From Yellowstone National Park where a handful
of people may be breaking rules, but the overwhelming
majority of visitors are being awesome. This
is that Scott guy you know and love with a brand
new episode of This Week in Yellowstone. What's
up everybody, this week in Yellowstone National
Park from July 23rd to July 29th, 2026, I dive
into the Hayden vs. Lamar debate, let you know
why viewing the park's two main driving loops
is somewhat flawed, and share with you the smelliest
geyser basins. I'll also give you the complete
weather forecast, a cool trail to hike, the wildlife
report, and everything else you need to have
an incredible time this week in Yellowstone.
Standard disclaimer, I'm going to miss a few
details here and there. That's just the nature
of how this goes. I also mentioned park locations
very casually. So if you're unfamiliar with some
place I'm saying, a quick search can help. And
please know that this report is me doing my best.
I have been mentioning to contact me via text.
I have forgotten to mention email. You can email
me at theoutdoorsocietyatgmail .com or you can
text me 406 -589 -1873. Also, please note that
this podcast is a passion project of mine. If
you enjoy it, I'd love a review or a quick email.
If you want to support my work more, you can
check out my hiking and wildlife watching guidebooks
or join me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's
backcountry. For more information on all that,
you can contact me directly at the email I just
mentioned or the phone number or you can go to
outdoor -society .com and that's about all you
have to do. Alright, let's dive into this week's
podcast. This week's Yellowstone news, so there's
a few things to discuss. The first is grizzly
bear news. I'm going to be getting into this
a lot more as the year goes on, but I just want
to give a quick update right now and then it
will make more sense in later weeks when I talk
about this more. So the debate over delisting
grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains has intensified
again, but right now bears have not been removed
from federal protection under the Endangered
Species Act. However, on July 14th of this year,
the U .S. Department of Interior announced a
revised proposal that would give states and tribes
greater flexibility to manage conflicts with
grizzly bears while maintaining the species'
current threatened status. Interior Secretary
Doug Burgum described the proposal as a step
toward returning more wildlife management authority
to western states, but emphasizes that it does
not delist grizzlies or immediately change existing
protections. The proposal follows a January 2025
decision by the U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service
to deny petitions from Montana and Wyoming seeking
to delist grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone
and Northern Continental Divide ecosystems. Instead,
the agency proposed managing grizzlies as a single
lower 48 state population while retaining federal
protections and allowing limited additional flexibility
for responding to conflicts with livestock and
human safety. A final decision has been delayed.
The U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service extends its
deadline for completing rulemaking until December
2026, meaning that grizzly bears across the northern
Rockies remain federally listed as threatened
while the agency reviews public comments and
evaluates its final approach. Supporters of the
greater state management argue that grizzly populations
around Yellowstone and Glacier have recovered
biologically and should be managed by state wildlife
agencies. However, conservation organizations
counter that by saying that continued federal
protection is necessary to promote long -term
genetic connectivity between bear populations
and ensure recovery across a broader portion
of the species' historic range. Now, obviously
there's a lot going on here. I wanted to just
mention it briefly to let everybody know, like,
hey, there are some big things coming along that
could really impact what grizzly bear populations
look like in the region. As of right now, nothing
has been fully decided. However, it looks like
the states are going to be able in the future
to control grizzly bear hunts for the first time
in many of our lifetimes and a lot of other regulations.
Now, I bring that up because it's going to look
very similar potentially to how the wolf hunts
are done all around the region, which if you
pay attention, the wolf hunts are not Rooted
much in science or healthy populations the Montana
State Fish and Wildlife Pretty sure it was them
might have been the Forest Service I should have
written this down But one of these groups just
admitted that they probably overestimated how
many wolves there were So the state is actually
killing too many or allowing hunters to kill
too many wolves based on what the population
is This probably will be an issue with the grizzly
bears of a hunt is allowed to happen. So I'm
going to keep my thumb on this and talk to everybody
and get some good information for you in the
future. Just wanted to mention it now to let
you know what's going on. Long story short here
they might allow hunting of grizzly bears which
were and still are listed as an endangered species.
Next little bit of news Osprey Falls is going
to or the trail down to Osprey Falls is going
to be closed the falls never closes the falls
is always there. The Osprey Falls Trail will
be temporarily closed for trail repair from July
28th to August 4th. July 28th and 29th we'll
see trail closures between 8 a .m. and 4 p .m.
and then on July 30th and 31st all day so you're
just not going to be able to get down there on
those two days. Then August 1st through 4th once
again those daily closures from 8 a .m. to 4
p .m. The Bunsen Peak Road is going to remain
open, Bunsen Peak is still open, and you can
do all of that, but you can just not do Osprey
Falls on those dates. So just wanted to give
you a heads up on that. That's also on the Backcountry
Conditions page, which is linked in the show
notes. I will mention that again later. Finally,
There was a bit of news that just came out in
the park where there were some people walking
out on the flats at Grand Prismatic. Obviously,
it is terrible behavior to do that. It was filmed.
Hopefully they were reported. Hopefully they'll
get caught and fined and maybe banned from the
park. Sadly, this isn't something unique. I'm
seeing a lot of posts online about how, like,
I can't believe someone did this. People do this
pretty much every year. In 2016, in May, there
are these guys from Canada that were like early
influencer bro brand high on life. They broke
rules across many national parks all over, including
just stepping off the boardwalk and walking to
the edge of Grand Prismatic. They were caught.
They received a multi -year ban from national
parks. I think they went to jail for a few days.
And, you know, there were punishments. So hopefully
these two people that did this receive the same
punishments. There is no excuse for this. But,
as I mentioned at the intro of this episode,
there's a few bad apples here. There, I mean,
and you know, bad apples can rot everything,
so that might not be a good analogy here. There's
a few people who are misbehaving in the park.
That is going to happen. We will never have perfect
behavior in the park, and to think that we can
is just not realistic. However, those very few
people in the park are not even close to 1 %
of visitors. We're looking at like 99 .99 % of
all visitors to the park are following rules
and doing a very good job. Obviously, like I
say before, if you see something, say something,
right? Take pictures of the people doing it.
If you can take pictures of the car with a license
plate and turn in those pictures to a ranger
or talk to a ranger and say, how do I report
these people? Hopefully you can then help and
keep people more in check about their decisions
that are terrible. But please remember when you
see things like this online, the overwhelming
majority of visitors are doing such an amazing
job in the park of following rules and all of
that. Oh and for anybody that listened to all
of last week's episode and I asked like hey,
do you want a kind of bison attack? Standalone
episode and talk about some of these other issues
going on in the park. I hear you I'm going to
record it I just had a very busy week and wasn't
able to do it so expect that in the next week
or so I'm gonna hope hopefully be able to get
to that this weekend, but you know things happen
and it's summer and the weather's beautiful and
I wouldn't be outside too and not just recording
but I will get that out there and I promise I'll
keep announcing it and if you don't hear from
me about that hold me accountable I will get
that done very soon also those of you that have
texted and emailed I've tried to respond to all
of you there's a few of you I haven't got back
to yet if I don't I sincerely apologize also
those of you that have told me just about your
trips I love hearing that if you've been to Yellowstone
and you want to share an experience with me just
text me just email me Happy to hear it. I love
reading those. My experience of the week. Hayden
versus Lamar. One of my favorite questions to
ask visitors is whether they prefer Hayden Valley
or Lamar Valley. Few Yellowstone debates spark
stronger opinions. Almost everyone has a favorite,
even though there is no right answer. There's
also no wrong answer. Each valley offers something
that the other cannot, and the best choice for
you depends entirely on the kind of Yellowstone
experience you're hoping to have. If wildlife
is priority, both valleys deliver, just in different
ways. Hayden Valley, between Canyon and Fishing
Bridge, comes alive in mid -July as the bison
ruck gets underway. Massive herds gather across
the valley floor right where the road goes, while
mature bulls bellow, wallow, spar, and compete
for breeding opportunities. Elk can sometimes
be seen here, coyotes will be out hunting, and
both grizzly and black bears still make occasional
appearances. They might be out in the distance.
They might be close. But generally, you're going
to see bears and things like that in the early
morning hours and late in the evening. Hayden
also features a highly visible wolf pack during
the past few summers. So that's an exciting place
to spend time if you want to see some wolves
right now. I think they've had some pups this
year, so there's even more opportunities to see
them hunting. And they've really been putting
on a good show for people to see. I mean, it's
not really a show, right? We just use that word.
They've just been really visible out there off
and on like a week at a time and then gone for
a couple weeks and then back for a week. So they're
doing a good job being visible. Now Lamar Valley
is a whole different wildlife story. It's known
as America's Serengeti or as I like to refer
to it, America's Lamar Valley. Lamar is famous
for incredible variety of mammals. Bison, pronghorn,
deer, elk, big horn sheep, coyotes, and even
badgers are seen pretty regularly around here,
if you count Little America as Lamar Valley.
Lamar is also still considered Yellowstone's
premier wolf watching destination. And while
wolves are easier to spot here in the winter,
if you're here in the summer, patient visitors
with spotting scopes still have opportunities
to watch the packs traveling around the valley
up on ridges or going around their summer rendezvous
sites by Slough Creek. If your dream is watching
predators across a distant hillside, Lamar is
hard to beat. You're down low looking up and
in Hayden, you're sometimes up looking a little
bit down. Guess Lamar has similar things. So
that's you know, not quite the same but Lamar
and Hayden are very different Now a lot of people
are gonna say bison rut is the best in Hayden
Valley But Lamar has been very impressive the
last few years a couple of days ago There are
over a thousand bison visible in the valley and
many of them were participating rut behaviors
I just heard yesterday that some are really starting
to fight. So bison rut right now It's honestly
neck -and -neck Now the scenery offers another
contrast. Hayden Valley feels like a classic
Yellowstone view, right? You have your Yellowstone
River winding through these wetlands. There's
forests and meadows. There's distant mountain
ranges framing the landscape. Steam from nearby
thermal features will be visible, reminding visitors
that, you know, you're in one of the world's
largest volcanic systems. At sunrise, the mist
sometimes covers the river or fog fills the entire
valley and it creates incredible opportunities
for landscape photography and sometimes some
really cool wildlife photography as well. Lamar
Valley feels bigger and wider. Sweeping grasslands
stretch beneath rugged mountains with the Lamar
River winding through the valley below. Colorful
sagebrush benches and endless mountain backdrops
explain why so many wildlife documentaries and
Wildlife photography has happened here Even on
quieter wildlife days the scenery alone in Lamar
for me is worth it now Hayden Valley again Hayden
Valley is also gorgeous But there is a different
feel in a different aura to each of these so
each one you go to will feel different The surrounding
attractions are kind of what sets the valley
apart Hayden sits in the heart of Yellowstone's
busiest sightseeing corridor. Within minutes
you can reach the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone,
Artist Point, Lookout Point, Upper and Lower
Falls, or swing down to Mud Volcano and see Dragon's
Mouth Spring, or go a little further and see
Yellowstone Lake. It's very easy to combine wildlife
viewing with many of the park's iconic destinations.
Lamar rewards those willing to venture further
from the crowds. You have Tower Fall nearby along
with the Lamar Buffalo Ranch that you can kind
of glance at and look and see some history. But
then you're just also close to that Northeast
entrance and Cook City and then the Beartooth
Highway and the Chief Joseph Memorial Highway
and just some very rugged remote landscapes.
And that's what makes Lamar an exciting starting
point for exploring Yellowstone's Northeast Corridor.
Crowds are another consideration. Hayden's central
location makes it one of the park's busiest wildlife
viewing areas, and traffic jams are common when
bears or wolves appear near the road. And during
the bison rut, it's definitely a place to have
way more of a traffic jam. Sometimes it can take
you 30 -45 minutes just to go a couple miles
with all the bison next to the road. Lamar certainly
gets busy too. but it seems like the pullouts
are larger and the more remote setting often
makes it feel less congested once you move beyond
the main viewing areas. Timing matters in both
valleys. Wildlife is most active during the first
few hours after sunrise and again before sunset.
Midday can still produce memorable sightings,
especially during the bison rut, but the cooler
temps are really going to bring out that activity.
Early mornings I love in both of these places
because it's softer light for pictures less cars
and the sense of solitude But it's just beautiful
like I think catching a sunrise in the park is
very underrated and I used to not be a morning
person now because of my dog. I'm a morning person
He gets me up at like 5 a .m. Every day and while
it's less than ideal than waking up at 4 and
getting in the park at 6 Really isn't that hard?
So I've been doing that a lot more and honestly
mornings Mornings are where it's at. Cooler temps,
less bugs, less people, wildlife is active. There's
something about just driving through either of
these valleys and watching a bear just roam next
to the road with nobody else around. And it's
just it's awesome and tranquil. So which valley
wins right now? If you want the excitement of
the Bison Rat, Yellowstone's famous waterfalls
and easy to access thermal features, Hayden Valley
is where you go. If you'd rather search for wolves,
soak in expansive mountain scenery, and combine
your visit with Tower, Cook City, and the Beartooth
Highway, Lamar might be your favorite. The real
answer, though, is not choosing one over the
other. And that's why I like asking that question,
just so I can get to this point. Give each valley
a day on its own. Because together, Hayden and
Lamar showcase two very different sides of Yellowstone,
and experiencing both is one of the best ways
to appreciate what makes the park so extraordinary.
My tip of the week. The problem with only planning
your trip around the loop drives. So if you've
started planning a Yellowstone vacation, you've
almost certainly come across the same advice.
Spend a day driving the lower loop and another
driving the upper loop. It sounds like a simple
foolproof plan. Since Yellowstone's roads kind
of form a figure eight, dividing the park into
two loops seems like the easiest way to see everything.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with this advice
for the most part, especially if you're visiting
for the first time or only have a couple of days.
This is a great starting point. The problem is
that a lot of visitors stop there thinking Yellowstone
is two loops instead of collection of remarkable
landscapes connected by one road system. This
small shift in perspective can completely change
your trip. I talk about this a lot, but one of
the biggest surprises for first -time visitors
is just how enormous Yellowstone really is. It's
2 .2 million acres and that's 3 ,500 square miles.
You're gonna read a lot of things that will say,
it's the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.
I live here, I don't know what that means. That
is the absolute worst thing to say. It's the
size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined. Rhode
Island is the smallest state. I don't know what
this means. As somebody who is West Coast born
and raised, this is not a relatable thing. So
instead of making this even less relatable, it's
about the same size as Puerto Rico. I mean, again,
it's hard to describe how big this is. Once you're
in the park, the distance becomes obvious. A
drive that looks short on a map can take hours
thanks to the winding roads, wildlife delays,
construction, and all those places you're going
to pass by that you want to stop. A drive that
looks like it'll be 2 hours at 35 or 45 miles
an hour can easily become 4 hours once you stop
for bison, a grizzly, a viewpoint, a short hike,
grab a snack, stop at a pit toilet to use it,
you know all of these things start adding up
in your time. So planning your day around completing
an entire loop often means spending more time
driving than experiencing the park. Now, driving
around the park, again, nothing wrong with that.
The first 10 years I came to the park, we only
really drove around. Didn't really hike. We did
the boardwalks and that was it. We just drove
and looked for animals. Nothing wrong with that.
I did that for a decade. Sometimes that's all
I do in the park when I come in. But if you want
more from the park, you're going to have to do
more than just drive. Now the real issue is that
Yellowstone isn't organized around its roads.
It kind of is, but... It's actually organized
around ecosystems, watersheds, geothermal basins,
mountain ranges, wildlife habitat, and historic
districts. The Grand Loop Road simply connects
these things. When your goal becomes finishing
a loop, it's easy to spend more time commuting
between destinations than enjoying them, right?
I talk about this a lot where I say one thing
not to do when you visit the park is make everything
a checklist. Obviously have a checklist, have
things you want to see, but make sure you're
enjoying those distances in between. Let's take
the upper loop as an example of this. If you
start in Mammoth, then you're going to drive
out, you're going to go to Roosevelt Junction,
and then you're probably going to go to Calcite
Springs or Tower Falls, and then drive over the
pass and hit Canyon, and then from Canyon you
drive to Norris, and then from Norris you drive
back up Swan Lake Flats to get back to Mammoth.
That's the upper loop. And if you view it that
way, then you say, okay, I'm going to go to Mammoth,
I'm gonna go to Tower, I'm gonna go to Canyon,
I'm gonna go to Norris, and then I'm gonna go
back to Mammoth. And that's a good day. But there's
so much more to miss. I didn't mention Lamar
Valley. Lamar Valley is a quote unquote side
road from this upper loop. A lot of people who
do the upper loop and lower loop when they view
it that way actually skip Lamar Valley because
they're going through Hayden. So why bother with
Lamar? And as I just said, You need to see both
of those. Lamar Valley is awesome and people
should do that. A lot of people drive the Southern
Loop. They're going to go in from West Yellowstone,
hit Madison, then they're going to drive down
to Old Faithful, go over the Continental Levisde
a couple times, get to West Thumb, drive to Fishing
Bridge, go up to Hayden and Canyon, Canyon to
Norris, then Norris back down to Madison and
back out to West. That skips over going beyond
that quick Fishing Bridge intersection. You would
go towards Sylvan Pass if you take that road.
That's where a lot of grizzly bears are at You're
also gonna have Yellowstone Lake along that way
and there's a beach you can hang out at there's
overlooks There's so much to see out there. So
if you keep planning by these loops, you might
miss some of these things Obviously time management
is an issue when you visit the park. It is huge
So trying to see it all is impossible even if
you're here all the time. I Live near the park,
I'm there all the time, even when I'm not working
in the park, and I still haven't seen everything.
And if I have seen a lot of things, I haven't
seen certain things during a thunderstorm or
early morning light or sunset. So there's always
different experiences to have. And if you just
say that you're going to drive the upper and
drive the lower, you might be missing these things.
So all I want to say here is instead of planning
by loops, consider planning by regions. Give
Hayden Valley the sunrise it deserves before
heading down to Mud Volcano and then up to the
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. If you can, dedicate
another day to the Geyser Basins. Go to each
of the Geyser Basins, not just checking off Old
Faithful and Grand Prismatic. Both are beautiful,
but there's more than just those two. Those are
just the popular ones right now. Popularity ebbs
and flows just like everything else. And you
might say, I love Old Faithful, but you know
what's really great? Daisy Geyser. or Grand Prismatic
is great but I really love going down to West
Thumb and seeing those deep pools next to the
lake. Take some time and just break it into areas.
Spend a day at Yellowstone Lake and Fishing Bridge
in the east entrance. Take some time and be at
Norris and then Mammoth and then the Golden Gate
area and then drive to Lamar that evening. You'll
spend less time rushing between destinations
by just viewing your park visit as locations
instead of loop drives. Planning by region also
makes Yellowstone's unpredictability much less
stressful. Wildlife as we know doesn't follow
an itinerary, neither do afternoon thunderstorms,
road construction, or the bison jam that lasts
45 minutes because a herd decides the pavement
is a perfect place just to hang out. When your
day focuses on one part of the park instead of
completing a loop, Those surprises stop feeling
like delays and become some of the best memories
of your trip. It also helps you appreciate that
Yellowstone's attractions aren't isolated destinations.
Taking your time in all of the geyser basins
tell the story of Yellowstone's volcano. Hayden
Valley reveals the importance of rivers, wetlands,
and wildlife. Yellowstone Lake showcases the
immense caldera area as well as just the beauty
of a giant high elevation lake. In Lamar Valley
It's one of the world's most intact, temperate,
wildlife -watching areas you're gonna find. Spending
meaningful time in each region helps those stories
come together. Grand Loop Road is one of America's
great scenic drives, and there's nothing wrong
with using it as a guide. Just don't let it become
your destination. Plan your experiences instead
of roads, and Yellowstone becomes much more than
a giant driving tour. One of those things you're
going to experience if you take your time is
my random Yellowstone fact of the week. The smelliest
thermal areas. One of the first things many visitors
notice when they step onto a Yellowstone boardwalk
isn't necessarily the scenery. It's the smell.
That unmistakable rotten egg odor that drifts
through parts of the park, sometimes faintly
and sometimes strong enough to make people hold
their noses, gag, maybe overreact, maybe underreact.
While it may not be the fragrance most people
hope to remember from the vacation, it's a sign
that Yellowstone's volcanic heart is hard at
work beneath your feet. Now very quickly, I love
the smell of Yellowstone. It is my favorite.
The smelliest thermal areas are my favorite places
to go. It amuses me. It makes me happy. And when
I smell rotten eggs and sulfur and things like
that, if I'm not in the park, the first thing
I think of is Yellowstone. When I was a kid,
I came to the park, smelled that, and for Here
until I die that is the connection when I smell
that and it's one of my I don't want to say favorite
smells one of the most distinct smells that I
don't hate Now the smell comes primarily from
hydrogen sulfide a naturally occurring volcanic
gas released by many of Yellowstone's hydrothermal
features as the gas rises from deep underground
Specialized microorganisms use it as an energy
source in acidic thermal areas They convert hydrogen
sulfide into sulfuric acid, which breaks down
surrounding rock into clay and creates Yellowstone's
bubbling mudpots. Hydrogen sulfide produces the
familiar rotten egg smell, while sulfuric acid
helps shape many of the park's colorful, ever
-changing thermal features. If one place consistently
earns the title of Yellowstone's Smelliest Front
Country destination, it's the mud volcano area
between Hayden and Yellowstone Lake. The National
Park Service describes this area as home to some
of the park's most acidic hydrothermal features.
Boiling mud pots, steaming vents, acidic pools
are constantly releasing sulfur -rich gases into
the air. The bubbling mud volcano is fascinating
to watch, while nearby Dragon's Mouth spring
roars like distant thunder as steam rushes through
an underground chamber. The combination of sound,
steam, and sulfur makes this one of Yellowstone's
most memorable stops. One of the areas that really
is good is the sulfur cauldron. Despite its name,
it's an intensely acidic hot spring rather than
a mud pot. With a pH between about one and two,
supposedly, this is what I read, its water arrivals
battery acid. Constant releases of hydrogen sulfide
give it one of the strongest sulfur odors in
the front country of the park, especially when
the wind shifts toward the boardwalk. Norris
Geyser Basin is another hot spot for these smells.
Yellowstone's hottest and most dynamic thermal
basin is filled with fumaroles, acidic pools,
steaming ground, and constantly changing hydrothermal
activity. Fumaroles or steam vents release volcanic
gases directly into the air, often creating really
strong odors. Walking through Norris on a cool
morning surrounded by thick clouds of steam can
feel like visiting another planet. Some of Yellowstone's
smelliest thermal areas require leaving the roadside
behind. My personal favorite is washburn hot
springs, and it's an excellent example of just
how much things can stink. With steaming vents,
bubbling mud pots, eye -burning acidic pools,
and fumaroles spread across a forested hillside,
this area is so strong smelling at times. With
few visitors and little breeze beneath the trees,
the smell of hydrogen sulfide can linger for
long distances. I've smelled it from nearly half
a mile away, and once at the springs, my eyes
were burning from just the smell, and members
of my hiking group that I was leading were gagging
from the odor. Great memorable day. Loved every
minute of it. I don't think they did, but you
know, I love that smell. Shoshone Geyser Basin
is another one of these places. It's one of the
world's largest backcountry geyser basins. It's
another soul -fulfilled landscape where dozens
of hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles constantly
release volcanic gases. Heart Lake Geyser Basin
offers a similar experience with hundreds of
thermal features, and both destinations require
considerably more effort than Yellowstone's roadside
attractions. But if you're a hiker, and you want
to be rewarded with some solitude, spectacular
geothermal scenery, and an up -close look at
volcanic forces still shaping the park, go here.
Back along the road, artist paint pots and fountain
paint pots are also worth visiting. Their colorful
bubbling mud pots owe their appearance and odor
to the acidic conditions and hydrogen sulfide.
While they are generally less pungent than mud
volcano, a shift in the wind or the right conditions
can bring a really strong wave of sulfur across
the boardwalk. Visitors are often surprised that
not every thermal area smells the same. Grand
Prismatic, Morning Glory, and many of Yellowstone's
famous blue hot springs produce little noticeable
odor despite their spectacular appearance. That's
because they are dominated by hot water rather
than the acidic sulfur -rich environments that
create mud pots and fumaroles. The chemistry
beneath each basin determines not only its colors
and activity, but how much gas reaches the surface.
The time of day matters, too. Early mornings
often seem smellier because of cool, calm air
being trapped by steam, and the volcanic grasses
are nearer to the ground. As temperatures rise
and breezes develop, those gases disperse more
quickly. Wind direction also plays a major role,
obviously. A board wreck that smells mild one
moment can become overwhelmingly smelly just
seconds later if the wind shifts. The smell of
sulfur may not be everyone's favorite. But it
is a reminder that Yellowstone remains one of
the most active hydrothermal landscapes on Earth.
More than 10 ,000 hydrothermal features dot the
park, each revealing another piece of the volcanic
system hidden beneath the surface. The next time
that familiar rotten egg smell fills the air,
remember how unique and special this is, and
if you don't like it, just keep walking, but
enjoy the smell for what it is for where you
are. The weather for the coming week. As always,
this is the best forecast for the week at the
time of the recording. The forecast can and probably
will change numerous times in a week, but this
should be good framework to plan by. Lamar Valley.
On Thursday, highest 78, low of 51, 24 % chance
of some rain. Friday, 85 and 52, 23 % chance
of rain. Saturday, 82 and 52. 51 % chance of
about a tenth of an inch of rain, probably will
be more than that. Sunday, 84 and 52, 24 % chance
of rain. Monday, 83 and 50, 17 % chance. Tuesday,
85 and 49, 16 % chance. And Wednesday, 84 and
49, 15 % chance. Gardner, Montana, Thursday,
high 84, low of 55, 24 % chance of rain. Friday
90 and 56 8 % chance of rain Saturday 88 and
55 with a 50 % chance of thunderstorms and heavy
rain Sunday 89 and 55 21 % chance of rain Monday
88 and 54 18 % chance of rain Tuesday 90 and
54 12 % chance of rain and Wednesday 88 and 54
15 % chance of rain West Yellowstone on Thursday
A high of 80, low of 51, 24 % chance of rain.
Friday, 86 and 53, with a 7 % chance of rain.
Saturday, 84 and 53, with a 50 % chance of some
thunderstorm and heavy rain. Sunday, 85 and 52,
16 % chance of rain. Monday, 84 and 51, 23 %
chance of rain. Tuesday, 86 and 50, 12 % chance.
And Wednesday, 85 and 50, with a 16 % chance.
Cody Wyoming on Thursday 85 and 66 with a 24
% chance of rain on Friday 96 and 68 Saturday
94 and 67 with a 44 % chance of some rain and
thunderstorms Sunday 95 and 67 with a high chance
of rain and thunderstorms Monday 91 and 64 with
a 24 % chance of rain Tuesday 92 and 64 with
a 15 % chance of rain and Wednesday 91 and 63
22 % chance of rain and finally cook City, Montana
on Thursday 74 and 52 got a 50 % chance of thunderstorms
and rain Friday 81 and 55 24 % chance of some
rain Saturday 79 and 54 53 % chance of some pretty
good thunderstorms and heavy rain Sunday 81 and
54 with a 35 % chance of thunderstorms and rain
Monday 80 and 53 with a 24 % chance of rain.
Tuesday 82 and 52, 18 % chance. And Wednesday,
81 and 51, 18 % chance of rain. Road conditions.
No main park roads are closed right now. There's
gonna be some construction spots here and there,
but delays are gonna be minimal. And while unlikely,
be aware that roads can close at any time due
to inclement weather. If those thunderstorms
are too severe, they might cause a little bit
of a landslide here and there, but I doubt it.
Maybe a couple rocks will come down, so watch
out for those. If you want up -to -date information
about the road conditions, you can call 307 -344
-2117 for recorded information, or you can sign
up to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your
cell phone by texting the number 82190 to the
number 8884. 777 Camping information every campground
that's gonna be open this year is currently open
So if you're camping enjoy might be some rain
storms But you know if you're camping you're
used to the rain also tent camping has really
decreased in popularity So most of the people
I know that are camping right now are in like
a camper van or an RV And if you're complaining
about the rain and that like you have no idea
I grew up camping and tent and sometimes like
you'd come in sideways because of the wind and
you can't really put a tarp over that. And this
was back in the day before they had really good
rain flies on tents or at least in the level
of tent that my family could afford or had. So
we would just get soaked. I remember one morning
we woke up and it had poured and the tent didn't
actually get wet. We just ended up putting the
tent where there was a major drainage and my
sister's sleeping bag was floating a little bit
because there was so much water in the tent.
So Enjoy that if you're camping and there's a
heavy thunderstorm that causes some flooding.
The wildlife watching update. So right now the
wildlife watching is pretty consistent. Your
best bets are going to be in three main areas
and then everything else is kind of just hit
and miss. So your first area... Northern Range
to Lamar Valley, you're gonna see some bears
probably around Floating Island Lake, Blacktail
Plateau, especially black bears. There might
be a moose nearby, but I haven't heard any sightings
about that moose by Floating Island Lake in a
while. Also, as you get closer to Tower, there
might be some bison, there might be some more
black bears. As you get out to Lamar, Little
America has been pretty good with pronghorn babies,
there's been some cool birds out there, there's
been some bears, and it's good. But your main
action right now, as of yesterday, is really
in Lamar proper. Lamar proper has had grizzly
bears off on ridgelines, the Junction Butte Pack
has been decently sighted here and there, so
early mornings again, there's tons of bison out
there too, like hundreds if not over a thousand
bison out there. As I mentioned earlier, they've
been fighting each other a bit more. You're going
to watch them roll in the distance and huge dust
clouds are there. You're going to hear them bellowing.
It's going to be awesome. Let's back up a little
bit. I did just realize I skipped one place.
As you get to the Forces of Nature trailhead
just beyond Mammoth and Blacktail Ponds, there
are some wolves people have been spotted miles
out from there. So if you want to stop there,
that's great. Obviously, seeing wolves is awesome.
Just know they're going to be very far away.
Second place that really can't go wrong Hayden
Valley right now. There have been some wolf sightings
here and there There's been a lot of bison out
there as well been some good grizzly sightings
I did hear somebody say they saw an otter up
near Allam Creek. So that's a LUM and You know,
you may see it. Maybe not otters are very hard
to spot Then I would also head out towards that
East entrance road where there could be some
grizzlies If you want a different experience
head up Beartooth Plateau lots of marmots and
wildflowers mountain goats are up there with
some babies and Then you might see a couple grizzlies
couple black bears It's just a good place to
kind of drive up to drive up to the top of Beartooth
and back and then head back through Lamar good
day Elsewhere in the park. You're just gonna
see what you're gonna see marmots are out where
the marmots are Sheep Eater cliffs up Yellowstone
River overlook trail places like that Pika's
are near the hell roaring area. I've heard them
there recently so otherwise if you want to know
where to see other animals in the park I highly
consider that you pick up my wildlife watching
guidebook to the region. It's available with
ebook and paperback formats. And I wrote it because
I want to take some of the guesswork out. I spent
a lot of years driving around the park looking
and hoping to see things and was always unsure
of where things were. And then once you kind
of know the rhythm and routine, it really helps.
You have a better chance of seeing animals. Obviously,
animals are predictable, but. they do have routines
and they do have seasonal predictability of certain
regions so that's what that book is all about
i also have a hiking book but you know i'm talking
about wildlife right now if you are still needing
some advice people have been taking me up on
this and i appreciate it and i try and get back
as fast as i can but reach out to me via text
or email and i will happily do my best to give
you timely responses on where you can see things
because i want to to make sure that you have
the best possible time in the park. Trail alerts
and updates. So before I tell you what I've been
telling you every week that the backcountry conditions
page is updated, there is a flood warning because
of these heavy thunderstorms. If you are doing
a hike where you're going to have to ford a creek
or a river, really check that weather forecast
that day and know what the creek is going to
be. The Backcountry Conditions page isn't updated
for creek crossings right now, and that's why
I want to mention that. It says, oh, you can
easily get across the Lamar River. A couple days
ago, Lamar River was waist deep and flowing super
fast, and it was super muddy and really unsafe.
So you're going to have to check these rivers
before you get there. and also talk to a backcountry
ranger, there's one in Mammoth, there's one in
Old Faithful, one in Canyon, and make sure that
conditions are good before you head out. And
these change every day, so if there's a heavy
rainstorm that night, before you hike, water
still may be high. Other than that, most of the
trails are updated with the Backcountry Conditions
page, so link in the show notes there. And, as
always, Carry your bear spray, have it readily
accessible, not in a backpack, know how to use
it, and know that wildlife will all run faster
than you can, so stay very far away. That brings
me to my Trek of the Week, the north and south
rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. There
are countless incredible hikes in Yellowstone
National Park, from high summits to remote geyser
basins, but there's one that captures nearly
everything that makes Yellowstone special. It's
combining the South Rim and North Rim trails
around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. In
a single outing, you're going to stand beside
two of the park's most famous waterfalls, see
another one that very few people know exists,
you're going to walk through fragrant lodgepole
pines, you're going to follow the Yellowstone
River and just see all of the cool geology, you're
going to cross a historic bridge, and then you're
going to enjoy some of the finest overlooks in
the national park system. Overall, this hike
covers about 10 miles and has roughly 1300 feet
of elevation gain. Most of this comes from the
two steep descents, the Brink of the Lower Falls
and Red Rock Point. The rest follows relatively
gentle terrain along the canyon rim. I mean,
there are some steep -ish areas, but they don't
last that long. And by doing the whole thing,
you create a rewarding full -day adventure, or
half -day adventure depending on your hiking
speed, that really doesn't feel too repetitive.
I always start this hike at the brink of the
upper falls and that's a nice place where the
Yellowstone River makes one final calm approach
in a smallish falls compared to the huge canyon,
the lower falls. And you stand there and you
get a good sense of the river and you just take
it all in and it's nice and relaxing. And then
head upstream. What you'll do is you'll walk
along an old road, you'll cross a little bridge
and then you'll hop on the trail on the South
Rim Trail. which is one of the park's most underrated
hikes. While many visitors stop at only the overlooks,
the trail between these overlooks reveals a quieter
side of the canyon. It winds through mature lodgepole
pine forests before repeatedly emerging into
amazing viewpoints of the Yellowstone River.
As you hike, the scenery constantly changes.
Some overlooks reveal sweeping views downstream,
others highlight the canyon's brilliant yellow,
orange, pink, and red walls. These colors were
created when hot, acidic water chemically altered
the canyon's volcanic rhyolite over thousands
of years, and this is why it's produced one of
North America's most distinctive landscapes.
Eventually you're going to reach Artist Point,
perhaps the most iconic overlook. The 308 foot
lower falls plunges into the colorful canyon
way in the distance, and this was made famous
by Thomas Moran's paintings and William Henry
Jackson's pictures. are what helped convince
Congress to establish Yellowstone as the world's
first national park. As you stand here, it's
easy to understand why these pictures made such
a big difference in convincing Congress to protect
these lands. After soaking in the view, you're
going to retrace your steps along the South Rim
Trail. The return hike, while it may sound repetitive,
actually offers a different perspective and the
changing light reveals details you may have missed
on the way out. Once again, you're gonna cross
the bridge you're gonna walk along the old closed
road back to the brink of the lower falls or
the upper falls and Then you're going to maybe
stop at your car and get another snack. There's
a restroom there There's just a nice kind of
break I'd like to just have a snack or a lunch
and then start hiking the North Rim Trail again
This first stretch of the North Rim Trail makes
you feel like you're just disappearing into nature
right away very few people hike from the Brink
of the Upper Falls to the Lower Falls and it's
fantastic and I love doing it. There's a hidden
waterfall out there. I'm not going to tell you
anything more. I just want you to see it and
that's a place where you really need to just
sit and enjoy because not a lot of people see
this because most people drive point to point
and it's not visible by any road. Once you pass
this other falls, you're going to get to the
brink of the Lower Falls. Go down there. It's
a series series of steep switchbacks that leads
to Probably one of the best waterfall overlooks
in the country. You're going to stand at the
very top of the waterfall and just enjoy the
Yellowstone River as it explodes into the empty
cavern beneath your feet. A lot of people will
go down there, spend 30 seconds and then leave,
spend five minutes. If you're hiking all this
way, take some time, really enjoy it. Then when
you've had enough, climb out of there. That's
going to be the probably the hardest part of
the hike all day. and then you're going to be
back on the North Rim Trail, head down to Lookout
Point, and then make sure from Lookout Point
that you go to Red Rock Point. Red Rock Point
is a short and slightly steep descent that leads
to what I consider one of the best viewpoints
in the canyon area. You're going to stand nearly
level with the lower falls, quite a ways away,
and then you're going to stare into the canyon
and it's going to be awesome. Few places better
capture the immense height of the falls and the
scale of the canyon than standing right in it.
Yes, there are some trees that kind of block
the view, but that's nature. Nature is not going
to always be clear. It's going to be imperfect.
It's going to need you to stand in just the right
area to get the best view. But you're going to
have that sound. You're going to have that sight.
You're going to have those smells from all around
you. And it's wonderful. By the time you complete
both rim trails, You're going to have experienced
the Grand Canyon Yellowstone the way that very
few people do. Rather than stopping here and
there for a very quick picture and jumping back
in the car, you've watched the Yellowstone River
transform from a calm mountain stream into one
of the American West's most powerful waterfalls.
You've walked through forests, crossed the historic
bridge, stood beside multiple waterfalls, and
visited viewpoints that have inspired artists
photographers, writers, explorers for more than
150 years. And you've done it on foot and you've
earned every bit of some sort of awesome snack
that you're going to drive to Canyon and get.
I absolutely love doing this hike from the brink
of the Upper Falls to Artist Point, back to the
brink, have a snack, go to the brink of the Lower
Falls, go to Red Rock Point and back. It is going
to be a day that you're going to remember for
a long time. Next week! In next week's episode,
I'm going to return with all the information
you need to have a good week in the park, including
the wildlife update, the weather, trail that
I want you to hike, and this coming week is going
to be a trail outside of the park, so enjoy that.
Otherwise, thank you so much for listening. Consider
picking up a guidebook of mine. Please recommend
this podcast to anybody you know that's interested
in the park. Reach out to me if you have any
questions, The Outdoor Society at gmail .com
or text me 406 -589 -1873 and know that most
of the people in the park are following the rules
and it's only a few bad people that are getting
way too much publicity. Until next week, again,
thank you for listening and happy trails. Abrupt
ending! This week in Yellowstone is brought to
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2026, baby!