WEBVTT 00:00:00.110 --> 00:00:02.930 From Yellowstone National Park where I still 00:00:02.930 --> 00:00:05.650 have dust and dirt all over my legs from today's 00:00:05.650 --> 00:00:08.349 adventure, this is that Scott guy you know and 00:00:08.349 --> 00:00:11.150 love with a brand new episode of This Week in 00:00:11.150 --> 00:00:23.309 Yellowstone. What's up everybody? This week in 00:00:23.309 --> 00:00:25.670 Yellowstone National Park from August 6th to 00:00:25.670 --> 00:00:29.089 August 12th, 2026, I'll talk about how to maximize 00:00:29.089 --> 00:00:31.469 wildlife watching during the slow season for 00:00:31.469 --> 00:00:34.490 animals, discuss wildfire smoke impacting the 00:00:34.490 --> 00:00:37.450 park, and tell you about a boat on Grand Prismatic 00:00:37.450 --> 00:00:39.869 Hot Springs. I'll also give you the complete 00:00:39.869 --> 00:00:42.869 weather forecast, a cool trail to hike, the wildlife 00:00:42.869 --> 00:00:45.009 report, and everything else you need to have 00:00:45.009 --> 00:00:47.429 an incredible time this week in Yellowstone. 00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:50.920 Standard disclaimer, gonna miss a few details 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:53.399 here and there. I research everything, I do my 00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:55.439 best, and sometimes I just skip over things, 00:00:55.439 --> 00:00:58.759 so if I misspeak, it's probably an accident or 00:00:58.759 --> 00:01:01.060 I typed something wrong, so sorry about that. 00:01:01.549 --> 00:01:04.290 I also want you to know that I mention park locations 00:01:04.290 --> 00:01:06.829 very casually. If you're unfamiliar with what 00:01:06.829 --> 00:01:09.010 I'm talking about, a quick search can help, or 00:01:09.010 --> 00:01:13.670 you can contact me directly, 406 -589 -1873 for 00:01:13.670 --> 00:01:17.829 text messages, or you can email me at theoutdoorsociety 00:01:17.829 --> 00:01:21.469 at gmail .com. I'm also found online at some 00:01:21.469 --> 00:01:24.349 variation here and there of the guy with the 00:01:24.349 --> 00:01:26.750 bison tattoo, so feel free to reach out there. 00:01:27.189 --> 00:01:29.730 Finally in this quick intro, please know that 00:01:29.730 --> 00:01:33.180 this is a passion project of mine this podcast 00:01:33.180 --> 00:01:35.739 is something that I do for fun I'm not paid I'm 00:01:35.739 --> 00:01:39.040 not sponsored so if you enjoy it I'd love a review 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:42.760 on whatever podcast player you listen to or just 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:46.579 shoot me an email and say thanks or if this podcast 00:01:46.579 --> 00:01:49.379 has been useful for you if you'd like to do more 00:01:49.379 --> 00:01:51.239 than that you can support my work by checking 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:53.519 out my hiking and wildlife watching guidebooks 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:56.219 or join me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's 00:01:56.219 --> 00:01:58.760 backcountry. For more information on all of that, 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:02.659 visit outdoor -society .com or contact me directly 00:02:02.659 --> 00:02:05.560 with all the information I gave you in the previous 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:08.159 paragraph, which would be like 30 seconds ago. 00:02:09.060 --> 00:02:12.000 All right. This week's Yellowstone news. First 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:14.840 bit of news is coming straight from a ranger 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:18.580 that I talked to the other day, and it is pretty 00:02:18.580 --> 00:02:22.259 simple. Stop speeding in the park. A couple weeks 00:02:22.259 --> 00:02:25.319 ago, the ranger I was talking to was telling 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:28.240 me that they arrested somebody for going 102 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:31.280 miles an hour in the park. The fastest speed 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:34.460 limit in the park is 45 miles an hour. Most of 00:02:34.460 --> 00:02:37.840 the sections that are populated are 25 and 35. 00:02:38.379 --> 00:02:41.060 And by populated, I mean like busy intersections, 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:44.560 things like that. However, there's animals all 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:47.860 over the place and every year dozens upon dozens 00:02:47.860 --> 00:02:50.439 of animals die because they're hit by cars in 00:02:50.439 --> 00:02:52.860 the park. That's not including the little ground 00:02:52.860 --> 00:02:54.819 squirrels that you're going to see squished all 00:02:54.819 --> 00:02:57.460 over the place when you're driving through, but 00:02:57.460 --> 00:03:00.020 those can also be avoided by driving slow and 00:03:00.020 --> 00:03:03.060 being alert. Talked to a ranger, they said, hey, 00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:05.300 can you please mention to drive the speed limit, 00:03:05.819 --> 00:03:08.400 use pullouts, be a responsible driver when you're 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:11.419 in the park and don't go 102 miles an hour, which 00:03:11.419 --> 00:03:14.780 is absolutely wild. I have an idea of where that 00:03:14.780 --> 00:03:18.580 was, but still, it's inexcusable. The park is 00:03:18.580 --> 00:03:22.680 a place to enjoy, to slow down, to get away from 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:25.520 it all. If that's something that you struggle 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:29.509 doing, then maybe the park isn't for you. I hate 00:03:29.509 --> 00:03:33.810 to say that, but if you have to rush to each 00:03:33.810 --> 00:03:36.069 of these places as fast as you can or you don't 00:03:36.069 --> 00:03:38.370 respect speed limit signs because you're a good 00:03:38.370 --> 00:03:42.729 driver, don't be that person. The park is beautiful. 00:03:43.310 --> 00:03:45.689 Not every place is going to be drop dead gorgeous, 00:03:45.689 --> 00:03:49.150 you know, but it's a place to be respectful, 00:03:49.150 --> 00:03:53.370 to be slower and to enjoy nature. So if you want 00:03:53.370 --> 00:03:56.629 to speed, go elsewhere. But drive the speed limit 00:03:56.629 --> 00:03:59.599 when you're in the park, please. Also, this was 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:01.580 brought up I was talking to the stranger about 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:04.400 it then later that day There is a fatality accident 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:06.580 because people were speeding and went out of 00:04:06.580 --> 00:04:09.439 the lane is what I've heard So please be safe. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:12.419 Please stay in your lane. Please do not speed 00:04:12.419 --> 00:04:15.500 And I feel like the news section has gotten really 00:04:15.500 --> 00:04:18.019 negative. So I apologize for that I am gonna 00:04:18.019 --> 00:04:20.459 also mention real quick. There's another bison 00:04:20.459 --> 00:04:22.980 incident videos going viral No one got tossed 00:04:22.980 --> 00:04:25.420 this time, but there was a kid that got chased 00:04:25.420 --> 00:04:29.399 by a bison. This is because people see the bison 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:31.480 next to a boardwalk and they continue to walk. 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:34.100 Do not do this if there's a bison blocking the 00:04:34.100 --> 00:04:37.579 boardwalk or right next to it. Wait or turn around 00:04:37.579 --> 00:04:40.110 and go back the way you came from. If you have 00:04:40.110 --> 00:04:42.470 to wait a while, that's just life in Yellowstone. 00:04:42.610 --> 00:04:45.930 Don't force the issue, please. Obviously Bison 00:04:45.930 --> 00:04:47.870 are very aggressive right now, and the rut is 00:04:47.870 --> 00:04:50.149 going on, and I've talked about all this before, 00:04:50.250 --> 00:04:52.790 so that will be the end of that. Alright, one 00:04:52.790 --> 00:04:55.470 more news story that's also a bummer. I am so 00:04:55.470 --> 00:04:58.189 sorry. I want to have positive news stories, 00:04:58.230 --> 00:05:00.810 and I do. I just remembered one and I'm gonna 00:05:00.810 --> 00:05:04.189 mention it right after this one, but... There's 00:05:04.189 --> 00:05:06.170 a petition that was shared with me that I'm going 00:05:06.170 --> 00:05:09.269 to share with all of you, and that is to tell 00:05:09.269 --> 00:05:12.910 Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to close hunt 00:05:12.910 --> 00:05:16.910 area one to wolf hunting. The Mali pack is one 00:05:16.910 --> 00:05:19.129 of the last remaining packs originally established 00:05:19.129 --> 00:05:21.589 during Yellowstone's historic wolf reintroduction, 00:05:21.709 --> 00:05:25.569 and this pack has left the park boundaries and 00:05:25.569 --> 00:05:29.009 established a den. In this area, four wolves 00:05:29.009 --> 00:05:32.470 can be legally killed this fall. during Wyoming's 00:05:32.470 --> 00:05:35.709 wolf hunting season. There's a petition to try 00:05:35.709 --> 00:05:38.050 and get that hunting district closed so that 00:05:38.050 --> 00:05:41.149 pack can continue to be established. Chances 00:05:41.149 --> 00:05:43.990 are if it's not, that pack will be eliminated. 00:05:45.689 --> 00:05:48.569 Generally, if there is a disruption due to hunting 00:05:48.569 --> 00:05:51.689 of a pack when they're outside, that pack doesn't 00:05:51.689 --> 00:05:54.449 necessarily survive too well. There will be some 00:05:54.449 --> 00:05:57.930 wolves that could survive, but they're identity 00:05:57.930 --> 00:06:01.569 as a pack will potentially be gone forever. So 00:06:01.569 --> 00:06:04.050 if you feel passionate, but passionately about 00:06:04.050 --> 00:06:08.769 that, I have the link for the petition in the 00:06:08.769 --> 00:06:12.269 show notes. And as promised, here's some cool 00:06:12.269 --> 00:06:14.949 news. The Voices of Yellowstone First People 00:06:14.949 --> 00:06:18.629 Celebration is going on from August 2nd to August 00:06:18.629 --> 00:06:21.310 8th. I just about missed it this year, so there's 00:06:21.310 --> 00:06:23.850 a couple days for you to catch it. August 2nd 00:06:23.850 --> 00:06:27.019 through 8th in Gardiner. You can take part in 00:06:27.019 --> 00:06:29.339 the Voice of Yellowstone First People Celebration, 00:06:29.579 --> 00:06:31.879 which is a week -long event to honor and celebrate 00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:34.480 the diverse cultures of the indigenous peoples 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:37.259 of Yellowstone, past, present, and future. There 00:06:37.259 --> 00:06:39.850 are scheduled events, Their opening ceremony 00:06:39.850 --> 00:06:41.550 is already over. The lighting of the teepees 00:06:41.550 --> 00:06:44.149 every night is really cool. There's a market 00:06:44.149 --> 00:06:47.389 there. There's special guests and a potluck. 00:06:47.389 --> 00:06:49.970 I will have the link in the show notes for this 00:06:49.970 --> 00:06:52.850 as well. I thought that this was going to be 00:06:52.850 --> 00:06:55.110 later, so I apologize that I missed this and 00:06:55.110 --> 00:06:57.910 did not mention it in the event section last 00:06:57.910 --> 00:07:00.709 week, but you can still catch it August 2nd to 00:07:00.709 --> 00:07:05.250 August 8th. So you have a few days and it's really 00:07:05.250 --> 00:07:09.620 cool if at the very least you just go. To Gardener 00:07:09.620 --> 00:07:12.779 at in the evening and just see the teepees just 00:07:12.779 --> 00:07:15.240 illuminate right by the arch and then the mountains 00:07:15.240 --> 00:07:17.500 in the background It's truly spectacular really 00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:20.540 gorgeous and everybody there is really sharing 00:07:20.540 --> 00:07:23.139 a lot of vital information That's really cool 00:07:23.139 --> 00:07:26.300 to know so check that out again. I'll share more 00:07:26.300 --> 00:07:29.899 information in the show notes My experience of 00:07:29.899 --> 00:07:33.540 the week looking for wildlife in the slow season 00:07:34.200 --> 00:07:36.459 It shouldn't come as a secret to listeners of 00:07:36.459 --> 00:07:39.759 this podcast that the peak of summer is the hardest 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:41.980 time to see all of the wildlife you're hoping 00:07:41.980 --> 00:07:44.759 to see while visiting the park. It isn't that 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:47.199 all the wildlife has gone from the park, it's 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:49.300 just that those of us fortunate enough to be 00:07:49.300 --> 00:07:52.339 here all the time are spoiled with May and June 00:07:52.339 --> 00:07:54.980 and then again September and October when we 00:07:54.980 --> 00:07:57.899 can really see everything. And while those months 00:07:57.899 --> 00:08:00.980 are insanely good for wildlife viewing, These 00:08:00.980 --> 00:08:03.459 months are known as the slow wildlife watching 00:08:03.459 --> 00:08:06.620 season for a lot of people. However, August still 00:08:06.620 --> 00:08:08.839 holds some of the best surprises and moments 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:11.480 that make it such an important time to visit. 00:08:12.259 --> 00:08:14.379 Now, obviously the highlight is always the bison 00:08:14.379 --> 00:08:16.720 rut in August. The bison rut pops off and it 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:20.500 is just pure energy and awesomeness. Bison are 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:23.139 rolling around in the dirt. They're running after 00:08:23.139 --> 00:08:25.980 each other. You can hear grunts from miles away. 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:29.959 It is truly a fantastic time. If you go to Lamar 00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:32.320 Valley or Hayden Valley, you are going to see 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.179 the bison rut going on. Pretty much guaranteed. 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:38.080 Sometimes the bison roam around and aren't quite 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:41.080 as visible from right next to the road. But generally, 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:43.460 if you go to either of those two valleys, you 00:08:43.460 --> 00:08:45.679 are going to have bison sightings, you're going 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:47.740 to see rut activity, and it's going to be really 00:08:47.740 --> 00:08:50.620 cool. One positive thing about the rut going 00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:54.179 on too for wildlife watching is It's not positive 00:08:54.179 --> 00:08:56.000 for the bison, but it's positive for wildlife 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:58.059 watching and I want to make sure to make that 00:08:58.059 --> 00:09:02.820 clear But if you are out watching the rut sometimes 00:09:02.820 --> 00:09:06.639 bison get injured during the rut injured animals 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:11.120 will be hunted by wolves and Then they will be 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:14.259 eaten by other predators when they're dead so 00:09:14.429 --> 00:09:17.350 As morbid as it is, sometimes bison get injured, 00:09:17.450 --> 00:09:20.690 sometimes they die, and those bison become food. 00:09:21.330 --> 00:09:24.169 So if you want to see things that are really 00:09:24.169 --> 00:09:27.210 cool and maybe graphic, hanging out by the bison 00:09:27.210 --> 00:09:30.429 rut allows you another opportunity to see some 00:09:30.429 --> 00:09:32.690 of those things. They're not guaranteed, obviously, 00:09:32.730 --> 00:09:36.769 but when there is lots of activity like this, 00:09:37.230 --> 00:09:39.889 everything kind of comes alive. I'm not going 00:09:39.889 --> 00:09:42.210 to talk much more about the bison rut. throughout 00:09:42.210 --> 00:09:44.529 all of this because i've talked about it a lot 00:09:44.529 --> 00:09:47.190 and there's other things that are going on wildlife 00:09:47.190 --> 00:09:51.029 wise especially in august and right now i wrote 00:09:51.029 --> 00:09:52.830 this out and then i was in the park today and 00:09:52.830 --> 00:09:56.169 i was hoping that it was true because the timing 00:09:56.169 --> 00:10:00.830 of this is you know just dumb luck and it's happening 00:10:00.830 --> 00:10:05.120 right now there are some Bull elk that are hanging 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.679 out around mammoth around some of the females 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:11.100 and they're already starting to do just the earliest 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:14.299 signs of rut activity I didn't hear any bugling 00:10:14.299 --> 00:10:18.299 today, but there's elk with Antlers coming in 00:10:18.299 --> 00:10:20.720 to mammoth and it's really cool I've also seen 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:23.259 some great pictures of some bull elk around the 00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:27.100 lake area out along the Madison So this is a 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:29.700 time when the elk rut really starts to happen 00:10:29.700 --> 00:10:33.039 And I know August is kind of the time where we 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:35.379 get most visitors We get almost a million visitors 00:10:35.379 --> 00:10:37.320 to the park in August and everybody wants to 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:39.940 see bears and wolves Bears and wolves are still 00:10:39.940 --> 00:10:43.259 possible to see but you might have to shift your 00:10:43.259 --> 00:10:47.049 expectations on what you really will see expect 00:10:47.049 --> 00:10:49.370 that if you see a bear or wolf, it's going to 00:10:49.370 --> 00:10:52.009 be luck and good timing on your part. There's 00:10:52.009 --> 00:10:54.710 not much you can do to control that. However, 00:10:54.830 --> 00:10:58.649 you can control seeing elk, seeing bison, seeing 00:10:58.649 --> 00:11:00.889 the pronghorn with their babies still, seeing 00:11:00.889 --> 00:11:05.250 all of the newly fledged flying around eagles 00:11:05.250 --> 00:11:07.909 and osprey that are all around the park. It's 00:11:07.909 --> 00:11:10.830 a time of lots of energy. It just has shifted 00:11:10.830 --> 00:11:14.980 from that insanity that is May and early June. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:17.799 July is kind of a balanced period and then August 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:20.679 has that feeling, like I said, of slowing down. 00:11:21.220 --> 00:11:23.840 But it's only because the larger predators, especially 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:26.240 the bears, do go higher up into the mountains 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:29.730 and are a little harder to see. bear spotting 00:11:29.730 --> 00:11:32.570 is much harder to see right now. And as frustrating 00:11:32.570 --> 00:11:35.970 as that is, it does make those sightings that 00:11:35.970 --> 00:11:38.389 much more unique. I'll talk about where to go 00:11:38.389 --> 00:11:40.710 in the wildlife report, but I want you to know 00:11:40.710 --> 00:11:42.950 if you're coming to the park right now, set those 00:11:42.950 --> 00:11:45.049 bear expectations a little lower. If you saw 00:11:45.049 --> 00:11:47.110 people that came in May or June and you're like, 00:11:47.289 --> 00:11:49.730 I want to see that, that's a special time of 00:11:49.730 --> 00:11:52.950 the year. That only happens then. This is a different 00:11:52.950 --> 00:11:55.289 time of the year that is still really good It's 00:11:55.289 --> 00:11:57.769 just not as consistent and not as close to the 00:11:57.769 --> 00:11:59.549 road So you're gonna have to put in some work 00:11:59.549 --> 00:12:02.970 or just like I said have some luck Yellowstone 00:12:02.970 --> 00:12:05.490 is all about luck in timing and there's nothing 00:12:05.490 --> 00:12:08.409 you can do about it you can race here and there 00:12:08.409 --> 00:12:12.269 and hope to see things at the crack of dawn and 00:12:12.269 --> 00:12:14.750 Then you may see nothing and then you'll drive 00:12:14.750 --> 00:12:17.190 you'll leave it'll be noon You'll round a corner 00:12:17.190 --> 00:12:19.450 and there'll be a wolf that's happened to me. 00:12:19.470 --> 00:12:21.909 It's happened to a lot of people and it's just 00:12:21.870 --> 00:12:25.730 how Yellowstone operates. One place I can't recommend 00:12:25.730 --> 00:12:29.250 enough for just a unique wildlife watching experience. 00:12:29.769 --> 00:12:31.789 If you're dead set on seeing some babies and 00:12:31.789 --> 00:12:34.370 seeing some animals running around wildflowers, 00:12:34.649 --> 00:12:36.830 really increasing your grizzly opportunities, 00:12:37.269 --> 00:12:40.350 as well as some cool marmots and picas, go up 00:12:40.350 --> 00:12:42.879 to the Beartooth Highway. I know it's an added 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:45.980 drive. I know that it's not necessarily on everyone's 00:12:45.980 --> 00:12:49.539 itinerary, but going up there right now is truly 00:12:49.539 --> 00:12:52.879 beautiful. And I will tell everybody to do it. 00:12:53.620 --> 00:12:55.580 And very few people take me up on this. And those 00:12:55.580 --> 00:12:57.399 that do are always like, wow, that was amazing. 00:12:57.820 --> 00:12:59.500 Well, not everyone, but you know what I mean. 00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:03.080 There's baby mountain goats. I almost call them 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:04.820 big corn sheep. One of the things that a lot 00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:07.700 of people do out here is they conflate Big horn 00:13:07.700 --> 00:13:09.759 sheep with mountain goats. Mountain goats are 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:13.379 white and have pointy horns. Big horn sheep have 00:13:13.379 --> 00:13:15.419 the curled horns, at least the males do. The 00:13:15.419 --> 00:13:17.759 females have pointy horns, but they're not like 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:20.340 bright white. Anyway, that's a complete aside. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:24.539 Wildlife watching right now is very good. It's 00:13:24.539 --> 00:13:27.720 just at a slower pace. If you go out in the morning, 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:30.340 you go out in the evenings, you're going to have 00:13:30.340 --> 00:13:32.549 your best luck. the temperatures are going to 00:13:32.549 --> 00:13:34.830 be pretty hot this week and everything gets a 00:13:34.830 --> 00:13:38.009 little lazy then so you still might see things 00:13:38.009 --> 00:13:40.490 during the middle of the day but please know 00:13:40.490 --> 00:13:44.289 that if you're dead set on seeing the big animals 00:13:44.289 --> 00:13:48.169 aside from bison you need to be up early you 00:13:48.169 --> 00:13:51.389 need to stay up a little late and you should 00:13:51.389 --> 00:13:53.509 see something if you put in enough time also 00:13:53.509 --> 00:13:56.769 like i said it's just luck sometimes you're just 00:13:56.769 --> 00:14:00.700 in the wrong place at the wrong time but There's 00:14:00.700 --> 00:14:03.259 so many opportunities for great moments that 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:05.639 don't revolve around making sure you get that 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:09.100 checklist of animals so Wildlife watching is 00:14:09.100 --> 00:14:11.440 still good. It's gonna be slower. It's gonna 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:13.240 put a little you're gonna need to put in a little 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:17.700 more work But I like this time of the year. I've 00:14:17.700 --> 00:14:20.120 had some my better wildlife sightings in August 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:23.740 and If you're here long enough, or you have good 00:14:23.740 --> 00:14:26.820 luck or Yellowstone just blesses you you are 00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:30.539 going to see amazing things My tip of the week, 00:14:31.019 --> 00:14:33.340 there return a wildfire smoke and how to deal 00:14:33.340 --> 00:14:36.340 with it when you're visiting Yellowstone. So 00:14:36.340 --> 00:14:38.039 if you're here in the park this coming week, 00:14:38.440 --> 00:14:40.279 you're probably going to notice some wildfire 00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:42.519 smoke drifting in the region from fires burning 00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:45.679 outside the park. While hazy skies are never 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:48.159 ideal, they don't have to put a damper on your 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:51.700 vacation. Smoke conditions out here change dramatically 00:14:51.700 --> 00:14:53.980 throughout the day. Sometimes it's going to be 00:14:53.980 --> 00:14:55.759 really smoky in the morning and then blow out 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:59.039 other times the smoke will roll in. Smoke will 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:02.340 impact your visit here and there but you can 00:15:02.340 --> 00:15:05.240 still enjoy incredible wildlife watching, hiking, 00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:08.519 geyser gazing, and photography by staying flexible 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:11.559 and planning around the conditions. A little 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:13.940 preparation go a long way toward making the most 00:15:13.940 --> 00:15:16.779 of your time here and this is what I'm going 00:15:16.779 --> 00:15:18.759 to tell you kind of what you can do and just 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:22.879 be ready. Obviously if you have any condition 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:26.179 that makes smoke in the air a problem. It's not 00:15:26.179 --> 00:15:28.519 going to be ideal. I do know of some people who 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:31.320 that impacts, and they canceled the trip to Glacier 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:34.100 because the smoke was just so bad up there. However, 00:15:34.460 --> 00:15:36.399 it doesn't look like it's going to be super bad 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:39.440 this coming week. It could all change, but it's 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.600 not worth canceling your trip over right now. 00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:44.480 So here we go with some tips I have for you all. 00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:48.190 The best way to know what the air is going to 00:15:48.190 --> 00:15:50.590 be like during your visit is to check the air 00:15:50.590 --> 00:15:53.990 quality index or AQI before heading out each 00:15:53.990 --> 00:15:56.750 morning. The National Park Service provides real 00:15:56.750 --> 00:15:59.429 time air quality information for monitoring stations 00:15:59.429 --> 00:16:02.470 both in and around Yellowstone and I have a link 00:16:02.470 --> 00:16:04.529 to that in the show notes. You can see what the 00:16:04.529 --> 00:16:07.549 AQI is that day and it's an easy to understand 00:16:07.549 --> 00:16:10.210 color scale. Green indicates good air, yellow 00:16:10.210 --> 00:16:12.429 means moderate conditions, orange signals that 00:16:12.429 --> 00:16:14.350 sensitive groups should limit prolonged outdoor 00:16:14.350 --> 00:16:17.350 exertion, and red indicates unhealthy air for 00:16:17.350 --> 00:16:20.110 everyone. Because Yellowstone covers more than 00:16:20.110 --> 00:16:23.929 2 .2 million acres, air quality can considerably 00:16:23.929 --> 00:16:26.830 differ from one area of the park to another. 00:16:27.289 --> 00:16:29.990 One section may have noticeably hazier skies, 00:16:30.190 --> 00:16:33.539 while another remains clear. And that just depends 00:16:33.539 --> 00:16:36.039 on wind direction, location of the incoming smoke, 00:16:36.419 --> 00:16:38.440 and how the mountains interact and all of that. 00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:41.299 Obviously, if you're planning to take a hike 00:16:41.299 --> 00:16:44.379 or other physical activities, you're going to 00:16:44.379 --> 00:16:46.399 have to do a little bit of planning if the smoke 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:49.870 is bad. Mornings are sometimes your best opportunity, 00:16:50.450 --> 00:16:52.629 as overnight weather patterns can sometimes improve 00:16:52.629 --> 00:16:54.909 local air quality before daytime winds begin, 00:16:55.350 --> 00:16:57.590 but that's not always the case. For instance, 00:16:57.830 --> 00:17:00.610 today, on Wednesday, it was smokier in the morning 00:17:00.610 --> 00:17:03.470 and then cleared out a bit in the park. If the 00:17:03.470 --> 00:17:06.710 air does become hazier later in the day, or even 00:17:06.710 --> 00:17:09.690 in the morning, consider shifting to lower impact 00:17:09.690 --> 00:17:12.450 activities like walking a boardwalk, watching 00:17:12.450 --> 00:17:15.769 wildlife, enjoying a ranger program, spending 00:17:15.769 --> 00:17:18.390 time at the visitor centers or museums, you know 00:17:18.390 --> 00:17:21.089 things like that. The main thing to do when it 00:17:21.089 --> 00:17:24.250 is smoky is to keep remaining flexible with your 00:17:24.250 --> 00:17:27.049 itinerary because you just can't control some 00:17:27.049 --> 00:17:30.890 things. And while the smoke is bad or can be 00:17:30.890 --> 00:17:34.869 bad at times and bad for you, there are some 00:17:34.869 --> 00:17:37.170 times where it has an unexpected silver lining 00:17:37.170 --> 00:17:41.019 for photographers. Sunrises and sunsets during 00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:43.799 smoky periods in Yellowstone are some of my favorite 00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:45.940 sunrise and sunset pictures I've ever taken. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:49.740 You get this glowing red orb. The clouds have 00:17:49.740 --> 00:17:53.380 a decent haze to them. It's just so unique. It 00:17:53.380 --> 00:17:55.500 looks otherworldly and a lot of Yellowstone looks 00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:57.819 otherworldly anyway, so it just adds to that. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:59.940 If you're a photographer and you're here when 00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:01.759 it's smoky and you're just like, oh, that's going 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:04.000 to ruin everything. It's not. You may have to 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.900 change some settings around to handle it, but 00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:08.980 it's really cool. It's also worth remembering 00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:11.720 when visiting the park and it's smoky out that 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:14.880 you aren't just here for those big vistas. You're 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:16.700 still going to be able to see Old Faithful's 00:18:16.700 --> 00:18:18.740 eruption just fine. You're going to see the colorful 00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:22.660 hot springs, the mud pots, see wildlife, enjoy 00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:25.500 the waterfalls, and all of those things that 00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:27.720 are there because it's not just about the big 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:30.359 views. It's about the smaller moments too. While 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:33.420 the haze and the smoke could roll in and block 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:37.619 visibility a mile or three or five away. You're 00:18:37.619 --> 00:18:39.460 still gonna have everything right up front and 00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:43.559 ahead of you Perfect and wonderful. So if it 00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:45.720 is gonna be smoky this week, which I can't really 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:48.319 predict But it looks like it's gonna be a little 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:52.359 smoky then do the best that you can check that 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:55.900 a QI Talk to the park about where it may not 00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:58.240 be smoky But again that the main thing to do 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:01.259 check that a QI and just kind of go out and have 00:19:01.259 --> 00:19:04.819 the best day you can Smoke will impact you if 00:19:04.819 --> 00:19:07.529 it's around But you don't have to let it ruin 00:19:07.529 --> 00:19:10.730 everything. Obviously, if you have a health condition, 00:19:10.990 --> 00:19:15.509 I do want to say that it isn't great. And you 00:19:15.509 --> 00:19:17.569 may want to look into something different if 00:19:17.569 --> 00:19:19.329 you have a severe health condition where smoke 00:19:19.329 --> 00:19:21.990 impacts you. Otherwise looks to be OK this week. 00:19:22.990 --> 00:19:25.990 My random Yellowstone fact of the week, the boat 00:19:25.990 --> 00:19:29.069 on Grand Prismatic. Most people who stand on 00:19:29.069 --> 00:19:31.109 the boardwalk overlooking Grand Prismatic or 00:19:31.109 --> 00:19:33.990 going up to the overlook never imagined that 00:19:33.990 --> 00:19:36.269 scientists once floated a boat across its nearly 00:19:36.269 --> 00:19:39.069 boiling waters. Yet for a brief period in the 00:19:39.069 --> 00:19:42.670 90s, 1990s, a specifically designed research 00:19:42.670 --> 00:19:45.569 vessel called the Little Dipper allowed geologists 00:19:45.569 --> 00:19:48.049 to venture into the center of Yellowstone's largest 00:19:48.049 --> 00:19:50.829 hot springs collecting measurements and observations 00:19:50.829 --> 00:19:53.930 from parts of the spring that had never been 00:19:53.930 --> 00:19:56.920 directly studied. It remains one of Yellowstone's 00:19:56.920 --> 00:19:59.359 most memorable hydrothermal research projects 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:01.579 and helps scientists better understand one of 00:20:01.579 --> 00:20:04.700 the park's most iconic natural wonders. Grand 00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:06.940 Frismatic Hot Spring is the largest hot spring 00:20:06.940 --> 00:20:08.779 in Yellowstone National Park and one of the largest 00:20:08.779 --> 00:20:10.880 in the world. According to the National Park 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:13.720 Service, it measures between 200 and 330 feet 00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:18.539 across and is more than 121 feet deep. Its striking 00:20:18.539 --> 00:20:20.579 blue center is surrounded by brilliant rings 00:20:20.579 --> 00:20:23.279 of yellow, orange, and red and green created 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:26.160 by communities of heat -loving microorganisms 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:29.700 known as thermophiles. While the spring has fascinated 00:20:29.700 --> 00:20:32.700 visitors for generations, its immense size made 00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:35.119 it difficult for scientists to fully understand 00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:38.720 what was happening beneath the surface. Studying 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.400 the spring from the shoreline could only reveal 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:44.700 so much about its depth, water circulation, temperatures, 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:48.950 and underwater structure. Yellowstone Park geologist 00:20:48.950 --> 00:20:51.549 Rich Hutchinson believed that there had to be 00:20:51.549 --> 00:20:55.589 a better way to study. In the early 1990s, he 00:20:55.589 --> 00:20:58.029 worked with Livingston, Montana boat builder 00:20:58.029 --> 00:21:00.789 Mark Poppett to create a small research boat 00:21:00.789 --> 00:21:03.029 specifically designed for Yellowstone's thermal 00:21:03.029 --> 00:21:05.950 features. The design drew inspiration from an 00:21:05.950 --> 00:21:08.190 earlier research craft that had been used in 00:21:08.190 --> 00:21:10.809 hot springs in New Zealand, but it was customized 00:21:10.809 --> 00:21:12.950 for the unique challenges found in Yellowstone. 00:21:13.650 --> 00:21:16.259 The result was Little Dipper. an eight -foot 00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:19.539 long, four -foot wide vessel built with multiple 00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:22.200 flotation chambers that would keep it afloat 00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:24.559 even if the hull were compromised while operating 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:26.960 on some of the hottest water found anywhere in 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:30.279 the National Park Service. Before tackling Grand 00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:32.720 Prismatic Hot Springs, the team tested the Little 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:36.180 Dipper on Emerald Pool in Black Sand Basin. Once 00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:37.859 they were confident in the boat's design and 00:21:37.859 --> 00:21:40.460 performance, they turned their attention to Yellowstone's 00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:44.130 largest hot springs. One of the boat's most innovative 00:21:44.130 --> 00:21:46.769 features was a circular opening in the middle 00:21:46.769 --> 00:21:49.549 of the hull. This porthole allowed scientists 00:21:49.549 --> 00:21:52.049 to lower instruments directly into the hot springs 00:21:52.049 --> 00:21:54.369 without having to lean over the side of the boat. 00:21:55.230 --> 00:21:57.990 Researchers could collect water samples, measure 00:21:57.990 --> 00:22:01.269 temperature at certain depths, and gather information 00:22:01.269 --> 00:22:03.470 about the chemistry and circulation of the spring 00:22:03.470 --> 00:22:06.150 while remaining safely seated in the center of 00:22:06.150 --> 00:22:10.450 the vessel. In 1996, Hutchinson and Yellowstone 00:22:10.450 --> 00:22:13.509 National Park photographer Jim Pico carefully 00:22:13.509 --> 00:22:15.849 rode Little Dipper onto Grand Prismatic Spring. 00:22:16.809 --> 00:22:19.410 The pictures from that day have since become 00:22:19.410 --> 00:22:21.829 some of the most recognizable images of scientific 00:22:21.829 --> 00:22:24.890 research ever conducted in Yellowstone. While 00:22:24.890 --> 00:22:26.950 it's easy to think, oh, they just went on a boat 00:22:26.950 --> 00:22:30.490 ride, the scientific research that they did was 00:22:30.490 --> 00:22:34.700 very difficult and very dangerous. The temperature 00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:38.700 in the spring is about 199 degrees Fahrenheit, 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:40.819 meaning that falling into the spring would almost 00:22:40.819 --> 00:22:43.619 have certainly been fatal within seconds. The 00:22:43.619 --> 00:22:45.500 danger of the work became the source of one of 00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:47.900 Hutchinson's most memorable comments. According 00:22:47.900 --> 00:22:51.720 to the USGS, the researchers did not wear life 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:53.660 jackets during the expedition, even though they 00:22:53.660 --> 00:22:57.299 were constantly told to. When asked why, Hutchinson 00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:59.680 reportedly joked, it's not going to be much of 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:02.339 use if you go into the drink. His dark humor 00:23:02.339 --> 00:23:04.900 reflected at the reality that no safety vest 00:23:04.900 --> 00:23:07.380 could protect someone from the boiling water. 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:10.700 The expedition allowed scientists to gather valuable 00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:12.700 information directly from the middle of Grand 00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:15.240 Prismatic Spring. They measured the temperatures, 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:17.740 like I said, and did all of these things that 00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:20.400 really helped them understand how the different 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:25.279 communities of thermophilic microorganisms occupied 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:27.339 the different temperature zones around the spring. 00:23:27.819 --> 00:23:29.819 And that helped better understand just how the 00:23:29.849 --> 00:23:33.690 Grand Prismatic worked. Determining the spring's 00:23:33.690 --> 00:23:36.230 depth was a little more complicated than expected. 00:23:36.750 --> 00:23:38.710 Hutchinson lowered a sounding line from the boat 00:23:38.710 --> 00:23:41.710 and measured more than 120 feet. He later questioned 00:23:41.710 --> 00:23:43.589 whether the sounding line may have folded over 00:23:43.589 --> 00:23:46.009 itself during the measurement, illustrating just 00:23:46.009 --> 00:23:48.730 how difficult it is to determine the spring's 00:23:48.730 --> 00:23:52.690 exact maximum depth. Today, the Park Service 00:23:52.690 --> 00:23:54.950 continues to list Grand Prismatic Spring as being 00:23:54.950 --> 00:23:59.069 more than 121 feet deep. So after the successful 00:23:59.069 --> 00:24:01.769 use of the Little Dipper, it was also used on 00:24:01.769 --> 00:24:04.130 morning glorying pool and frying pan spring. 00:24:04.930 --> 00:24:07.170 The boat even served another important purpose 00:24:07.170 --> 00:24:10.109 by helping people, scientists, remove trash that 00:24:10.109 --> 00:24:12.130 visitors had thrown into thermal features over 00:24:12.130 --> 00:24:14.390 the years. Coins, rocks, and other debris that 00:24:14.390 --> 00:24:16.950 can clog the underground plumbing systems were 00:24:16.950 --> 00:24:19.089 removed to better protect all of these features 00:24:19.089 --> 00:24:22.119 we love today. So Little Dipper is no longer 00:24:22.119 --> 00:24:24.720 used. Today, scientists have access to advanced 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:27.680 sensors, aerial imagery, remote monitoring equipment, 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:29.859 and other technologies that reduce the need to 00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:33.980 place researchers directly on this hazardous, 00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:38.000 dangerous pool. Even so, the Little Boat remains 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:40.680 an enduring symbol of scientific curiosity and 00:24:40.680 --> 00:24:43.789 ingenuity. It transformed Grand Prismatic Spring 00:24:43.789 --> 00:24:45.589 from something that could only be admired from 00:24:45.589 --> 00:24:48.549 the shore into a floating laboratory, helping 00:24:48.549 --> 00:24:51.109 researchers unlock new insight into one of the 00:24:51.109 --> 00:24:53.809 most extraordinary hydrothermal features on the 00:24:53.809 --> 00:24:58.150 planet. The weather for the coming week. As always, 00:24:58.329 --> 00:25:00.170 this is the best forecast I can give you at the 00:25:00.170 --> 00:25:02.490 time of the recording. I'm recording this at 00:25:02.490 --> 00:25:05.609 545 on Wednesday night. This is the latest record 00:25:05.609 --> 00:25:08.309 and turnaround time I've had in quite a while. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:11.359 We're gonna start as always with Lamar Valley 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:14.000 and the weather this week looks pretty good on 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:18.279 Thursday a high 85 a low of 43 Friday 88 and 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:23.799 48 Saturday 87 and 50 Sunday 85 and 48 Monday 00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:28.940 84 and 49 Tuesday 83 and 48 and Wednesday 80 00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:32.279 and 47 in Gardner, Montana It's gonna be a little 00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:35.980 hotter on Thursday a high 88 and a low of 45 00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:41.279 Friday 91 and 48 saturday 90 and 50 sunday 87 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:47.160 and 49 monday 87 and 49 tuesday 86 and 49 49 00:25:47.160 --> 00:25:50.500 is a popular temperature and wednesday 83 and 00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:55.279 48 in west yellowstone montana on Thursday 87 00:25:55.279 --> 00:26:00.359 and 40, Friday 89 and 42, Saturday 87 and 47, 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:06.299 Sunday 85 and 45, Monday 85 and 46, Tuesday 84 00:26:06.299 --> 00:26:11.380 and 44, and Wednesday 81 and 43. For Cody, Wyoming, 00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:15.680 Thursday has a high of 93, low of 57, Saturday 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:21.730 93 and 61, Saturday 90 5 and 64, Sunday 92 and 00:26:21.730 --> 00:26:27.109 60, Monday 90 and 62, Tuesday 89 and 61, and 00:26:27.109 --> 00:26:32.130 Wednesday 86 and 59. And finally Cook City, Montana. 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:37.339 On Thursday 80 and 46, Friday 82 and 50, Saturday 00:26:37.339 --> 00:26:42.700 83 and 51, Sunday 80 and 49, Monday 79 and 50, 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:47.880 Tuesday 79 and 49, and Wednesday 76 and 47 with 00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:51.119 a 10 % chance of rain. The road conditions for 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:54.220 the park. No main park roads are closed. There's 00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:56.259 construction here and there, but nothing too 00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:59.940 bad. It should be minimal delays. And just know 00:26:59.940 --> 00:27:03.529 if they're are any accidents or weather shifts 00:27:03.529 --> 00:27:05.589 or thunderstorms that cause any flooding or rock 00:27:05.589 --> 00:27:08.549 slides, the park will close the road and then 00:27:08.549 --> 00:27:11.109 clean it up. If you want up -to -date information, 00:27:11.490 --> 00:27:15.829 you can call 307 -344 -2117 for recorded information. 00:27:16.369 --> 00:27:18.700 I don't like that I say rec... information twice 00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:20.680 in there i need to change that can somebody remind 00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:23.880 me and then if you do want to sign up for road 00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:26.099 alerts on your cell phone it's what i do it's 00:27:26.099 --> 00:27:30.079 the best way to do it you can text 82190 to the 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:35.660 number 888777 camping information everything 00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:37.940 that's going to be open is currently open if 00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:40.220 you're camping it's absolutely great just stay 00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:42.259 away from wildlife and no wildlife does roam 00:27:42.259 --> 00:27:44.180 through campgrounds and there's not much we can 00:27:44.180 --> 00:27:48.180 do about that so stay safe stay alert The wildlife 00:27:48.180 --> 00:27:51.400 watching update so as I talked about earlier 00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:54.579 Wildlife watching is hit and miss right now What's 00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:57.319 pretty cool is the wolves have been viewed in 00:27:57.319 --> 00:27:59.279 the northern range really well from the forces 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:02.299 of nature trail I drove by this morning, and 00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:04.539 there were so many cars and tour groups everybody 00:28:04.829 --> 00:28:07.809 out there looking, it's awesome. Also if you 00:28:07.809 --> 00:28:10.569 go to Lamar, heard some wolf reports out there, 00:28:10.650 --> 00:28:13.369 so that's good. Some grizzlies up on the hillside 00:28:13.369 --> 00:28:16.089 out there as well. Bighorn sheep are visible 00:28:16.089 --> 00:28:18.049 from calcite springs again, at least they were 00:28:18.049 --> 00:28:21.329 the other day. And then bison are everywhere 00:28:21.329 --> 00:28:25.450 in Hayden and Lamar. Elk are starting to gather, 00:28:25.470 --> 00:28:28.170 like I said, in Mammoth and that's really fun. 00:28:28.170 --> 00:28:30.450 They're also out the north entrance as always. 00:28:30.769 --> 00:28:33.690 Pronghorn are out that way as well. And then 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:35.759 I've been seeing a lot of badgers. The other 00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:38.559 day I was at Slough Creek and I got done with 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:41.079 a tour. Shout out to my tour from last week. 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:45.019 They're awesome. And of course, they left and 00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:46.779 one minute later when I was talking to a ranger 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:49.900 about a horse I discovered. Long story there, 00:28:50.359 --> 00:28:54.220 but. When they left then immediately a badger 00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:56.339 came out and walked across the road I felt so 00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:58.619 bad that they left but you know again, it's that 00:28:58.619 --> 00:29:00.920 Yellowstone timing So there's a badger out there 00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:02.900 traipsing around in the middle of the day. That's 00:29:02.900 --> 00:29:04.970 time to see badgers you know, early morning, 00:29:04.970 --> 00:29:07.890 evening, but they're active during the day. And 00:29:07.890 --> 00:29:09.650 generally, I think wildlife watching is good 00:29:09.650 --> 00:29:10.890 right now. Like I said, you're going to have 00:29:10.890 --> 00:29:13.109 to put in the work. Going out to the east entrance 00:29:13.109 --> 00:29:15.750 road is a good idea. It's been decent out there 00:29:15.750 --> 00:29:18.750 for bears and bighorn sheep. Not how it used 00:29:18.750 --> 00:29:21.150 to be earlier in the year, but, you know, you 00:29:21.150 --> 00:29:23.839 could get lucky. Also, Beartooth Highway. That's 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:25.680 just what I'm telling people right now if you 00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:27.960 want mountain goats and things like that. It's 00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:30.279 a good time to be in the park. Wildlife watching 00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:33.880 is good. Early morning in the evening. Even get 00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:36.259 lucky with seeing animals during the middle of 00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:39.279 the day maybe. But you know, you see what you 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:41.980 see and that's the beauty of Yellowstone. Come 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:44.380 in. Hopefully you get to see everything. Oh yeah, 00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:47.369 there have been some moose out there. Northeast 00:29:47.369 --> 00:29:50.710 entrance as well. So they a couple of them have 00:29:50.710 --> 00:29:53.410 really large paddles their antlers and then yeah 00:29:53.410 --> 00:29:56.910 It's it's a good time if you need more tips reach 00:29:56.910 --> 00:29:58.750 out to me I've been trying to answer everybody 00:29:58.750 --> 00:30:01.369 that's been texting that's been emailing me. 00:30:01.410 --> 00:30:04.170 I'm a little behind on that I apologize, but 00:30:04.170 --> 00:30:08.160 I'm getting to it. I promise so thank you Quickly 00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:11.279 for my trail alerts and updates section the backcountry 00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:14.079 conditions page is updated again There are some 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:16.460 place that haven't been updated But generally 00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:18.579 you're gonna know what's going on just by checking 00:30:18.579 --> 00:30:21.140 that again a link in the show notes There should 00:30:21.140 --> 00:30:23.440 be three links in there if I forget I'll add 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:26.019 them as best I can if I don't add them and forget 00:30:26.019 --> 00:30:28.539 in the next Hour or two like I'm gonna finish 00:30:28.539 --> 00:30:30.339 recording this and then go eat dinner And then 00:30:30.339 --> 00:30:33.640 I'll post it if I forget somehow in transit message 00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:35.960 me. I will send you those links via email or 00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:39.230 text Alright, when you hike, please stay away 00:30:39.230 --> 00:30:42.250 from wildlife. 25 yards from bison, things like 00:30:42.250 --> 00:30:45.130 that. Make it 50 right now. If you see bison 00:30:45.130 --> 00:30:46.569 on the boardwalks, I've talked about this on 00:30:46.569 --> 00:30:48.410 my standalone bison episode. Never mind. Listen 00:30:48.410 --> 00:30:51.170 to that standalone bison episode. Also, carry 00:30:51.170 --> 00:30:53.650 bear spray. Have it readily accessible and not 00:30:53.650 --> 00:30:55.589 in the bottom of your backpack or the side of 00:30:55.589 --> 00:30:57.750 your backpack. Have it right where you can grab 00:30:57.750 --> 00:31:02.069 it quickly and know how to use it. My Trek of 00:31:02.069 --> 00:31:05.259 the Week. If you're looking for a hike in Yellowstone 00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:08.200 that combines a beautiful waterfall, quiet forest, 00:31:08.259 --> 00:31:10.420 and one of the park's best hidden views of Old 00:31:10.420 --> 00:31:13.400 Faithful, it's hard to top the Mystic Falls Trail. 00:31:14.579 --> 00:31:16.559 Now most people that hike this go just to the 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:18.200 falls, I'm going to tell you how to do it a little 00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:21.079 differently. This moderate hike is roughly four 00:31:21.079 --> 00:31:23.740 miles round trip, if you include the overlook, 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:26.339 which is about 600 feet of elevation gain. Now 00:31:26.339 --> 00:31:28.940 that is from the trailhead, so it's going to 00:31:28.940 --> 00:31:30.640 be, where you park now, it's going to be more 00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:34.400 like five miles. It delivers far more variety 00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:37.099 than it's relatively short distance would suggest, 00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:39.579 and it's really one of my favorite hikes in the 00:31:39.579 --> 00:31:41.720 Old Faithful area because you get to see something 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:45.210 cool. Normally hikers would begin at Biscuit 00:31:45.210 --> 00:31:48.569 Basin, but as you may know, things are a little 00:31:48.569 --> 00:31:51.670 different the last few years. Following the hydrothermal 00:31:51.670 --> 00:31:54.849 explosion at Black Diamond Pool in July of 2024, 00:31:55.509 --> 00:31:59.150 Biscuit Basin is still closed as they're evaluating 00:31:59.150 --> 00:32:01.269 what to do. That thing is still exploding off 00:32:01.269 --> 00:32:04.789 and on. It's not going to open for a while. Fortunately, 00:32:04.950 --> 00:32:08.259 after the bear attack had it closed again, Mystic 00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:11.180 Falls is still accessible and you can go out 00:32:11.180 --> 00:32:14.420 there But before you head out always swing by 00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:16.440 that old faithful visitor center and make sure 00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:20.559 that you know how it is Once you're on the trail 00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:23.500 and you're hiking the crowds begin to fade away 00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:26.839 pretty quick It's you know, the falls are pretty 00:32:26.839 --> 00:32:31.079 popular, but they're not that popular comparatively 00:32:31.079 --> 00:32:33.460 to how a lot of people think of national park 00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:35.839 hikes. You won't be alone going to the falls, 00:32:36.079 --> 00:32:37.920 but it's not going to be so overrun that it's 00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:39.599 not going to be enjoyable, more than likely. 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:41.559 Obviously a weekend could be a little different, 00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:45.480 but it's a great little path that winds through 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:48.720 a mature forest and then follows the little firehole 00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:52.009 river upstream. And it's not a bad start, it's 00:32:52.009 --> 00:32:54.470 just nice and relaxing, know that animals are 00:32:54.470 --> 00:32:56.509 there, you're going to have some squirrels, you're 00:32:56.509 --> 00:32:59.029 going to have maybe bison, and of course there 00:32:59.029 --> 00:33:03.170 are bears in the area so be aware. After a little 00:33:03.170 --> 00:33:05.329 more than a mile, you're going to start hearing 00:33:05.329 --> 00:33:08.970 Mystic Falls before it comes into view. The waterfall 00:33:08.970 --> 00:33:11.670 itself drops 70 feet over volcanic rock as it 00:33:11.670 --> 00:33:14.369 tumbles off the Madison Plateau into a narrow 00:33:14.369 --> 00:33:17.410 canyon below. It's one of Yellowstone's tallest, 00:33:17.430 --> 00:33:20.210 easily accessible waterfalls. How's that for 00:33:20.210 --> 00:33:23.170 a couple of caveats there? But it's really cool, 00:33:23.289 --> 00:33:25.430 the cool mist and rushing water make it a perfect 00:33:25.430 --> 00:33:27.609 place to pause for a few minutes, especially 00:33:27.609 --> 00:33:30.769 on a hot day. Many hikers will turn around here, 00:33:31.049 --> 00:33:32.509 and there's nothing wrong with that. If you hike 00:33:32.509 --> 00:33:34.650 there and you turn around, great. It's worth 00:33:34.650 --> 00:33:37.589 the walk alone. But if you have some energy and 00:33:37.589 --> 00:33:41.569 you want a really cool experience, the best experience, 00:33:41.569 --> 00:33:45.099 like, is... right up ahead after you climb a 00:33:45.099 --> 00:33:47.480 series of switchbacks. You know, the best things 00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:50.059 in life aren't easy, but they're worth it. So 00:33:50.059 --> 00:33:52.440 you go up the switchbacks, and that's the steepest 00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:54.640 part of the hike, but it doesn't last long. As 00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:57.299 you gain elevation, the forest gradually opens, 00:33:57.519 --> 00:33:59.400 revealing increasingly expansive views across 00:33:59.400 --> 00:34:02.180 the upper geyser basin. Eventually, you're going 00:34:02.180 --> 00:34:04.119 to reach one of Yellowstone's most underrated 00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:06.640 overlooks. There's no signs, there's nothing 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:09.949 there, but you'll know it. From the ridge, the 00:34:09.949 --> 00:34:13.010 entire upper geyser basin spreads out below with 00:34:13.010 --> 00:34:15.170 countless steam plumes if you're there in the 00:34:15.170 --> 00:34:17.789 morning or evening just rising for the landscape. 00:34:18.210 --> 00:34:20.969 On days with good visibility, you can sit there 00:34:20.969 --> 00:34:23.670 and watch Old Faithful erupt from nearly a mile 00:34:23.670 --> 00:34:26.889 away. It's so far away that you can watch it 00:34:26.889 --> 00:34:29.530 go off, you don't hear any sounds, you're just 00:34:29.530 --> 00:34:32.510 there and you're witnessing Old Faithful just 00:34:32.510 --> 00:34:36.530 in pure wilderness bliss from about a mile away. 00:34:37.429 --> 00:34:39.750 One important thing to do before you do this 00:34:39.750 --> 00:34:42.090 to catch a little fable is to check when it's 00:34:42.090 --> 00:34:45.789 going to erupt. If you miss an eruption and then 00:34:45.789 --> 00:34:47.929 you have to wait for quite a while, like it goes 00:34:47.929 --> 00:34:49.489 off when you're hiking and you have to wait there 00:34:49.489 --> 00:34:54.590 for 85ish minutes or so, then it's not necessarily 00:34:54.590 --> 00:34:57.750 going to be the most fun wait. So try and time 00:34:57.750 --> 00:35:00.309 it. I talked last week about geyser predictions 00:35:00.309 --> 00:35:03.170 and all of that. Check that out and then time 00:35:03.170 --> 00:35:06.280 your hike. to try and do it so you can sit there 00:35:06.280 --> 00:35:09.079 for 20 -30 minutes, watch it erupt, then hike 00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:11.980 down. When you hike down you can either retrace 00:35:11.980 --> 00:35:14.699 your steps or you can continue along the Mystic 00:35:14.699 --> 00:35:18.039 Falls Loop Trail which eventually reconnects 00:35:18.039 --> 00:35:20.739 with the back of the Geyser Basin and then back 00:35:20.739 --> 00:35:23.500 the way you came. I like to do the loop on this 00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:25.639 just because you get different views and you 00:35:25.639 --> 00:35:28.889 might see some animals or something. Well access 00:35:28.889 --> 00:35:31.429 has changed because of that biscuit base enclosure 00:35:31.429 --> 00:35:34.250 Mystic Falls is still one of the rewarding little 00:35:34.250 --> 00:35:37.670 hikes in the park and if you can do it do it 00:35:37.670 --> 00:35:41.449 bring plenty of water carry bear spray and Give 00:35:41.449 --> 00:35:44.750 yourself enough time to really make an opportunity 00:35:44.750 --> 00:35:47.630 to get up to the overlook and watch old faithful 00:35:47.630 --> 00:35:50.849 erupt It's one of my favorite underrated things 00:35:50.849 --> 00:35:53.309 to do. I hope you have an opportunity to do it. 00:35:53.309 --> 00:35:55.800 Like I said Old Faithful is about a mile away. 00:35:55.900 --> 00:35:58.159 It's not going to be close, but it's just so 00:35:58.159 --> 00:36:01.960 cool to be that far away. And sometimes it's 00:36:01.960 --> 00:36:04.719 nice in life to get a different perspective from 00:36:04.719 --> 00:36:08.079 things. If you've seen Old Faithful from the 00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:10.039 boardwalk right there and then you've gone to 00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:11.780 the overlook at Old Faithful and you've seen 00:36:11.780 --> 00:36:14.619 it from all the normal places, this is that next 00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:17.539 place to go. And you just get to hang out in 00:36:17.539 --> 00:36:20.139 nature and just watch the geyser basin for as 00:36:20.139 --> 00:36:23.650 long as you want. I hope you hiked this. If I'm 00:36:23.650 --> 00:36:27.210 there, I hope to see you there. And that's it 00:36:27.210 --> 00:36:29.789 for this week. In next week's episode, I'm going 00:36:29.789 --> 00:36:31.570 to return with all the information you need to 00:36:31.570 --> 00:36:33.909 have a good week in the park, including the wildlife 00:36:33.909 --> 00:36:37.110 weather and trail updates. Until then, pick up 00:36:37.110 --> 00:36:39.110 a guidebook of mine. Tell your friends about 00:36:39.110 --> 00:36:42.610 this podcast. Know that I truly appreciate you 00:36:42.610 --> 00:36:45.050 all for listening and I'll see you next week. 00:36:45.289 --> 00:36:59.309 Well, I'll talk to you next week. Bye. Abrupt 00:36:59.309 --> 00:37:01.750 ending! This week in Yellowstone is brought to 00:37:01.750 --> 00:37:03.989 you by the Outdoor Society. That's my company. 00:37:04.409 --> 00:37:06.690 It's just me, I do this, it's a labor of love. 00:37:07.050 --> 00:37:09.309 If you like it, tell your friends, rate and review 00:37:09.309 --> 00:37:12.610 it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening 00:37:12.610 --> 00:37:15.449 and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright 00:37:15.449 --> 00:37:17.010 2026, baby!