WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.080 From Yellowstone National Park where summer is 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:05.879 officially starting this week This is that Scott 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:08.339 guy you know in love with a brand new episode 00:00:08.339 --> 00:00:22.000 of this week in Yellowstone What's up everybody 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.600 this week in Yellowstone National Park from June 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:29.579 18th to June 24th 2026 I'll tell you why now 00:00:29.579 --> 00:00:32.500 is the time to hit up a very specific lake in 00:00:32.500 --> 00:00:35.140 the northern range, give some tips on how to 00:00:35.140 --> 00:00:37.780 avoid the summer crowds, and share some history 00:00:37.780 --> 00:00:40.280 of an expedition before the park was the park. 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:43.000 I'll also give you the complete weather forecast, 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:46.060 a cool trail to hike, the snowpack update, the 00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:48.600 wildlife report, and everything else you need 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:51.960 to have an incredible time this week in Yellowstone. 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:55.200 My standard disclaimer, I may miss a few details 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.219 here and there, so please feel free to reach 00:00:57.219 --> 00:00:59.640 out if you have any questions. I also mention 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:02.799 park locations very casually, so if you're unfamiliar 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:04.719 with a place that I'm saying, again, reach out 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:07.750 to me or search online. If you have specific 00:01:07.750 --> 00:01:09.930 questions that you need answered, reach out to 00:01:09.930 --> 00:01:15.069 me, area code 406 -589 -1873. Feel free to text 00:01:15.069 --> 00:01:18.310 that. If you call, I will not answer. I usually 00:01:18.310 --> 00:01:20.510 don't answer that phone just because it's always 00:01:20.510 --> 00:01:22.969 spam calls. You know, how we all get spam calls 00:01:22.969 --> 00:01:25.510 for no reason now. Isn't that great? But yeah, 00:01:25.510 --> 00:01:27.329 if you send me a text, I'll get back to it as 00:01:27.329 --> 00:01:29.609 soon as I can. Can't guarantee the same day, 00:01:29.909 --> 00:01:32.730 but as soon as I get to it, I will respond back. 00:01:33.230 --> 00:01:35.010 Also, if you sent me a message and I haven't 00:01:35.010 --> 00:01:36.790 got back to you and it's been a over a week. 00:01:37.799 --> 00:01:40.640 Remind me shoot me another message. I probably 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.700 said I'm gonna respond to that and then promptly 00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:45.359 forgot So reach out to me. I will do my best 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:48.000 to always answer that forgetting to respond also 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.359 applies to emails So if you've emailed me and 00:01:50.359 --> 00:01:52.719 I haven't got back to you sincere apologies I 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:55.040 just get overwhelmed and then forget before I 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:57.760 jump into the episode one last thing this podcast 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.540 is a passion project of mine I'm not paid. I'm 00:02:00.540 --> 00:02:03.060 not sponsored I do this week in and week out 00:02:03.060 --> 00:02:04.959 because I want people to have the best possible 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:07.930 trip and so I share all this information If you 00:02:07.930 --> 00:02:10.750 enjoy what you hear, I'd love a review or a quick 00:02:10.750 --> 00:02:14.310 email or a text or recommend this podcast to 00:02:14.310 --> 00:02:16.349 others. You know, go on social media, tell people 00:02:16.349 --> 00:02:18.990 you enjoy this podcast and why that really helps 00:02:18.990 --> 00:02:21.550 grow listenership, which then helps more people 00:02:21.550 --> 00:02:23.750 have an amazing time in the park. If you want 00:02:23.750 --> 00:02:26.030 to support me more, you can check out my hiking 00:02:26.030 --> 00:02:28.590 and wildlife watching guidebooks. Those can be 00:02:28.590 --> 00:02:32.210 found at outdoor -society .com or shoot me a 00:02:32.210 --> 00:02:34.330 text and I'll send you the link for those guidebooks. 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:37.180 I'm pretty booked up tour wise through the summer 00:02:37.180 --> 00:02:39.659 until August, but if you're visiting in August, 00:02:39.860 --> 00:02:42.240 especially like after the second week, reach 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:45.240 out. Maybe I'll be able to help you out. Otherwise, 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:47.500 reach out to me. I'll happily recommend some 00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:51.199 hikes or places to go. Until then, let's jump 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:55.199 directly into this week's episode. This week's 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:58.020 Yellowstone news. So there's a few stories. Nothing 00:02:58.020 --> 00:03:01.460 really major is going on right now, but there 00:03:01.460 --> 00:03:03.300 are a couple things I'm going to talk about briefly. 00:03:03.719 --> 00:03:05.580 First is that the summer solstice is going to 00:03:05.580 --> 00:03:08.919 happen on the 21st, longest day of the year. 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:12.939 So if you want to enjoy the entire day out, definitely 00:03:12.939 --> 00:03:15.759 recommend it. Usually I do that. I get up early, 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:17.819 I get to the park at sunrise and then I leave 00:03:17.819 --> 00:03:20.560 at sunset, try and spend all of the daylight 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:23.259 of the first day of summer in the park. It's 00:03:23.259 --> 00:03:25.919 a wonderful magical experience. Definitely recommend 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:28.539 doing that. Next week I'm going to talk a little 00:03:28.539 --> 00:03:32.740 bit probably about sunset times because it's 00:03:32.740 --> 00:03:34.960 dark late here compared to a lot of places. So 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:37.139 talk about that later but enjoy the first day 00:03:37.139 --> 00:03:39.759 of summer. Next thing to talk about mosquitoes 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.680 are starting to come out. And while you may be 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:45.000 from someplace that experiences mosquitoes and 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:47.680 you say, I'll be fine, just know that depending 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:49.139 on where you're at, mosquitoes are going to be 00:03:49.139 --> 00:03:51.300 very aggressive here. I know some people that 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:53.979 have sprayed themselves with bug spray, put on 00:03:53.979 --> 00:03:56.199 a sun shirt to protect their arms, and still 00:03:56.199 --> 00:04:00.099 received dozens of mosquito bites through their 00:04:00.099 --> 00:04:02.280 sun shirts and stuff like that during this time 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:05.340 of the year. Bug spray works a bit. Clothing 00:04:05.340 --> 00:04:07.840 works as well, so do your best. Try not to get 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:10.639 bit too much. I don't have any good tips for 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:14.139 that, so best of luck to you all. The next thing 00:04:14.139 --> 00:04:15.879 that I want to talk about briefly for the news 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:19.420 is I've been seeing more videos of people feeding 00:04:19.420 --> 00:04:22.160 wildlife. Not bears, not anything like that, 00:04:22.199 --> 00:04:23.819 but people are feeding marmots, they're feeding 00:04:23.819 --> 00:04:26.420 birds, they're feeding squirrels, things like 00:04:26.420 --> 00:04:29.959 that. Do not feed any animal in the park that 00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:32.199 includes the begging ravens that includes the 00:04:32.199 --> 00:04:35.040 chipmunks and squirrels This is a wild place 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:37.720 and the more you feed things The more likely 00:04:37.720 --> 00:04:40.040 it is that they're going to get habituated And 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:42.259 start following people around and get really 00:04:42.259 --> 00:04:44.319 aggressive to get food i've told the story on 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:47.120 the podcast before But people at the top of bunsen 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:50.379 peak have fed the little chipmunks up there every 00:04:50.379 --> 00:04:51.819 time they're up there They get little snacks 00:04:51.819 --> 00:04:55.139 and stuff from the people right? so those chipmunks 00:04:55.139 --> 00:04:58.009 have jumped in my backpack when I've set it down 00:04:58.009 --> 00:05:00.509 for two seconds. I was eating lunch up there 00:05:00.509 --> 00:05:04.930 once and one jumped into the hood of my sweatshirt 00:05:04.930 --> 00:05:07.110 that I was wearing and got stuck in there and 00:05:07.110 --> 00:05:09.509 I had to rip off my shirt and like run around 00:05:09.509 --> 00:05:11.350 while my shirt was moving around on the ground 00:05:11.350 --> 00:05:13.329 when there's a chipmunk caught in a comical scene. 00:05:13.870 --> 00:05:16.449 But just don't feed the animals. And if you see 00:05:16.449 --> 00:05:19.370 other people doing it, tell them not to. It just 00:05:19.370 --> 00:05:22.189 makes the park more wild and better if we don't 00:05:22.189 --> 00:05:24.920 feed them human food. Finally, the last little 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.019 bit of news isn't really news, but last week 00:05:27.019 --> 00:05:28.740 I asked a question of, what do you do when you 00:05:28.740 --> 00:05:31.720 encounter bison on the trail? This week I'm briefly 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:33.860 answering that. For those of you who messaged 00:05:33.860 --> 00:05:36.740 me, sent me emails, sent me texts about this, 00:05:36.860 --> 00:05:39.100 greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much for 00:05:39.100 --> 00:05:41.399 participating and answering. Most of you were 00:05:41.399 --> 00:05:43.800 completely right in what to do. And the answer 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:46.980 is, move around them as best you can. If they're 00:05:46.980 --> 00:05:49.759 blocking the trail early on, then turn around, 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.980 don't take that trail. So here's what you do. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:56.100 If you pull up into a parking lot as a trailhead 00:05:56.100 --> 00:05:58.779 and you see there's a bunch of bison there, don't 00:05:58.779 --> 00:06:01.579 bother hiking that trail. They may be there all 00:06:01.579 --> 00:06:04.899 day and there may not be a way around them. If 00:06:04.899 --> 00:06:07.000 you're hiking and you encounter a bison herd, 00:06:07.560 --> 00:06:09.980 you have two options. The first is, are you on 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:12.199 your way out? Can you turn around and just go 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:14.959 back to the car? Great, do that. If that's not 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:17.399 an option, then you have to make your way around 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:21.240 them. Now, park rules dictate 25 yards from bison. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:23.980 When there is a herd or even lone bison out in 00:06:23.980 --> 00:06:27.040 the prairie near a trail, I like to make that 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:31.560 like 50 yards. That is 25 yards on foot while 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:35.500 hiking is definitely not a good feeling. We had 00:06:35.500 --> 00:06:38.100 just had a tour last week where there are bison 00:06:38.100 --> 00:06:41.600 very close and moving toward us. And the people 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:43.959 I was hiking with can probably attest to the 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:46.699 fact that it was not a calming experience to 00:06:46.699 --> 00:06:48.759 try and get around them. but you need to try 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:51.540 and get around them as best you can. 50 yards 00:06:51.540 --> 00:06:55.480 is a great kind of gauge. That is half of a football 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:58.699 field. One thing to do is always watch their 00:06:58.699 --> 00:07:01.120 tails. If their tails are down, you're fine. 00:07:01.139 --> 00:07:03.420 If their tails are up, that's not a good sign. 00:07:04.259 --> 00:07:07.000 This last week, the tail went up on one of them 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:09.439 and it pawed at the ground. That is a sign of 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:12.000 aggression and you need to move far, far away 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:14.420 from that bison. When you're making your way 00:07:14.420 --> 00:07:17.850 around a bison herd, you need to make sure that 00:07:17.850 --> 00:07:20.209 there's not more hidden in the prairies or the 00:07:20.209 --> 00:07:22.889 trees around you. This is something where you're 00:07:22.889 --> 00:07:25.509 gonna constantly have to be looking around, and 00:07:25.509 --> 00:07:27.569 you're gonna need to make sure that you can get 00:07:27.569 --> 00:07:29.149 clear around them. In a lot of places you're 00:07:29.149 --> 00:07:31.870 gonna be hiking, there may be a swamp on one 00:07:31.870 --> 00:07:34.110 side or a cliff on the other side. If that's 00:07:34.110 --> 00:07:35.970 the case, you may have to backtrack, but the 00:07:35.970 --> 00:07:39.629 key to encountering a bison and having it go 00:07:39.629 --> 00:07:42.430 well while hiking... is to give it plenty of 00:07:42.430 --> 00:07:44.850 space and make your way clear around it. If there 00:07:44.850 --> 00:07:48.649 is a big herd you may walk miles. You also may 00:07:48.649 --> 00:07:50.889 be able to find a place far away from them and 00:07:50.889 --> 00:07:53.370 you know sit on the top of a rock and watch them 00:07:53.370 --> 00:07:56.750 slowly meander by. That's another thing but the 00:07:56.750 --> 00:07:59.790 key to it is no matter what you're doing if there's 00:07:59.790 --> 00:08:02.589 a bison herd or a lone bison moving toward you 00:08:02.589 --> 00:08:06.449 move far away from it or them and make sure that 00:08:06.449 --> 00:08:09.180 they have plenty of room to pass. Do not approach 00:08:09.180 --> 00:08:11.980 them and do not assume that because they're walking 00:08:11.980 --> 00:08:14.620 toward you it's going to be okay. Go clear off 00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:17.120 the trail if you need to, as long as you can, 00:08:17.579 --> 00:08:21.040 and just be smart and safe. Remember that these 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:23.839 are dangerous creatures that can run 30 to 35 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:26.259 miles an hour and supposedly have a vertical 00:08:26.259 --> 00:08:29.360 of six feet. I've seen them have a two or three 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:31.699 foot vertical, not necessarily a six foot, but 00:08:31.699 --> 00:08:33.820 I keep hearing this so, you know, who knows? 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:37.190 But, again. Easiest thing to do when you encounter 00:08:37.190 --> 00:08:40.269 bison on the trail give them a wide wide room 00:08:40.269 --> 00:08:43.990 50 yards instead of the 25 Make sure that you're 00:08:43.990 --> 00:08:47.250 watching their tail and Always always always 00:08:47.250 --> 00:08:50.070 have a route to move out of their way The last 00:08:50.070 --> 00:08:51.870 thing you want to do is have a few pass you on 00:08:51.870 --> 00:08:53.769 either side and then you get surrounded by a 00:08:53.769 --> 00:08:57.200 herd pay attention don't let that happen and 00:08:57.200 --> 00:08:59.480 I will probably go more into detail on this but 00:08:59.480 --> 00:09:01.100 I just want to give a quick answer real quick 00:09:01.100 --> 00:09:03.559 this week this in a couple of weeks I'll probably 00:09:03.559 --> 00:09:05.820 give you a much more detailed tip of the week 00:09:05.820 --> 00:09:09.080 for how to deal with these encounters but number 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:12.519 one thing give them room my experience of the 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:15.340 week watching cutthroat trout spawn at trout 00:09:15.340 --> 00:09:18.559 lake When most people think about wildlife watching 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:21.340 in Yellowstone, they usually envision watching 00:09:21.340 --> 00:09:24.460 wolves and lamar, grizzly bears roaming the hillsides, 00:09:24.779 --> 00:09:28.320 or bison, you know, everywhere. Right now, one 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:30.580 of the park's most fascinating wildlife events 00:09:30.580 --> 00:09:33.240 is happening, and it's happening underwater. 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:35.940 And that's when the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout 00:09:35.940 --> 00:09:38.240 gather at Trout Lake to spawn, creating one of 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:40.240 the easiest and most rewarding wildlife viewing 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:43.120 opportunities in the park. If you've never heard 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.149 of a Cutthroat Trout, you're not alone. Yellowstone 00:09:46.149 --> 00:09:48.250 cutthroat trout are a native fish species found 00:09:48.250 --> 00:09:50.210 throughout much of the Yellowstone River drainage. 00:09:51.129 --> 00:09:53.129 They're named for their bright red, orange, or 00:09:53.129 --> 00:09:55.610 pink slash marks found beneath their lower jaws, 00:09:56.090 --> 00:09:58.850 which looks somewhat like a cut across the throat. 00:09:59.929 --> 00:10:02.590 During most of the year they have a silvery appearance 00:10:02.590 --> 00:10:04.529 with dark spots scattered across their bodies, 00:10:04.750 --> 00:10:07.389 but during spawning season they become much more 00:10:07.389 --> 00:10:10.230 colorful with vivid gold, orange, and red tones 00:10:10.230 --> 00:10:12.070 that make them stand out in the clear water. 00:10:12.679 --> 00:10:15.179 Now I could go on and on about how important 00:10:15.179 --> 00:10:17.279 cutthroat trout are for the Greater Yellowstone 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.500 ecosystem and a bunch of cool facts about them, 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:22.759 but right now this isn't the highlight fish. 00:10:23.340 --> 00:10:26.080 This is about telling you to go to something 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:28.720 cool. And so right now one of the best places 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:32.100 in the park to watch the cutthroat trout spawning 00:10:32.100 --> 00:10:35.720 is in Trout Lake along the Northeast Inchins 00:10:35.720 --> 00:10:38.840 Road just near Pebble Creek past Lamar Valley. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.379 While this trail is growing in popularity, not 00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:44.440 a lot of people know that this is a cool spot 00:10:44.440 --> 00:10:46.259 to see this, so that's why I'm telling it to 00:10:46.259 --> 00:10:49.379 you. This is a very short trail, but it is short 00:10:49.379 --> 00:10:52.360 and steep and climbs about 150 feet right away 00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:54.860 and three tenths of a mile before reaching the 00:10:54.860 --> 00:10:57.879 lake. This climb, like I said, is steep, but 00:10:57.879 --> 00:10:59.960 if you were to go up and hike all the way around 00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:02.620 the lake, too, and then come back, it's less 00:11:02.620 --> 00:11:05.460 than a mile and a half total in distance. So 00:11:05.460 --> 00:11:07.779 once you go up the steep hill, you're kind of 00:11:07.779 --> 00:11:09.980 good to go and can really enjoy something cool. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:13.120 Now the timing of the spawn varies slightly from 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:15.259 year to year, depending on snowpack, runoff, 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:17.720 water temperatures, all of that. but generally 00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:20.279 it's mid -June through early July is that best 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:22.299 window. That's why I'm recommending it now. I 00:11:22.299 --> 00:11:24.399 always feel like it's around a Father's Day weekend, 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:27.279 so that's why it's on the calendar this week. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.179 Once the spawning actually starts to happen, 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:32.419 the action at Trout Lake becomes surprisingly 00:11:32.419 --> 00:11:35.159 easy to see. While you may see the fish swimming 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:38.379 in every corner of the lake, your best bet is 00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:41.730 to get to the Outlets kind of on that north side 00:11:41.730 --> 00:11:43.230 if you walk around the lake There's a little 00:11:43.230 --> 00:11:44.850 bridge that goes across it not the bridge on 00:11:44.850 --> 00:11:47.149 the south side near the road but clear on the 00:11:47.149 --> 00:11:50.590 other side Here that little creek is where the 00:11:50.590 --> 00:11:53.669 fish will be going up. Do not follow the little 00:11:53.669 --> 00:11:55.610 boot path That's there. There's signs. I'll tell 00:11:55.610 --> 00:11:58.419 you not to listen to those signs. However If 00:11:58.419 --> 00:12:00.860 you watch from that area, you're gonna see tons 00:12:00.860 --> 00:12:03.039 of fish making their way up. You're gonna see 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:04.919 otters probably swimming in the lake hunting 00:12:04.919 --> 00:12:07.480 them. You're gonna see osprey and eagles in the 00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:10.539 trees waiting to fish for them. It's a good scene 00:12:10.539 --> 00:12:13.379 and it's awesome to see. I generally like to 00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:15.960 get here a little after the early morning, so 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:18.419 go through Lamar and Slough Creek, do that early 00:12:18.419 --> 00:12:20.940 morning wildlife watch, and then park and then 00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:23.210 head up. That's what I like to do and that way 00:12:23.210 --> 00:12:25.490 you're gonna see most of the fish most of the 00:12:25.490 --> 00:12:28.090 otters everything like that again timing of this 00:12:28.090 --> 00:12:31.649 is gonna be very dependent on Factors that we 00:12:31.649 --> 00:12:34.149 can't control I talked to somebody the other 00:12:34.149 --> 00:12:35.929 day and they said they saw some fish up there 00:12:35.929 --> 00:12:39.350 But not that many so it could be picking up pretty 00:12:39.350 --> 00:12:41.070 soon. That's what again why I'm recommending 00:12:41.070 --> 00:12:43.409 it now Hopefully you have good luck when you 00:12:43.409 --> 00:12:46.090 go and do this. Just remember hike up the trail 00:12:46.090 --> 00:12:48.779 walk around the lake and go to the far side and 00:12:48.779 --> 00:12:51.120 just sit and watch and enjoy the splendor of 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:53.399 nature. Plus, that Trout Lake Trail, absolutely 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:55.639 gorgeous, surrounded by towering mountains. If 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:57.279 you bring a spotting scope or binoculars, you 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:58.860 might be able to see some bighorn sheep in the 00:12:58.860 --> 00:13:02.620 distance as well, or mountain goats too. So it's 00:13:02.620 --> 00:13:05.840 a good place. Bring an early lunch, late breakfast, 00:13:06.039 --> 00:13:07.840 hang out there, pick up all your crumbs, don't 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:09.279 leave any food, blah, blah, blah. You know the 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:13.580 rules. But enjoy watching the trout. My tip of 00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:17.610 the week. Avoiding lines and wait times. So summer's 00:13:17.610 --> 00:13:19.649 starting and as you know summer in Yellowstone 00:13:19.649 --> 00:13:22.970 is one of the busiest times of the year. When 00:13:22.970 --> 00:13:24.789 you come you're going to see so much. There's 00:13:24.789 --> 00:13:27.909 wildlife all over the place. There's wildflowers 00:13:27.909 --> 00:13:30.210 that are starting to bloom. Waterfalls are thundering 00:13:30.210 --> 00:13:33.470 and nearly every corner of the park is alive 00:13:33.470 --> 00:13:36.970 right now. Yellowstone does receive the vast 00:13:36.970 --> 00:13:39.009 majority of its annual visitation between June 00:13:39.009 --> 00:13:42.049 and August, so June, July, and August, with millions 00:13:42.049 --> 00:13:44.090 of visitors arriving during those three months 00:13:44.090 --> 00:13:46.669 alone. That popularity means that some of the 00:13:46.669 --> 00:13:49.450 park's most famous destinations can be crowded 00:13:49.450 --> 00:13:52.509 especially in the middle of the day. Fortunately, 00:13:52.929 --> 00:13:54.669 visiting Yellowstone in the summer does not mean 00:13:54.669 --> 00:13:57.330 spending your entire vacation in traffic jams 00:13:57.330 --> 00:13:59.769 or crowded boardwalks. With a little planning 00:13:59.769 --> 00:14:02.129 and willingness to adjust your schedule, it's 00:14:02.129 --> 00:14:04.409 entirely possible to enjoy a quieter side of 00:14:04.409 --> 00:14:07.029 the park while still experiencing its most famous 00:14:07.029 --> 00:14:09.809 attractions. I probably say this every week, 00:14:09.950 --> 00:14:12.350 but one of the easiest ways to avoid crowds in 00:14:12.350 --> 00:14:15.370 the park is to embrace Yellowstone's early mornings 00:14:15.370 --> 00:14:18.350 and late evenings. While many visitors are still 00:14:18.350 --> 00:14:20.250 eating breakfast or waiting for coffee shops 00:14:20.250 --> 00:14:22.409 to open or their kids to get up or whatever, 00:14:23.149 --> 00:14:26.529 the park is pretty empty and it feels remarkably 00:14:26.529 --> 00:14:30.190 peaceful. Wildlife is also most often active 00:14:30.190 --> 00:14:32.889 during these cooler hours around sunrise, making 00:14:32.889 --> 00:14:35.429 early mornings a great time for wildlife watching 00:14:35.429 --> 00:14:37.610 and just to go to the park in general, right? 00:14:38.090 --> 00:14:40.570 The National Park Service routinely recommends 00:14:40.570 --> 00:14:42.509 early morning and evening for wildlife viewing, 00:14:42.929 --> 00:14:44.950 and those same hours also happen to be some of 00:14:44.950 --> 00:14:47.190 the quietest times to visit popular destinations. 00:14:47.850 --> 00:14:50.389 One thing that I like to do is go wildlife watching 00:14:50.389 --> 00:14:53.250 in the morning, have a leisurely daytime, and 00:14:53.250 --> 00:14:55.470 then in the evening go to the popular spots like 00:14:55.470 --> 00:14:57.950 Grand Prismatic, the Grand Canyon, the Yellowstone, 00:14:58.029 --> 00:15:00.409 Old Faithful, any of those places where you know 00:15:00.409 --> 00:15:02.409 there's going to be a lot of people during the 00:15:02.409 --> 00:15:06.169 summer days. One thing I love doing is knowing 00:15:06.169 --> 00:15:09.639 that at five, or six o 'clock, most people are 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:11.320 gonna be leaving the park planning for dinner. 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:14.559 If you bring your own food with you, then you 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:17.519 can stay in the park easily at those times and 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:20.179 go to all these places. The evening, legitimately, 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.240 I love the evening. Plus, you get to catch a 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:25.279 cool sunset if you stay there late enough. Like, 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:27.620 going to Grand Prismatic at sunset, one of my 00:15:27.620 --> 00:15:29.399 favorite things. Going to the Grand Canyon at 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:31.240 sunset, one of my favorite things, right? This 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:33.750 is the time to go. The middle of the day is when 00:15:33.750 --> 00:15:36.669 Yellowstone's busiest areas typically see their 00:15:36.669 --> 00:15:39.370 largest crowds. Rather than fighting for parking 00:15:39.370 --> 00:15:42.129 at a major attraction during peak hours, consider 00:15:42.129 --> 00:15:45.110 using that time differently. Find a picnic area, 00:15:45.309 --> 00:15:48.029 enjoy a leisurely lunch, take a short hike, or 00:15:48.029 --> 00:15:50.269 visit one of the park's lesser -known destinations. 00:15:50.950 --> 00:15:53.409 Yellowstone contains about a thousand miles of 00:15:53.409 --> 00:15:56.429 trails, dozens of picnic areas, and all sorts 00:15:56.429 --> 00:15:59.450 of places that aren't on the must -see list that 00:15:59.450 --> 00:16:02.580 are still world -class and spectacular. Another 00:16:02.580 --> 00:16:05.740 helpful strategy is simply slowing down. Many 00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:07.740 visitors feel pressure to see everything in a 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:10.379 single trip, which often turns Yellowstone into 00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:12.159 a checklist rather than experience. And if you 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:14.720 listen to the podcast for a while, you know that 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:17.000 turning the park into just a series of checklists 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:20.799 is not something that is really feasible or as 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:23.679 enjoyable. It's a good kind of template, but 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:28.059 don't make it a checklist. Instead, know that 00:16:28.059 --> 00:16:31.820 the reality is that Yellowstone is Nearly 3 ,500 00:16:31.820 --> 00:16:35.039 square miles in size. No one sees it all in a 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:39.419 few days. So slow down. If you don't see everything, 00:16:39.639 --> 00:16:41.940 you're not gonna see everything. It's okay, but 00:16:41.940 --> 00:16:44.639 you're gonna see things that you want to see, 00:16:44.899 --> 00:16:46.679 and that's what's important. See things that 00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:49.279 you enjoy. Some of the most memorable Yellowstone 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:52.419 experiences happen when you stop rushing. Instead 00:16:52.419 --> 00:16:54.539 of spending 30 seconds at an overlook before 00:16:54.539 --> 00:16:57.049 moving to the next attraction, Spend a little 00:16:57.049 --> 00:16:59.029 time watching the changing colors in the Grand 00:16:59.029 --> 00:17:01.570 Canyon Yellowstone, or go to all of the pullouts 00:17:01.570 --> 00:17:04.339 in the region, not just the main ones. Or if 00:17:04.339 --> 00:17:06.700 you're watching wildlife, stay there for a while 00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:09.200 and just watch them really move, not just grab 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:12.099 a quick picture and move on. Watch a bison herd 00:17:12.099 --> 00:17:14.539 for 10 -15 minutes and see how they interact. 00:17:14.940 --> 00:17:17.380 It's a wonderful way to really get to know the 00:17:17.380 --> 00:17:20.180 soul of the park and know that Yellowstone rewards 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:22.799 patience. The longer you stay in one place, the 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:25.140 more likely you are to notice details that others 00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:28.359 are going to miss. Also know that if you're staying 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:30.839 in West Yellowstone, it's going to be crowded 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:33.769 there. There is not much you can do. The lines 00:17:33.769 --> 00:17:35.869 in West Yellowstone have been building at 7 to 00:17:35.869 --> 00:17:38.329 7 .30 a .m. in the last week. I've been checking 00:17:38.329 --> 00:17:41.269 webcams every single day. Most things you'll 00:17:41.269 --> 00:17:43.009 read will say, get there before 9 and you'll 00:17:43.009 --> 00:17:46.750 be fine. The other day, 7 .05 a .m., the traffic 00:17:46.750 --> 00:17:48.690 camera showed a backup all the way into West 00:17:48.690 --> 00:17:51.769 Yellowstone from the gate. That's probably going 00:17:51.769 --> 00:17:54.349 to continue this next week especially. So know 00:17:54.349 --> 00:17:56.690 that that's just what it's going to be and you 00:17:56.690 --> 00:17:59.029 might have to get up before sunrise. There are 00:17:59.029 --> 00:18:01.630 sacrifices to be made. Waking up early and having 00:18:01.630 --> 00:18:04.890 an amazing experience in the dawn is one of those 00:18:04.890 --> 00:18:07.450 that isn't really a sacrifice once you're up. 00:18:08.089 --> 00:18:10.450 One other way to avoid getting frustrated with 00:18:10.450 --> 00:18:13.839 crowds is to bring your own food. I've talked 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:16.319 about it before but the food in the park everybody's 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:18.960 going to go to and You're going to be standing 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:21.299 in line You're gonna be crowded places during 00:18:21.299 --> 00:18:24.019 popular times to get food If you bring your own 00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:26.019 food You can go to any of the picnic areas in 00:18:26.019 --> 00:18:29.180 the park and have an amazing time in nature Eating 00:18:29.180 --> 00:18:31.799 food without having to fight for parking or stand 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:35.500 in line for 10 15 20 minutes for food That is 00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:38.920 may or may not be good to you. So bring your 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:42.569 own food do that and it will be much better. 00:18:43.190 --> 00:18:45.089 Finally, the thing to do to really avoid the 00:18:45.089 --> 00:18:47.910 crowds is go beyond the places that everyone 00:18:47.910 --> 00:18:50.390 else is visiting. Yellowstone's famous attractions 00:18:50.390 --> 00:18:52.490 deserve the reputation, don't get me wrong on 00:18:52.490 --> 00:18:54.930 that, but they represent only a small portion 00:18:54.930 --> 00:18:57.950 of the park. Scenic pullout, short trails, historic 00:18:57.950 --> 00:19:00.970 sites, waterfalls, wildlife viewing areas, and 00:19:00.970 --> 00:19:02.789 lesser -known thermal features are scattered 00:19:02.789 --> 00:19:05.809 throughout Yellowstone. Many receive only a fraction 00:19:05.809 --> 00:19:07.970 of the visitors that have seen at the park's 00:19:07.970 --> 00:19:10.369 marquee destinations even in the middle of the 00:19:10.369 --> 00:19:13.849 day. Summer crowds are simply part of visiting 00:19:13.849 --> 00:19:16.390 one of the world's most loved national parks. 00:19:17.009 --> 00:19:18.609 The good news is that Yellowstone is large enough 00:19:18.609 --> 00:19:20.750 to accommodate both the famous attractions and 00:19:20.750 --> 00:19:23.910 the quiet moments. By starting early, slowing 00:19:23.910 --> 00:19:27.150 down, staying flexible with food, and occasionally 00:19:27.150 --> 00:19:29.529 stepping away from the busiest boardwalks, you 00:19:29.529 --> 00:19:31.329 can experience the Yellowstone that keeps people 00:19:31.329 --> 00:19:33.630 returning year after year without the crowds 00:19:33.630 --> 00:19:37.329 and potential for frustration. My random Yellowstone 00:19:37.329 --> 00:19:41.829 fact of the week, the 1870 Washburn -Langford 00:19:41.829 --> 00:19:45.190 -Done expedition. If you've stood at Old Faithful, 00:19:45.309 --> 00:19:46.750 looked in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, 00:19:46.809 --> 00:19:48.950 or hiked Mount Washburn, you've experienced the 00:19:48.950 --> 00:19:50.769 legacy of one of the most important journeys 00:19:50.769 --> 00:19:54.069 in Yellowstone history. Two years before Yellowstone 00:19:54.069 --> 00:19:56.829 became the world's first national park in 1872, 00:19:57.609 --> 00:19:59.630 a small group of people set out to determine 00:19:59.630 --> 00:20:01.930 whether the remarkable stories coming from the 00:20:01.930 --> 00:20:04.450 Yellowstone region were actually true. Their 00:20:04.450 --> 00:20:08.069 journey, known as the 1870 Washburn Langford 00:20:08.069 --> 00:20:10.329 Doane Expedition, helped convince the nation 00:20:10.329 --> 00:20:12.730 that Yellowstone was a place worthy of protection. 00:20:13.490 --> 00:20:16.309 The expedition began in August 1870 when a group 00:20:16.309 --> 00:20:18.890 of civilians from Montana territory joined a 00:20:18.890 --> 00:20:23.230 military escort led by Gustavus Doane. The civilian 00:20:23.230 --> 00:20:25.970 members included Surveyor General Henry D. Washburn, 00:20:26.490 --> 00:20:29.089 businessman and future Yellowstone advocate Nathaniel 00:20:29.089 --> 00:20:33.089 P. Langford, attorney Cornelius Hedges, and several 00:20:33.089 --> 00:20:35.990 other prominent Montanans as well as some not 00:20:35.990 --> 00:20:38.210 prominent Montanans who didn't have a lot of 00:20:38.210 --> 00:20:39.750 outdoor experience, but I'll talk about that 00:20:39.750 --> 00:20:42.509 in a second. Their mission was to explore, map, 00:20:42.670 --> 00:20:45.200 and document the Yellowstone region. Earlier 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:47.259 expeditions had reported extraordinary geysers, 00:20:47.539 --> 00:20:49.960 waterfalls, canyons, and hot springs, but many 00:20:49.960 --> 00:20:51.900 people in the eastern United States dismissed 00:20:51.900 --> 00:20:55.359 those accounts as exaggeration. This was officially 00:20:55.359 --> 00:21:00.660 a trustable source, so this expedition sought 00:21:00.660 --> 00:21:03.660 to provide actual proof. Starting near present 00:21:03.660 --> 00:21:05.720 -day Bozeman, the party traveled south into what 00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:08.579 is now Yellowstone National Park. During several 00:21:08.579 --> 00:21:10.480 weeks in the field, they visited many places 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:13.240 familiar to visitors today, including Tower Fall, 00:21:13.460 --> 00:21:15.599 the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.000 Lake, and the geyser basins along the Firehole 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:21.440 River. Their journals described a landscape unlike 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:25.099 anything most Americans had ever imagined. One 00:21:25.099 --> 00:21:27.200 of the expedition's most significant moments 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:30.720 occurred on September 18th, 1870, when the group 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:35.460 observed a geyser erupting with remarkable regularity. 00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:37.920 After watching it erupt repeatedly, they named 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:40.660 it Old Faithful. More than 150 years later, it 00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:42.799 remains one of the world's most famous geysers 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:46.319 and Yellowstone's most iconic attraction. The 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:49.220 expedition also left a lasting mark on Yellowstone's 00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:52.500 map. Place names like Mount Washburn, Mount Everts, 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:55.819 and many others were named after people on this, 00:21:55.960 --> 00:21:59.079 allowing their legacy to continue. One of the 00:21:59.079 --> 00:22:01.559 most dramatic episodes of this expedition involved 00:22:01.559 --> 00:22:03.960 Truman Everts, who I talked about as not necessarily 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:07.400 not necessarily being the most qualified for 00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:10.339 this adventure. He became separated from the 00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:12.299 group and survived alone in the wilderness for 00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:15.460 37 days before being rescued. He published his 00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:18.279 account and that attracted national attention 00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:20.319 and increased public fascination with Yellowstone's 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:22.299 remote and rugged landscape. I've talked about 00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:24.500 that on previous episodes. I'll talk about it 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:26.900 again. Truman Everett's. Let's just look him 00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:29.900 up. Perhaps the expedition's greatest contribution 00:22:29.900 --> 00:22:32.990 came after it ended. Nathaniel Langford Cornelius 00:22:32.990 --> 00:22:35.430 Hedges, and others returned home determined to 00:22:35.430 --> 00:22:38.170 share what they had seen. Through articles, lectures, 00:22:38.309 --> 00:22:40.589 and public advocacy, they introduced Yellowstone 00:22:40.589 --> 00:22:43.950 to a wider audience and helped inspire the 1871 00:22:43.950 --> 00:22:47.549 Hayden survey. The scientific findings, photographs, 00:22:47.650 --> 00:22:50.230 and artwork produced by that survey played a 00:22:50.230 --> 00:22:52.630 critical role in persuading Congress to establish 00:22:52.630 --> 00:22:56.630 Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Now the expedition 00:22:56.630 --> 00:22:59.259 did not discover Yellowstone. Indigenous people 00:22:59.259 --> 00:23:01.319 had lived in it, traveled through, and known 00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:04.019 this landscape for thousands of years. What the 00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:06.500 expedition accomplished was introducing Yellowstone's 00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:09.259 wonders to a broader American audience at a pivotal 00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:12.519 moment in the nation's history. More than 150 00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:15.119 years later, the expedition's influence remains 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:17.579 visible throughout Yellowstone. Every eruption 00:23:17.579 --> 00:23:19.680 of Old Faithful, every hike up Mount Washburn, 00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:22.140 and every visit to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone 00:23:22.140 --> 00:23:24.380 reflects the legacy of a journey that helped 00:23:24.380 --> 00:23:27.339 ensure this extraordinary landscape would be 00:23:27.339 --> 00:23:32.599 preserved for future generations. As always, 00:23:32.759 --> 00:23:34.359 this is the best forecast for the week at the 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:37.220 time of recording. I'm recording this at 1 .03 00:23:37.220 --> 00:23:41.059 p .m. on Wednesday, June 17th. The forecast can 00:23:41.059 --> 00:23:43.240 always change numerous times in a week, but this 00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:44.839 should be within the ballpark of what you'll 00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:47.539 experience when visiting the park. Weather for 00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:51.759 Lamar Valley. On Thursday, 72 and 38. Friday, 00:23:52.259 --> 00:23:57.250 76 and 48. Saturday 64 and 41 with an 85 percent 00:23:57.250 --> 00:23:59.789 chance about a third of an inch of rain thunderstorms 00:23:59.789 --> 00:24:03.410 as well Sunday 67 and 40 with about a 50 percent 00:24:03.410 --> 00:24:05.630 chance of a tenth of an inch of rain and some 00:24:05.630 --> 00:24:08.950 thunderstorms Monday rain in the morning then 00:24:08.950 --> 00:24:12.470 clearing up or getting better highest 69 low 00:24:12.470 --> 00:24:18.450 38 Tuesday 75 and 42 Wednesday 73 and 41 24 percent 00:24:18.450 --> 00:24:21.799 chance of rain Gardner, Montana Thursday high 00:24:21.799 --> 00:24:28.380 74 low 41 Friday 78 and 49 Saturday 67 and 42 00:24:28.380 --> 00:24:31.220 with an 83 % chance of a quarter inch of rain 00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:34.779 with some thunderstorms Sunday 70 and 41 with 00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:38.660 a 34 % chance of some light rain Monday 70 and 00:24:38.660 --> 00:24:43.579 40 23 % chance of rain Tuesday 76 and 44 and 00:24:43.579 --> 00:24:48.099 Wednesday 75 and 44 with a 24 % chance of rain 00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:52.910 West Yellowstone Thursday 73 and 38 Friday 78 00:24:52.910 --> 00:24:57.250 and 46 Saturday 65 and 39 with an 82 percent 00:24:57.250 --> 00:24:59.789 about a quarter inch of rain and thunderstorms 00:24:59.789 --> 00:25:04.190 Sunday 69 and 38 24 percent chance of rain Monday 00:25:04.190 --> 00:25:09.529 72 and 37 Tuesday 76 and 41 and Wednesday 75 00:25:09.529 --> 00:25:13.980 and 40 24 percent chance of rain Cody Wyoming 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:19.319 Thursday 76 and 48 Friday 78 and 54 Saturday 00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:24.160 73 and 54 63 percent chance about 0 .15 inches 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:28.839 of rain Sunday 72 and 50 37 percent chance about 00:25:28.839 --> 00:25:31.019 the same amount of rain thunderstorms both Saturday 00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:36.420 and Sunday Monday 69 and 48 Tuesday 76 and 53 00:25:36.420 --> 00:25:40.609 and Wednesday 76 and 52 And finally for the weather 00:25:40.609 --> 00:25:44.769 Cook City, Montana Thursday 67 and 37 Friday 00:25:44.769 --> 00:25:49.430 70 and 48 Saturday 60 and 40 with an 80 % chance 00:25:49.430 --> 00:25:52.250 about a third of an inch of rain and thunderstorms 00:25:52.250 --> 00:25:55.950 Sunday 62 and 39 with a 50 % chance of about 00:25:55.950 --> 00:25:59.950 a quarter inch of rain Monday 62 and 36 with 00:25:59.950 --> 00:26:03.549 a 50 % chance of light rain and then Tuesday 00:26:03.549 --> 00:26:08.380 68 and 41 12 % chance of rain Wednesday, 67 and 00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:12.039 41, 35 % chance of light rain. Road conditions. 00:26:12.339 --> 00:26:14.660 There's no main park roads that are closed right 00:26:14.660 --> 00:26:17.539 now, and it's unlikely that anything will be 00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:20.000 closed unless temperatures really change with 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:21.920 this weather forecast. It's just gonna be wet. 00:26:22.259 --> 00:26:24.279 Beartooth Highway could close, so keep an eye 00:26:24.279 --> 00:26:26.470 on that. If you want up -to -date information 00:26:26.470 --> 00:26:31.430 on road conditions, you can call 307 -344 -2117 00:26:31.430 --> 00:26:33.910 for recorded information, or you can sign up 00:26:33.910 --> 00:26:36.329 to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your cell 00:26:36.329 --> 00:26:41.309 phone by texting the number 82190 to the number 00:26:41.309 --> 00:26:46.450 888777. Camping information? Pretty much everything's 00:26:46.450 --> 00:26:49.470 open. Reservations are probably going to be required, 00:26:49.769 --> 00:26:52.609 especially this is the start of summer, so... 00:26:52.589 --> 00:26:53.990 If you don't have reservations, you might be 00:26:53.990 --> 00:26:56.490 able to show up. Go to recreation .gov to see 00:26:56.490 --> 00:26:58.690 what's open. Otherwise, enjoy camping in the 00:26:58.690 --> 00:27:02.809 park. The wildlife watching update. So right 00:27:02.809 --> 00:27:05.869 now, wildlife watching is fantastic. There's 00:27:05.869 --> 00:27:07.910 animals all over the place. I was out in Lamar 00:27:07.910 --> 00:27:11.049 last weekend, saw bears, knew that the wolves 00:27:11.049 --> 00:27:14.250 were around, saw badgers running around, bighorn 00:27:14.250 --> 00:27:17.009 sheep with babies were spotted around Round Prairie. 00:27:17.309 --> 00:27:19.109 People talked about seeing moose out by Cook 00:27:19.109 --> 00:27:24.029 City. bighorn sheep babies are out by calcite 00:27:24.029 --> 00:27:27.410 springs and the bermuda triangle is still popping 00:27:27.410 --> 00:27:31.799 off that is floating island lake tower fall out 00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:35.019 to Slough Creek and that whole area. Lots of 00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:37.980 bears out there. Great times. Out the east entrance, 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:39.980 grizzlies are putting on a show. There's a grizzly 00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:43.079 that's been eating some newborn elk. That's been 00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:45.180 entertaining people for a while, and it's been 00:27:45.180 --> 00:27:47.059 right along the lake shore. Beautiful pictures. 00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:50.160 Again, just make sure you are following the rangers 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:52.039 that are there and listening to their advice. 00:27:52.339 --> 00:27:54.319 That east entrance road right now, especially 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:57.220 Fishing Bridge to Sylvan Pass and back, very 00:27:57.220 --> 00:28:00.000 good bear activity. Some bison, some bighorn 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:02.079 sheep as well. I would check that out if you're 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:05.559 looking for things. Hayden Valley, slowly picking 00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:08.019 up. Heard some reports of people seeing wolves 00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:10.819 out in Hayden the other day, but it's just not 00:28:10.819 --> 00:28:14.819 that consistent. And then the bison herds in 00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:17.279 Hayden, they move back and forth between Hayden 00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:20.960 and the Geyser Basin. So there have been bison 00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:22.720 moving back and forth between there, traveling 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:26.319 on the roads north and south, and then, you know, 00:28:26.460 --> 00:28:28.980 just snarling traffic and... creating a fun time 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:31.539 because bison jams are pretty rad. Other than 00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:33.539 that, one thing people have been asking me a 00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:36.700 lot about are where to see elk. If you go online 00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:39.160 and search elk in Yellowstone, where can I see 00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:41.640 it? Most blogs you're gonna see are gonna say 00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:43.920 if you go to Mammoth, they're always there. That 00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:46.700 is not true. No animals are always in the same 00:28:46.700 --> 00:28:49.579 area. Right now, most of the elk are moving to 00:28:49.579 --> 00:28:51.559 higher elevations or moving into the woods, things 00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:54.759 like that. There is a huge herd of elk north 00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:57.319 of the park. If you leave the park and drive 00:28:57.319 --> 00:29:01.019 Old Yellowstone Road south and then also go into 00:29:01.019 --> 00:29:03.140 Paradise Valley, like Southern Paradise Valley, 00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:06.460 up to Point of Rocks fishing access and back, 00:29:06.839 --> 00:29:08.420 more than likely you're going to see a bunch 00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:10.079 of elk. They may not be next to the road. They 00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:11.900 may be next to the road. Who knows? I was driving 00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:14.180 down the other day and a bunch of elk just crossed 00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:16.299 in front of me on Highway 89, so I just had to 00:29:16.299 --> 00:29:19.980 stop and let them pass. Back into the park. Like 00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:22.279 I said, wildlife is really good right now. The 00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:24.279 cooler weather is really going to help maintain 00:29:24.279 --> 00:29:27.259 this great wildlife watching. But know that on 00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:29.539 hotter days, it's going to be harder to see them, 00:29:29.559 --> 00:29:31.619 especially middle of the day. Now is where that 00:29:31.619 --> 00:29:34.759 advice early morning, late afternoon, early evening, 00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:36.980 that's really going to pay off for you your best 00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:38.759 bet. You may see things in the middle of the 00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:41.220 day, but you may not. If you really want to give 00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:43.519 your best chance, head out to Lamar, head out 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:46.039 to the East entrance early morning, late evening, 00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:49.130 and you're going to have a great time. So trail 00:29:49.130 --> 00:29:51.130 alerts and updates the backcountry conditions 00:29:51.130 --> 00:29:53.349 page is updated yet again. They've been updating 00:29:53.349 --> 00:29:56.390 it really well They are doing a good job telling 00:29:56.390 --> 00:29:59.109 you what's closed. I can't keep up with how quickly 00:29:59.109 --> 00:30:01.410 they're closing and opening things I recommend 00:30:01.410 --> 00:30:03.450 going out to Imperial Geyser the other day to 00:30:03.450 --> 00:30:06.470 somebody and then it was closed So go to that 00:30:06.470 --> 00:30:08.829 backcountry conditions page. I have a link in 00:30:08.829 --> 00:30:11.549 the show notes for you just click on right from 00:30:11.549 --> 00:30:14.089 your podcast player and that way you can see 00:30:14.089 --> 00:30:16.349 what's open. It's the easiest way to check the 00:30:16.349 --> 00:30:19.109 status of any trail you want to hike. As I say 00:30:19.109 --> 00:30:21.670 every week during this section, carry bear spray, 00:30:21.970 --> 00:30:24.190 have it readily accessible and not in a backpack, 00:30:24.369 --> 00:30:26.250 and know how to use it whether you're hiking 00:30:26.250 --> 00:30:29.190 a serious trail or walking a boardwalk. Bears 00:30:29.190 --> 00:30:32.390 are on boardwalks and you need to be safe. Bear 00:30:32.390 --> 00:30:35.329 spray is a great way to keep people safe. Oh, 00:30:35.509 --> 00:30:38.170 one quick thing about bear spray is if you're 00:30:38.170 --> 00:30:40.130 driving around the park and you have bear spray 00:30:40.130 --> 00:30:43.049 with you, one thing I strongly recommend doing, 00:30:43.390 --> 00:30:46.430 getting a large gallon Ziploc bag and putting 00:30:46.430 --> 00:30:49.589 your bear spray in that Ziploc bag. Chances are 00:30:49.589 --> 00:30:51.250 nothing's going to happen to your bear spray, 00:30:51.569 --> 00:30:53.950 but every so often they leak, every so often 00:30:53.950 --> 00:30:56.410 they go off. If you have it in a ziplock bag 00:30:56.410 --> 00:30:59.309 and it leaks or goes off, it's not going to cause 00:30:59.309 --> 00:31:01.750 tons of damage to the inside of your car or your 00:31:01.750 --> 00:31:03.930 nose. So always have your bear spray when you're 00:31:03.930 --> 00:31:07.289 not using it or hiking. In a ziplock bag, it's 00:31:07.289 --> 00:31:09.670 really the safest way to do it and that way you're 00:31:09.670 --> 00:31:12.630 not going to have any accidents. Alright, my 00:31:12.630 --> 00:31:15.509 truck of the week. Mount Washburn from the canyon 00:31:15.509 --> 00:31:18.579 side. If there's one hike that perfectly combines 00:31:18.579 --> 00:31:20.960 Yellowstone's mountain scenery, wildlife viewing 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:23.220 opportunities, and sweeping panoramic views, 00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:28.279 it's Mount Washburn. At 10 ,219 feet, this peak 00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:30.380 stands near the center of the park and offers 00:31:30.380 --> 00:31:33.200 some of the most expansive vistas available from 00:31:33.200 --> 00:31:35.980 any day hike in Yellowstone. On a clear day, 00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:38.359 you can see mountains and park features in all 00:31:38.359 --> 00:31:40.759 directions, making the summit one of the finest 00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:43.019 viewpoints in the park. One thing I do want to 00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:44.460 say, a lot of people say this is the tallest 00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:46.440 mountain in the park, it's not, that's Eagle 00:31:46.440 --> 00:31:49.500 Peak, but we'll talk about Eagle Peak later. 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:52.700 But now we're talking about Mount Washburn. Most 00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:54.779 hikers reach the summit from the Dunraven Pass 00:31:54.779 --> 00:31:57.140 trailhead right now that's located about four 00:31:57.140 --> 00:31:59.660 and a half miles north of Canyon. This route 00:31:59.660 --> 00:32:01.500 is approximately seven miles around trip and 00:32:01.500 --> 00:32:03.930 is considered strenuous for many. However, the 00:32:03.930 --> 00:32:05.910 grade remains fairly consistent throughout the 00:32:05.910 --> 00:32:09.210 climb, so there's no super steep parts. The trail 00:32:09.210 --> 00:32:11.589 follows an old road that works its way up the 00:32:11.589 --> 00:32:14.430 ridge lines, allowing the scenery to unfold almost 00:32:14.430 --> 00:32:17.029 immediately. One of the things that makes Mt. 00:32:17.190 --> 00:32:19.450 Washburn so enjoyable is that the views begin 00:32:19.450 --> 00:32:21.940 long before you reach the summit. After leaving 00:32:21.940 --> 00:32:24.539 the trailhead, the path climbs gradually through 00:32:24.539 --> 00:32:28.400 subalpine terrain before emerging into open slopes 00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:31.319 covered with wildflowers during midsummer. The 00:32:31.319 --> 00:32:33.119 wildflowers are starting to pop out right now, 00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:35.980 but we're not quite there. Late June is really 00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:38.039 good too. There's going to be snow lingering, 00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:40.220 and like I said, there's the first of the wildflowers 00:32:40.220 --> 00:32:43.519 with a colorful bloom that is just against the 00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:46.170 grain. It's perfect. and looking back when you're 00:32:46.170 --> 00:32:48.349 climbing you can often see the forests of the 00:32:48.349 --> 00:32:50.130 Yellowstone Plateau stretching toward Canyon 00:32:50.130 --> 00:32:52.990 with distant mountain ranges rising along the 00:32:52.990 --> 00:32:56.210 horizon. Wildlife is another reason many visitors 00:32:56.210 --> 00:32:58.670 consider this one of Yellowstone's classic hikes. 00:32:58.950 --> 00:33:00.710 Bighorn sheep are frequently seen on the upper 00:33:00.710 --> 00:33:03.230 slopes, sometimes really close to the trail, 00:33:03.289 --> 00:33:05.950 don't get close to them. Spotting one isn't guaranteed, 00:33:06.150 --> 00:33:07.849 of course, but Mount Washburn is one of those 00:33:07.849 --> 00:33:09.890 reliable places to see them. There's marmots, 00:33:10.069 --> 00:33:12.309 there's ground squirrels, there's raptors, and 00:33:12.309 --> 00:33:14.549 other common animals that frequent the area. 00:33:14.930 --> 00:33:16.390 There's also bears there, which I'm going to 00:33:16.390 --> 00:33:18.849 talk about in a minute. So after you're hiking 00:33:18.849 --> 00:33:21.049 and you gain elevation, the trail then spends 00:33:21.049 --> 00:33:23.369 most of its time above treeline, which creates 00:33:23.369 --> 00:33:25.170 the feeling of walking through Yellowstone's 00:33:25.170 --> 00:33:28.220 alpine world. The open terrain provides remarkable 00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:31.099 views, but also means hikers are exposed to the 00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:32.940 weather. The wind can whip through there really 00:33:32.940 --> 00:33:35.180 well, afternoon thunderstorms can quickly develop, 00:33:35.619 --> 00:33:37.799 and lightning is a serious concern on the mountain. 00:33:38.460 --> 00:33:40.400 Starting early in the day is your best strategy, 00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:43.220 allowing you time to enjoy the cooler temperatures 00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:45.220 and increase your chances of reaching the summit 00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:48.400 before storms develop. The summit itself is a 00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:50.680 destination worth savoring. Sitting atop the 00:33:50.680 --> 00:33:52.640 mountain is one of Yellowstone's historic fire 00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:55.299 lookouts. one of only a few remaining lookout 00:33:55.299 --> 00:33:58.279 stations in the park. The lookout remains staffed 00:33:58.279 --> 00:34:00.480 during much of the fire season, and interpretive 00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:03.140 exhibits inside the shelter help visitors understand 00:34:03.140 --> 00:34:05.619 both Yellowstone's fire history and the surrounding 00:34:05.619 --> 00:34:08.980 landscape. From the summit, the views are endless. 00:34:09.400 --> 00:34:11.880 Yellowstone Lake glimmers in the distance, Absaroka 00:34:11.880 --> 00:34:14.179 Range dominates eastern skyline, and much of 00:34:14.179 --> 00:34:16.980 northern Yellowstone stretches out below. Mount 00:34:16.980 --> 00:34:19.420 Washburn is also fascinating from a geological 00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:21.860 perspective. The mountain is actually the remnant 00:34:21.860 --> 00:34:24.300 of an ancient volcano that formed roughly 50 00:34:24.300 --> 00:34:27.019 million years ago as a part of the Absaroka volcanic 00:34:27.019 --> 00:34:30.019 field. Later, volcanic activity associated with 00:34:30.019 --> 00:34:32.280 Yellowstone caldera dramatically altered the 00:34:32.280 --> 00:34:34.380 landscape, leaving only part of the original 00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:37.119 volcano visible today. Standing on the summit, 00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:39.239 you're literally standing on one of Yellowstone's 00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:41.920 oldest volcanic features while looking out across 00:34:41.920 --> 00:34:45.280 one of its youngest. Although this hike is popular, 00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:49.329 back to bears, it's still very wild. As with 00:34:49.329 --> 00:34:51.809 most of the park, black and grizzly bears regularly 00:34:51.809 --> 00:34:54.969 use the Mount Washburn area. Yellowstone National 00:34:54.969 --> 00:34:57.250 Park recommends hiking in groups of three or 00:34:57.250 --> 00:34:59.849 more people carrying bear spray, making noise, 00:35:00.110 --> 00:35:03.449 and staying alert. The bears here are prevalent. 00:35:03.610 --> 00:35:06.289 I probably see bear sign every time I'm on this. 00:35:06.750 --> 00:35:09.550 I haven't seen too many bears while hiking. Probably 00:35:09.550 --> 00:35:11.570 every 10 times I do this, I do this mountain 00:35:11.570 --> 00:35:14.659 a lot, but... Know that there's bears there, 00:35:14.800 --> 00:35:16.960 and they love to be there, and the park will 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:18.940 occasionally close the trail for that. So, if 00:35:18.940 --> 00:35:20.519 it's closed because of bear activity, listen 00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:23.800 to that sign. That being said, if it is open, 00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:26.780 definitely go. If you're a visitor looking for 00:35:26.780 --> 00:35:28.780 a hike that delivers a bit of everything, Mount 00:35:28.780 --> 00:35:31.280 Washburn is hard to beat. It offers that alpine 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:33.559 scenery that you can't find very easily in the 00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:37.260 park, wild flowers, wildlife, geology, history, 00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:40.539 and some of the best views in all of Yellowstone, 00:35:40.900 --> 00:35:43.210 right on a single trail. Whether you've never 00:35:43.210 --> 00:35:45.329 hiked Mount Washburn or you've hiked it a dozen 00:35:45.329 --> 00:35:48.269 times, do it again. It's wonderful. One of my 00:35:48.269 --> 00:35:49.750 favorite hikes. I mean, they're all my favorite 00:35:49.750 --> 00:35:51.369 hikes. If you listen long enough, you realize 00:35:51.369 --> 00:35:54.429 I say that every week. But Mount Washburn is 00:35:54.429 --> 00:35:57.449 truly special, wonderful, and I think you'll 00:35:57.449 --> 00:36:01.210 enjoy it. Now, one thing before I end this episode 00:36:01.210 --> 00:36:04.789 and get to the finale here. There is some lingering 00:36:04.789 --> 00:36:08.389 snow and spots on this trail. Bring some trekking 00:36:08.389 --> 00:36:11.309 poles and you should be fine. Just know that 00:36:11.309 --> 00:36:13.789 you will be walking through snow in some places. 00:36:14.269 --> 00:36:16.010 It's not going to be super bad. There's been 00:36:16.010 --> 00:36:17.489 a lot of people that hiked up there. The snow 00:36:17.489 --> 00:36:20.530 is beaten down pretty well, but in the midday 00:36:20.530 --> 00:36:22.949 sun, that remaining snow is going to be very 00:36:22.949 --> 00:36:24.730 slushy and just having something else to help 00:36:24.730 --> 00:36:26.289 you balance a little bit when you're sliding 00:36:26.289 --> 00:36:29.090 around will be great. So bring some poles, expect 00:36:29.090 --> 00:36:31.750 some snow, enjoy the views and know it's probably 00:36:31.750 --> 00:36:33.969 going to be windy up top, but you can sit inside. 00:36:35.349 --> 00:36:38.380 Next week. In the next episode, I'm gonna return 00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:40.300 with all the information you need to have a good 00:36:40.300 --> 00:36:42.500 week in the park, including the wildlife, weather, 00:36:42.599 --> 00:36:45.719 and trail updates. Until then, book a tour with 00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:48.559 me, pick up a guidebook of mine, tell somebody 00:36:48.559 --> 00:37:03.780 about this podcast, and happy trails. This week 00:37:03.780 --> 00:37:05.679 in Yellowstone is brought to you by the Outdoor 00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:08.679 Society. That's my company. It's just me. I do 00:37:08.679 --> 00:37:11.099 this. It's a labor of love. If you like it, tell 00:37:11.099 --> 00:37:13.519 your friends, rate and review it. Shoot me a 00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:16.260 message. Otherwise, keep listening and I hope 00:37:16.260 --> 00:37:20.139 to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright 2026, baby.