around Old Faithful. And then as you get further 00:30:32.309 --> 00:30:34.549 south, wildlife activity is really just going 00:30:34.549 --> 00:30:37.549 to be hit and miss. Your main corridors, the 00:30:37.549 --> 00:30:42.160 Northern Road from basically hell roaring up 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:47.460 to Tower, then out to Soda Butte or Round Prairie, 00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:50.579 Pebble Creek area by Lamar, that's gonna be that 00:30:50.579 --> 00:30:53.099 main corridor. Take those side roads, take everything 00:30:53.099 --> 00:30:55.440 you can, and you should have some good luck. 00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:57.900 Obviously mornings, evenings, cooler weather, 00:30:58.039 --> 00:31:00.460 really gonna help. Saturday could be very good 00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:04.019 based on that cold weather. I could, again, I 00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:05.859 love talking about where the animals are, but 00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:08.099 also there's, you know, that worry that I'm gonna 00:31:08.099 --> 00:31:10.430 tell everybody to go to the same spot. If you 00:31:10.430 --> 00:31:12.329 need more information, reach out to me. I have 00:31:12.329 --> 00:31:14.390 a really good wildlife watching guidebook that 00:31:14.390 --> 00:31:17.329 I wrote based on my entire lifetime of visiting 00:31:17.329 --> 00:31:19.730 the park. If you pick that up, guarantee you're 00:31:19.730 --> 00:31:21.730 going to have better success than if you just 00:31:21.730 --> 00:31:25.470 wing it. Trail alerts and updates. The most interesting 00:31:25.470 --> 00:31:29.470 trail alert I saw the other day was that the 00:31:29.470 --> 00:31:31.390 trail heading out of Mammoth that goes around 00:31:31.390 --> 00:31:34.569 Beaver Ponds or up Sepulcher Peak. I know everybody 00:31:34.569 --> 00:31:36.869 pronounces that word different. I say Sepulcher. 00:31:37.069 --> 00:31:41.210 Sepulcher. Say it how you want. I did sepulchre 00:31:41.210 --> 00:31:43.970 and the other day by myself, 12 miles round trip, 00:31:44.190 --> 00:31:47.309 3 ,500 feet of gain, and on the way back I... 00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:49.400 Check the signs and there's a mountain lion warning 00:31:49.400 --> 00:31:51.720 out there. So that was a pretty cool sign Didn't 00:31:51.720 --> 00:31:54.279 see anything saw lots of bear scat lots of bear 00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:56.799 prints bears are everywhere right now carry bear 00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:59.099 spray I'm gonna have a link in the show notes 00:31:59.099 --> 00:32:01.960 to the conditions page for the backcountry Use 00:32:01.960 --> 00:32:04.420 that if you're in mammoth and you want to know 00:32:04.420 --> 00:32:07.059 specific trail conditions beyond the easy trails 00:32:07.059 --> 00:32:09.279 Go down to the backcountry office. The people 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:12.160 working down there are awesome They gave me a 00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:14.440 lot of information, which is why I did the hike 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:17.880 that I did. So, you know If you're hiking, carry 00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:19.819 bear spray, have it readily accessible and not 00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:22.279 in a backpack, and know how to use it, you may 00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:25.259 only have two or three seconds. Also, if you've 00:32:25.259 --> 00:32:27.000 made it this far and you're still listening, 00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:30.880 I know what to do obviously, but do you know 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:34.119 what to do if you encounter multiple bison on 00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:37.539 a trail while hiking? If you do, message me. 00:32:38.349 --> 00:32:40.450 If you don't already have it and you message 00:32:40.450 --> 00:32:42.490 me, maybe I'll send you a guidebook or something 00:32:42.490 --> 00:32:45.569 because I love interactions. But I'm just curious 00:32:45.569 --> 00:32:47.750 what you think you do if you encounter bison 00:32:47.750 --> 00:32:51.130 while hiking. There's more than one correct answer, 00:32:51.130 --> 00:32:54.309 but I'm curious what most people think. All right. 00:32:54.569 --> 00:32:57.369 That leads me to my Trek of the Week, which I 00:32:57.369 --> 00:32:59.930 was going to. say to do the hike that I just 00:32:59.930 --> 00:33:02.410 did but that seemed lazy. Instead I'm going to 00:33:02.410 --> 00:33:04.470 tell you to do a hike that I think is perfect 00:33:04.470 --> 00:33:07.349 for this time of year and that is the seven mile 00:33:07.349 --> 00:33:10.289 hole trail in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. 00:33:11.329 --> 00:33:13.509 So the following is an excerpt from a hiking 00:33:13.509 --> 00:33:16.130 guidebook that covers 50 of my favorite trails 00:33:16.130 --> 00:33:18.390 in and around Yellowstone National Park. So if 00:33:18.390 --> 00:33:20.390 you like what you hear and you want to know more, 00:33:20.670 --> 00:33:23.289 pick up my hiking guidebook and it basically 00:33:23.289 --> 00:33:26.519 is descriptions just like this. So, starting 00:33:26.519 --> 00:33:28.579 at the end of the most dramatic sections of the 00:33:28.579 --> 00:33:31.000 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, this trail is 00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:33.980 largely overlooked. No boardwalks are found, 00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:36.299 nor are there any amenities you find when driving 00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:38.140 and hiking along the north rim of the canyon. 00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:42.420 Instead, what you find here is a long and wonderful 00:33:42.420 --> 00:33:45.140 trail along the canyon rim where sweeping views 00:33:45.140 --> 00:33:47.740 of the treeline cliffs continue to leave one 00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:50.569 in awe. While the rest of the views of the Yellowstone 00:33:50.569 --> 00:33:53.410 Grand Canyon often leave people speechless, the 00:33:53.410 --> 00:33:56.009 subtle beauty along this trek makes the canyon 00:33:56.009 --> 00:33:58.490 and river feel more approachable and gentle, 00:33:58.710 --> 00:34:01.769 welcoming you as you hike downriver. Across the 00:34:01.769 --> 00:34:04.569 way, keep an eye out for Silver Cord Cascade, 00:34:05.029 --> 00:34:07.349 a waterfall that is most impressive after heavy 00:34:07.349 --> 00:34:10.010 rain or during the early summer months, like 00:34:10.010 --> 00:34:13.210 now. The hike is honestly a spot in the canyon 00:34:13.210 --> 00:34:15.929 area where one can truly take a deep breath and 00:34:15.929 --> 00:34:18.670 relax in nature. The first half of the trail 00:34:18.670 --> 00:34:21.409 is in the woods with minimal views, but once 00:34:21.409 --> 00:34:24.289 you do get views, they'll be etched in your mind's 00:34:24.289 --> 00:34:27.110 eye forever. With the added bonus of being able 00:34:27.110 --> 00:34:29.389 to walk directly through a thermal area before 00:34:29.389 --> 00:34:32.230 reaching the Yellowstone River, this trail could 00:34:32.230 --> 00:34:35.349 become a yearly tradition for you. The important 00:34:35.349 --> 00:34:37.489 thing to know about this trail is that you get 00:34:37.489 --> 00:34:40.050 what you want out of it. Hike here with an open 00:34:40.050 --> 00:34:42.829 mind and lowered expectations. Not because they 00:34:42.829 --> 00:34:45.909 won't be met, but because this trail will reward 00:34:45.909 --> 00:34:49.199 you well. All you have to do is be open to its 00:34:49.199 --> 00:34:52.820 wonders. For the first 1 .3 miles, the trail 00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:55.460 runs parallel to the canyon rim with great views 00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:58.179 every so often. The path meanders in the woods 00:34:58.179 --> 00:35:00.619 a bit, but the canopy is welcomed, absorbing 00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:02.800 the sounds of the nearby infrastructure of Canyon 00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:05.059 and replacing it with the sounds of wind in the 00:35:05.059 --> 00:35:08.539 trees and the river below. The next mile of the 00:35:08.539 --> 00:35:10.860 trail is well maintained single track, passing 00:35:10.860 --> 00:35:12.900 through part of a forest that is now home to 00:35:12.900 --> 00:35:15.280 grizzlies and black bears as well as bison and 00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:18.809 elk. The path rises and falls in manageable sections, 00:35:19.190 --> 00:35:22.369 never really climbing steeply. At 2 .4 miles, 00:35:22.809 --> 00:35:24.889 you'll reach a clearing slash seasonal pond. 00:35:25.389 --> 00:35:27.329 Be aware that this is the one section of the 00:35:27.329 --> 00:35:29.590 trail that may have some mosquitoes, and they 00:35:29.590 --> 00:35:32.369 are aggressive mosquitoes, so come prepared. 00:35:33.150 --> 00:35:36.010 For this entire section, you'll have gained around 00:35:36.010 --> 00:35:39.690 400 feet in elevation. If you look north in the 00:35:39.690 --> 00:35:41.969 clearing, you'll see Mount Washburn rising in 00:35:41.969 --> 00:35:44.480 the distance. If you feel called to summit the 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:46.820 mountain from this trail, please contact me or 00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:49.300 pick up this guidebook. There's also a hidden 00:35:49.300 --> 00:35:51.639 and overlooked thermal area on the spur trail 00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:54.739 that is the Washburn Hot Springs. It is one of 00:35:54.739 --> 00:35:56.400 the smelliest hot springs. I'm going to talk 00:35:56.400 --> 00:35:59.119 about smelly hot springs later a couple weeks 00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:02.860 from now, but... This is a fantastic side trek. 00:36:03.079 --> 00:36:05.719 It adds, you know, four miles, but Washburn Hot 00:36:05.719 --> 00:36:09.300 Springs, if you love the smell of, like, acidic 00:36:09.300 --> 00:36:12.480 awfulness and thermal basins, you will love Washburn 00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:15.699 Hot Springs. If you want more and you want to 00:36:15.699 --> 00:36:18.519 summit Washburn, it is a serious day. It's a 00:36:18.519 --> 00:36:20.599 fantastic hike, but it's better to do as a point 00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:23.969 -by -point with two cars. So, beyond the clearing 00:36:23.969 --> 00:36:26.550 on the main trail of 7 mile hole, the trail continues 00:36:26.550 --> 00:36:28.789 to pass through the forest, with minimal views 00:36:28.789 --> 00:36:31.309 emerging until 3 .3 miles from the trailhead. 00:36:32.050 --> 00:36:34.670 Here you'll see the forested canyon walls, as 00:36:34.670 --> 00:36:36.610 well as all the way down to the Yellowstone River 00:36:36.610 --> 00:36:40.650 below. From this point on, you'll be descending 00:36:40.650 --> 00:36:43.789 down to the Yellowstone River 1 ,200 feet below 00:36:43.789 --> 00:36:47.590 you. At the 4 mile mark, 700 feet away from the 00:36:47.590 --> 00:36:50.409 aft room engine overlook at 3 .3 miles, one of 00:36:50.409 --> 00:36:52.210 the hidden gems of this hike emerges, an area 00:36:52.210 --> 00:36:55.090 with small bubbling pools, fumaroles, and other 00:36:55.090 --> 00:36:57.210 unique thermal features scattered throughout. 00:36:57.849 --> 00:37:00.429 There's a well -worn footpath that should be 00:37:00.429 --> 00:37:03.030 visible to maneuver through this area. Do not 00:37:03.030 --> 00:37:06.389 deviate from this, as the ground may not be reliable 00:37:06.389 --> 00:37:08.969 or firm. Don't let this scare you away though, 00:37:08.989 --> 00:37:11.230 this area is a great spot to look around and 00:37:11.230 --> 00:37:13.670 enjoy, especially knowing that not many visitors 00:37:13.670 --> 00:37:16.769 will ever see this. The next mile of the trail 00:37:16.769 --> 00:37:19.210 continues to descend down to the river, passing 00:37:19.210 --> 00:37:21.889 through a forest, past a backcountry campsite 00:37:21.889 --> 00:37:24.309 spur trail, and then onto the rocky shore of 00:37:24.309 --> 00:37:26.570 the river. If you've brought a fishing pole and 00:37:26.570 --> 00:37:29.130 have your permit, enjoy your time here. If you 00:37:29.130 --> 00:37:31.210 want to dip in the water, it's going to be very 00:37:31.210 --> 00:37:34.190 cold and it's pretty fast moving. And if you 00:37:34.190 --> 00:37:36.250 came empty handed, just sit back and enjoy the 00:37:36.250 --> 00:37:38.920 view. The trek out is the tough part of this 00:37:38.920 --> 00:37:41.059 hike, so really take your time down by the river. 00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:45.659 Enjoy it. Soak it all in. The trail will climb 00:37:45.659 --> 00:37:47.940 out of the canyon for the next two miles with 00:37:47.940 --> 00:37:50.719 a gain of about 1 ,300 feet. You know, that same 00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:53.699 thing you dropped down. It's gonna more than 00:37:53.699 --> 00:37:55.800 likely feel way more steep than that and you're 00:37:55.800 --> 00:37:58.300 probably gonna be tired, but that's gonna be 00:37:58.300 --> 00:38:01.800 fine. You're gonna be okay. Take your time. then 00:38:01.800 --> 00:38:04.000 you're going to get back up top and the remaining 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:06.579 few miles are going to feel much easier and should 00:38:06.579 --> 00:38:09.099 pass quickly with canyon views emerging once 00:38:09.099 --> 00:38:12.079 again for those last 1 .3 miles and those last 00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:15.119 1 .3 miles there's a few like boot paths to the 00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:17.719 canyon room itself that uh didn't mention on 00:38:17.719 --> 00:38:20.099 the way out take your time there really enjoy 00:38:20.099 --> 00:38:23.059 those this is a beautiful hike seven mile hole 00:38:23.059 --> 00:38:27.000 canyon area i love it i think you will too that's 00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:29.579 it for this week In next week's episode, I'll 00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:31.559 return with all the information you need to have 00:38:31.559 --> 00:38:33.719 a good week in the park, including the wildlife, 00:38:34.019 --> 00:38:37.000 weather, and trail updates. Until then, pick 00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:39.340 up a guidebook of mine, tell your friends, tell 00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:41.980 your family about this podcast. Thank you so 00:38:41.980 --> 00:38:56.340 much for listening, and happy trails. This week 00:38:56.340 --> 00:38:58.239 in Yellowstone is brought to you by the Outdoor 00:38:58.239 --> 00:39:01.260 Society. That's my company. It's just me. I do 00:39:01.260 --> 00:39:03.659 this. It's a labor of love. If you like it, tell 00:39:03.659 --> 00:39:06.119 your friends, rate and review it. Shoot me a 00:39:06.119 --> 00:39:08.840 message. Otherwise, keep listening, and I hope 00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:12.659 to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright 2026, baby.