From Yellowstone National Park where the sage
has been smelling amazing in the early morning
hours after an evening rain 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 August
20th to August 26th 2026, I talk about the dirt
road that's found just outside of the park that
few people ever drive. I tell you about the history
of glaciers in the park and what they left behind,
and offer a reminder to leave things where you
found them in the park. 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 may miss
a few details here and there. That's just me
trying to be a little more brief. I could easily
make this podcast two hours every week, but no
one wants that. And if you do, maybe I'll launch
a Patreon or something and you can hear me ramble
for an hour or two a week. But until then, just
know that I'm going to miss some details because
I'm trying to be brief. Also know that I mentioned
park locations very casually. So if you're unfamiliar
with anywhere I'm talking about, a quick search
can help or you can reach out to. to me directly,
you can text me at 406 -589 -1873 or shoot me
an email at theoutdoorsocietyatgmail .com. Now
I do want to say that those of you that have
texted me and emailed me, I'm trying to catch
up. It's been a busy last month. So if you messaged
me, sent me something, I apologize for not getting
to it. Everything just gets stacked up and I
do the best I can. So apologies. Please, if it's
pressing and coming up, reach out to me again.
It's not a personal thing. I do try and respond
to every single person that reaches out. So reach
back out to me. I'll try and catch up in the
next week or so, and I'll do my best. Finally,
please know that this podcast is a passion project
of mine. If you enjoy it, I'd love a review online
at whatever, wherever you listen to it. So if
it's like Apple podcasts, review their Spotify,
review it there, or just shoot me a quick email.
I like getting those. It's really nice every
week to get so many wonderful message from all
of you listeners because, you know, I'm just
recording this in my little studio office and
there isn't like anybody here to tell me if I'm
rambling or not. I know I'm rambling right now,
but I appreciate all of your contact that you've
done reaching out to me, telling that you like
what I do. So thank you so much. If you want
to support me more, you can check out my hiking
and wildlife watching guidebooks, or you can
join me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's
backcountry. For more information and all that,
visit outdoor -society .com or contact me directly,
again 406 -589 -1873 or theoutdoorsocietyatgmail
.com. This week's Yellowstone news. The proposed
highway near Yellowstone. If you've been online,
you may have seen that there is a proposed interstate
that will run from Texas to Montana, and there's
a lot of different rumors going around and a
lot of worry, and I want to talk about what that
proposed highway means to Yellowstone National
Park specifically. So here's what I wrote to
summarize all of the news about it. A proposed
interstate could bring major changes to US 287
around the Greater Yellowstone Region, but it
will not turn Yellowstone National Park's existing
roads into an interstate or automatically widen
the roads inside the park. The I -47 Future Interstate
Act of 2026 would designate US 287, which runs
from Port Arthur, Texas, to Montana, as future
Interstate 47. Importantly, US 287 is officially
discontinuous through Yellowstone National Park.
The roads inside the park are National Park Service
roads, not US 287. Again, this could be a new
interstate, but it will not be an interstate
through Yellowstone National Park. Their proposal
could nevertheless have significant implications
outside of the park, especially along that Greater
Yellowstone ecosystem near West Yellowstone,
Madison Valley, and then kind of that southeast
side as well. Converting the mostly two -lane
highway to an interstate could eventually require
substantial improvements depending on how the
designation is implemented and what projects
are actually funded. The main concern is that
the future highway upgrades on the existing two
-lane highway to an interstate would increase
traffic volumes, increase vehicle speed, and
make the physical footprint of the road much
higher which would result in fragmenting key
habitat, impeding wildlife movement, polluting
rivers, and impacting the heritage and rural
character of our region. Obviously this is still
just out there being floated but there's a lot
of talk about it and I wanted to mention it because
I've also seen a lot of people saying they're
gonna build a four -lane highway through Yellowstone
National Park and that is fundamentally not true.
Proposal for this interstate does not cover park
roads. They would have to change things substantially
and That's just not gonna happen. It's The amount
of funding the amount of red tape that there's
going to be for this it's just not going to happen
now the impact of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem
with A highway like this could be huge, especially
if they decide not to do wildlife overpasses
every mile or two or things like that. That's
really going to negatively impact the region.
I'll talk about that more as we get there, but
I just wanted to mention that I've seen a lot
of chatter online and had to address it. One
other thing I'm going to talk about in the future,
but not this episode because we're still waiting,
is the fate of the molly pack. The mollies left
Yellowstone a while ago and they are out of the
park in Wyoming. And Wyoming is not exactly the
best place for wolves to go outside of park protection.
I could talk about this again for a long time.
I'm not going to right now, but just know that
we're still waiting on confirmation if the mollies
return to the park or are still out. Right now,
it's just a big question mark. My experience
of the week. Grassy Lake Road. I often talk about
scenic roads in the park tucked away off the
main areas. I've also been known to constantly
tell people to drive the Beartooth Highway, Chief
Joseph, and the road between the east entrance
and Cody. I even recommend driving Old Yellowstone
Road north of the park. This week, I'm continuing
my tradition of telling you to find the roads
less traveled while visiting Yellowstone and
highlighting the often overlooked Grassy Lake
Road. Located just a few miles south of the south
entrance between Yellowstone and the Tetons,
Grassy Lake Road is a 36 -mile road, 35 of which
are dirt and gravel, that connects the John D.
Rockefeller Memorial John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Memorial Parkway to just outside of Ashton, Idaho.
While you may already be perking up hearing about
this hidden scenic road, I ask you to pump the
brakes for a little bit. Grassy Lake Road is
not a casual drive. The road is oftentimes washboarded,
sometimes rutted, sometimes full of deep potholes.
It is windy and always narrow. The National Park
Service takes this one step further and recommends
a high clearance vehicle. Usually I'm a bit lax
about warnings like this, like, oh, you can make
it. But this is correct. I want to say that even
those route looks short on a map, the conditions
of the road can easily take an hour to each way
without stops. And this is not something to do
in a camper van, in a RV or in a vehicle that
does not do well on very, I'll call them rustic
roads. Now, if you do have a car that's capable
of driving on some really bumpy, not ideal roads,
this is for you. Starting at Flag Ranch, the
first couple of miles are probably the easiest
part of the drive. The road leaves the Snake
River and passes through lodgepole forests and
meadows, and in the first few miles, you're still
close to the services of Flag Ranch, which is
also known as Headwaters, where you can get fuel,
food, and other supplies. After those first few
miles, though, the pavement is long gone and
the road becomes a very bumpy gravel route that
continues west. This is an area where wildlife
is common, so I'd take the curve slowly. I would
stop at any place you have good visibility and
scan for moose, elk, deer, and bears, especially
as we get a little later in this month. At about
11 miles in, you reach Grassy Lake Reservoir,
and this is one of the landmarks that gives the
road its name. It's a good place to slow down,
take in the scenery, get out of the car, wander,
because the road's just kind of settled into
what it's going to be for the next little bit.
At and around the reservoir, there are some trailheads,
there's a couple side roads to get to another
little lake. This is a good place to really wander
and see what else is out there if you have time.
I really like around the reservoir a lot, and
if this is where you just decide to drive to
and turn around, you've had a good time. I forgot
to mention that when you're driving out here,
really make sure to keep an eye out just for
cool spots to get out and wander for a little
bit. When you get out of the car, always carry
bear spray. This is a heavy bear area, but it's
worth it to just explore because it's a really
overlooked, very pretty section of country. So
from roughly 11 to 20 miles, you're continuing
west through increasingly remote country. There's
more trailheads, there's more side roads, and
this is just So cool, so remote, so scenic. I
really like being out here in the morning or
the evening, especially when the sun's low on
the horizon. There's a little smoke in the air
and makes it all look very scenic as well. Again,
though, once you're driving out here, know that
you're not going to be driving fast. You're not
going to be able to make up time for all your
stops. You're going to have loose gravel, washboards,
potholes, narrow sections, and just everything
that's going to slow you down. And that's kind
of the reward of being here. This is not a road
to quickly go from point A to point B. You should
be out here to just enjoy the remoteness and
the scenery. If you want a remote picnic, this
is where you go. So then around 20 to 35 miles,
the road continues west and you just kind of
slowly exit. The way you kind of entered, you
just exit everything and you're still... enjoying
some good views, some awesome wetlands, little
lakes here and there, really nice quiet meadows,
good wildlife watching, but every mile you drive,
you're closer to the end of this road. By about
mile 36, you then get off the gravel and the
road continues another dozen or so miles toward
Ashton before you connect to all of the other
roads out there. The entire Flag Ranch Ashton
route is about 49 miles. but the character of
that drive changes considerably between the remote
gravel section and the approach to Ashton. So
I really just am talking about the gravel section.
If you're doing this drive in late August, it's
a really good time of the year. I love it. You
get those elk bugles in the morning and the evening.
You start seeing moose out there. Moose are starting
to hang out for their mating season. You also
get just away from everybody. August is a busy
time in the parks for Tetons and Yellowstone,
and Grassy Lake is a little slice of heaven that,
yeah, it's more popular than it's been, but honestly,
the road conditions just kind of scare enough
people away. It's a very local, very niche thing
to do, so enjoy it. I think you'll love it. Just
be aware that when there are storms in the area,
this area can flood pretty quickly. You know,
we don't get a lot of heavy rains, so our drainage
is not the same as some other areas. So if we
get a thunderstorm that rains an inch or two,
expect some very muddy conditions. If you're
looking for a quieter road that gets you away
from Yellowstone's main routes, Grassy Lake Road
is well worth considering, but it's a road to
approach with respect. The scenery is beautiful,
the country is remote, and the route offers exactly
the kind of off -the -beaten -path experience
I'm always encouraging people to seek out. Just
remember that this is not a casual scenic drive.
Again, the road can be rough, narrow, and slow
going, cell service is unreliable and non -existent,
and late August weather can change quickly. But
go prepared, take your time, make sure your vehicle
and supplies are up for the trip, if you do that,
Grassy Lake Road can be one of those Yellowstone
drives that you remember long after you've left
the park. My tip of the week. So, most of you
that listen to this, this will be completely
known, but I do want to reiterate this so you
can pass this message along, but this week I'm
going to be talking about why no one should take
anything from the park that includes antlers,
rocks, bones, flowers, and feathers. Just leave
them be. I know there's something almost irresistible
about finding a beautiful piece of Yellowstone
and wanting to hold onto it. Maybe it's an unusually
colorful rock beside a trail, a wildflower that
seems too perfect to leave behind, a feather
lying in the grass, or an elk antler resting
in the woods. It's easy to think, I'll just take
this one thing home. After all, it's already
laying here. How could taking one thing possibly
hurt? In Yellowstone, the answer is simple. Just
leave it where you found it. This is not merely
a suggestion from the National Park Service.
Removing or possessing natural resources, including
wildflowers, antlers, rocks, and other natural
objects is prohibited under federal regulations.
Yellowstone's current laws and policies specifically
identifies 36 CFR 2 .1 A1 as prohibiting the
removal or possession of natural or cultural
resources. The Yellowstone Pledge puts it more
plainly. Leave what you find. Don't take antlers,
artifacts, rocks, plants, or other objects from
the park. There's a good reason for leaving these
things behind. Let's say you find a rock that
you like. It may seem insignificant to pick it
up and put it in your pocket. But Yellowstone's
geology tells a really cool story. And a rock
is evidence of an ancient lava flow, or a glacier,
or an extinct volcanic event, or erosion of mountains
that existed long before Yellowstone became a
national park. Maybe it's a fossil, or some other
geological object. While it is tempting to put
it in your pocket, leave it there. It's part
of the landscape. It tells the story. And other
people deserve to have that story too. By taking
things away from the park, we're altering how
the park is and we're changing the story and
putting ourselves in it. If you've listened to
this podcast enough, you know that I do not ever
have main character energy. The fact that I have
a podcast is funny to me because I really don't
like being the voice of something, but it's the
same as like everything else in the park. I want
the park to speak for itself. And if you take
a rock, something like that, then you're not
letting the park speak for itself. Now, I also
mentioned wildflowers. Yellowstone is home to
more than a thousand native plant species and
flowers are part of that ecosystem. They provide
food for insects and other wildlife. But more
importantly than that, they produce the seeds
that allow future generations of plants to grow.
Picking a flower may seem harmless, but thousands,
tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of visitors
making the same decision would have a very real
effect on how the landscape looked. If everybody
hung out when the wildflowers were blooming around
Mount Washburn and picked it, then the next year
the flowers there aren't going to be as good.
And every year everybody does that, it's going
to get worse and worse. So... Again, straightforward
message from the National Park Service, enjoy
the wildflowers, but don't pick them. Antlers
can be really tempting. Finding a naturally shed
elk antler or a skull or a bison horn or a moose
paddle, something like that, is really cool.
I love going to the backcountry and finding these
things. But that's precisely why it belongs in
Yellowstone. Shed antlers are part of the natural
environment and the park's regulations specifically
prohibit collecting them. The same applies to
bones, feathers, and other animal remains. I
know it looks like an insignificant thing to
do, but there's still natural resources that
are protected by the park. If I could take things
from the park, I'd have an amazing collection,
but then I'd also take people into areas and
there'd be no cool skulls or bones or antlers
out there, and people deserve to see that. Along
these lines, some of the other guides like to
find antlers and bones and then hide them in
special places so only they know where they are.
I don't even do that. If I see something in the
backcountry, we pick it up, we handle it, we
take pictures with it, and we set it down exactly
where we found it. And that's what I hope all
of you do. Now there's another reason I like
the idea of leaving things behind. It's that
someone else should get to discover them too.
Imagine finding an unusual rock along a trailhead
and realizing that nobody has picked it up Maybe
the next person stops to examine it Maybe somebody
with kids is there and they wonder how it got
there and they become a scientist because I don't
know You know, there's something that can happen
by coming across these things So one example
of people leaving things behind that makes a
really cool moment for everyone is there's a
trail north of the Yellowstone River near the
boundary of the park Where you're hiking along
and if you know where to look There's a tree
with an antler sticking out of the middle of
it. The tree is fully grown around the antler
Somebody years and years ago when the tree was
kind of split Set an antler there and every single
person that walked by left it there That's what
I hope happens everywhere is that you see something
you enjoy it and then you leave it behind for
other people to see Now, if I sound like, oh,
I'm just, you know, he's just saying all these
things because he just wants everything to be
left there, I'm also saying that this is illegal.
There are real legal consequences for ignoring
these rules. Violations of the federal regulations
governing Yellowstone can result in fines up
to $5 ,000 per person and imprisonment up to
six months or one or the other. The Yellowstone
superintendent also notes that courts can impose
probation of up to five years and court costs.
There are maximum statutory penalties, not an
automatic fine for every person who picks up
a rock, and the actual penalty depends on the
circumstances and the charge. Obviously, people
pick things up all the time. And if the park
was like, here's five years in jail for or six
months in jail for picking up a rock. for and
it's a kid you know they can't do that but they
can go after people when they really start breaking
rules and a lot of those rules are for fossils
for skulls and antlers things like that yellowstone
has demonstrated that park violations can lead
two significant consequences. In one recent case
involving multiple illegal activities, a defendant
received jail time, fines and fees, probation,
and a temporary ban from Yellowstone and all
public lands. Other Yellowstone cases involving
resource or safety violations have resulted in
substantial fines, community service, payments,
jail sentences, and park bans as well. So why
am I talking about this? That's usually the question
I ask myself and I know all of you ask when I
go on these rants. I'm talking about this right
now because I've seen more people go out and
pick flowers. They're cutting little pieces of
sage. They're doing these things that I understand
it's exciting. I've also seen people try and
take bones and antlers and then get tossed in
the back of a ranger car. This happens all the
time and I see it and I just want to mention
it in case you're tempted to do that. Just know
it's against the law. Don't do it. Enjoy the
things when they're there. Mark down where you
found them and go back year after year and see
how they've changed. That's more fun. That's
the legal way to do it. And know that the best
Yellowstone souvenir is the one that you leave
behind so you can continue to visit it and create
more and more memories every single time you
go there. My random Yellowstone fact of the week.
Glacial history and glacial erratics. One of
the easiest ways to begin understanding Yellowstone's
glacial history is to stop and look at a rock
that seems as though it shouldn't be there. Across
Yellowstone National Park large boulders sit
scattered across valleys, ridges, and plateaus,
sometimes surrounded by a bedrock of an entirely
different kind. These are glacial erratics, and
they are among the most visible reminders that
Yellowstone was once buried beneath an immense
landscape of moving ice. An erratic is a rock
that has been transported from its original location
by a glacier and deposited somewhere else as
the ice retreats. In Yellowstone these rocks
provide tangible clues about the direction and
extent of ancient glaciers. A glacier is more
than a frozen sheet of ice sitting motionless
on the ground. As snow accumulates and compresses
it into ice, the growing mass eventually flows
under its own weight. Rocks can become incorporated
into the ice, particularly along the base, where
they're carried along the dragged landscape.
Some are ground into sediment, and others, including
enormous boulders, may travel for miles before
being deposited. By identifying the composition
of an erratic and comparing it with the bedrock
around it, geologists can determine where the
rock originated and begin reconstructing the
glacier that carried it. This is really important
in the northern range of Yellowstone where I
do a lot of tours and I always point out these
glacial erratics to varying levels of excitement,
I'll be honest. Not everybody cares, but I'm
talking about it now. These erratics help geologists
recognize the glaciers that impacted Yellowstone.
The USGS scientists today combine evidence from
erratics, moraines, glacial sediments, and different
things to reconstruct the movements and timing
of Yellowstone's ancient ice. Once we recognize
the erratics as evidence of moving ice, we can
zoom out and ask a larger question. When did
Yellowstone become a glacial landscape? Yellowstone
has experienced repeated glaciation during the
last 2 .6 million years. Evidence for the oldest
episodes is limited because later glaciers, volcanic
eruptions, rivers, and other geological processes
have altered or buried much of that record. The
National Park Service notes that a glacial deposit
near Tower dates approximately 1 .3 million years
ago, demonstrating that glaciers occupied Yellowstone
long before the most recent ice age. The two
most recent major glaciations are known as the
Bull Lake and Pinedale Glaciations. The Bull
Lake Glaciation occurred roughly 150 ,000 -140
,000 years ago and produced an extensive glacial
system across the Greater Yellowstone region.
In some areas, Bull Lake glaciers actually reached
farther than the later Pinedale glaciers. Much
of the evidence they left behind, however, was
later buried or destroyed by younger ice. The
Pinedale glaciation was the most recent major
glacial episode and corresponds broadly with
the last ice age. At its maximum, an enormous
ice cap covered nearly the entire Yellowstone
Plateau and may have reached approximately 4
,000 feet thick. That's almost a mile thick.
Mount Washburn was completely buried beneath
the ice. It's important to know that this was
not part of the continental ice sheet that covered
Canada and much of the northern United States.
Yellowstone developed its own extensive mountain
glaciers and plateau ice cap, fed by abundant
snowfall at the region's highest elevation. The
ice did not simply sit over Yellowstone. It flowed
outward from the plateau and surrounding mountains,
carving valleys, transporting enormous quantities
of rock, and depositing debris as it advanced
and retreated. In northern Yellowstone, an outlet
glacier flowed down the Yellowstone River Valley
and eventually extended into what is now Montana's
Paradise Valley. Moraines and other deposits
left along its path allow scientists to reconstruct
this glacier's retreat. The retreating glaciers
also help some of the landscapes we recognize
today. Glacial ice dammed rivers and altered
drainage patterns, while meltwater and sediments
reshaped valleys. In Hayden Valley, for example,
glacial blockage helped create a lake where sediment
accumulated before the ice disappeared and the
lake drained. The broad valley visitors see today
is partly a product of glacial activity and its
aftermath. Glacial dams also formed in Lamar
Valley and the eventual failure produced large
floods that helped shape the landscape around
Yellowstone's northern entrance. Eventually the
ice disappeared Most of Yellowstone's plateau
was ice -free by roughly 13 to 14 ,000 years
ago, and rivers, vegetation, wildlife, and eventually
humans returned to the landscape that was already
fundamentally shaped by glaciers. Archaeological
evidence indicates that people were present in
the Yellowstone region by around 11 ,000 years
ago, and that's always shifting. A little aside
for those of you who want to know me a little
better, I have been really digging into early
human history, and then some more modern human
history. And it's interesting that when I grew
up, we were always told that humans were in North
America first around, you know, eight to 10 ,000
years ago, and then it became 11. And now I've
heard 14. And now there's been theories of 16
to 18 ,000 years being floated about. And it's
fascinating to see as we lock down how long people
have been here and what life was like. If you
know of any good books about this, recommend
them to me. I love this. I legitimately love
this. I listen to these audiobooks all the time
when I'm driving to and from the park. I read
them. It's great. Alright, back to glaciers.
So, glacial erratics are something that I love
and I wanted to talk about because they're really
compelling. They sit out in the middle of the
prairie and they look nothing like the rest of
the landscape. What it does is it tells you that
something else was there. The glaciers are gone,
but their fingerprints remain across Yellowstone
and the valleys they carved, the sediments they
deposited, the lakes and drainages they altered,
and the enormous rocks they carried far from
home. A glacial erratic is, in a very literal
sense, a piece of Yellowstone's ice age sitting
in the landscape that we see today, waiting to
tell us where the ice once went. The weather
for the coming week. I know I went from talking
about geology to weather I'm sure people are
sleeping by now 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
change numerous times in a week But this should
serve within the ballpark of what you'll experience
when visiting the park. So let's start with Lamar
Valley on Thursday a high of 84 a low of 50 Friday
85 and 53 Saturday 77 and 50 with a 55 % chance
of thunderstorms late morning afternoon into
the evening Sunday 76 and 46 35 % chance of storms
during the day Monday 76 and 46 19 % chance of
rain Tuesday 76 and 46 22 % chance and Wednesday
76 and 47 with a 24 % chance of precipitation
Gardner, Montana On Thursday 89 and 52 Friday
89 and 57 Saturday 81 and 52 50 % chance of thunderstorms
Sunday 79 and 48 with a 35 % chance of thunderstorms
Monday 80 and 49 with an 18 % chance of rain
Tuesday 79 and 49 18 % chance of rain Wednesday
80 and 49 24 % chance of rain West Yellowstone
Thursday, 84 and 44. Friday, 86 and 51. Saturday,
76 and 46 with a 44 % chance of thunderstorms.
Sunday, 75 and 42, 24 % chance of storms. Monday,
75 and 43, 20 % chance. Tuesday, 75 and 44, 15
% chance. And Wednesday, 76 and 44 with an 18
% chance of some storms. Cody, Wyoming. Thursday
91 and 61 Friday 89 and 63 Saturday 86 and 63
with a 21 % chance of thunderstorms Sunday 86
and 60 with a 25 % chance of thunderstorms Monday
83 and 58 with a 23 % chance Tuesday 81 and 59
with a 16 % chance and Wednesday 84 and 59 with
a 24 % chance of thunderstorms And finally Cook
City, Montana Thursday 78 and 51 Friday 80 and
54 Saturday 74 and 51 with a 61 % chance of thunderstorms
Sunday 72 and 47 with a 36 % chance of thunderstorms
Monday 72 and 47 19 % chance Tuesday 72 and 48
30 % chance of storms and Wednesday 73 and 49
33 % chance of storms Road conditions no major
park roads are closed right now. There's obviously
some construction here and there but Delays have
been really minimal. I haven't really gotten
too bothered by sitting in traffic. So it shouldn't
be too bad I don't think they're doing much above
and beyond that Please know that during these
thunderstorms if they're bad enough the park
will close some of those dirt side roads and
That's for good reason because they can't really
get people out if they get stuck there. So know
that after a thunderstorm those roads may be
closed. I meant to mention that a while ago and
I forgot but some of you have already pieced
that together when you're visiting and it's pretty
obvious as to why. For up -to -date road information
you can call 307 -344 -2117 or you can sign up
to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your cell
phone by texting the number 82190 to the number
888 -777. Don't know if you care, but I do a
little dance every time I say eight eight eight
seven seven seven so enjoy that mental image
camping information Everything that is going
to be open is open so if you're camping enjoy
it good time of the year to camp cooler mornings
it smelled so good this last week in the park
every morning after some rain i don't know if
everybody else noticed it if you're in the park
but i absolutely loved it it reminded me of camping
so i i hope that you're enjoying the weather
and the cooler mornings too the wildlife watching
update so last week has been wild in the park
no pun intended it's been really fun for the
frequency of animals spotted in some areas and
the absolute mystery of where the animals went
and others. So I heard from a lot of people this
week that there were no bison in Hayden Valley.
People would go down there for the bison rut
and they didn't see any and that happens. The
bison move around. They're not in one spot all
the time and sometimes they go a ridge or two
over and they're not right next to the road.
Since they were gone last week. I'm assuming
they're gonna be back this coming week They might
not be but they could be so check that out north
Side of the park the northern range. I say this
every week This is where the best wildlife watching
is happening the other day. There were wolves
running around the bison Institute area There
were moose out by floating Island Lake There
were badgers and coyotes running together near
Slough Creek. There are all of these experiences
that were truly wonderful in the northern range.
There are grizzly bears spotted in the distance.
There are black bears up on the hillsides. The
northern range was really popping off in wildlife
watching last week. Now, does that mean it's
going to be the same this week? Can't tell you
that. I do also want to say that bighorn sheep
sightings have been. Less than normal for me
in the northern range. Usually I'm seeing them
a lot by Junction Butte and things like that
haven't really been seen them there even went
out over to calcite Springs and scanned didn't
see any there So they're probably on the north
side of the river from Junction Butte just hanging
out. So it's not like oh, no, where do they go?
They're gone forever. It's just they're somewhere
else. The heat made it maybe did it the rainstorms
maybe did it I've also been hearing that, you
know, bighorn sheep have been pretty good over
Dunraven Pass in the evenings and out the east
entrance throughout. They've been there. There's
also been some really good elk activity around
mammoth around Lake, even heard somebody say
that they saw some in Canyon the other day. So
that was neat. So the elk rut is starting to
pick up. Everything will say elk rut starts in
September and those are rough. Estimates of when
things happen the elk red is starting now, but
doesn't really take off until September usually
So if you're in the park now, don't think oh,
I'm not gonna see any elk There's definitely
elk that are starting to try and gather harems
around the lake area around mammoth north of
the park to in Like by the airport. There's a
bunch of elk the airport in Gardiner. Not the
airport in West Yellowstone And then there's
a lot of elk that have been hanging out by Madison
and things like that. So you're here at a good
time. It's just harder to see things. The one
other wildlife thing I want to mention before
I move on from the segment is that a lot of people
have been reaching out to me saying, well, I
need to see a grizzly bear. Where can I see grizzly
bears? This is the hardest time to see a bear.
You're either going to see one or you're not.
The best chance you have is going out the east
entrance, going through Hayden, going through
Lamar, and just putting in the time in the evenings
and the early morning hours. It's the hardest
time if you're dead set on wanting to see bears.
Plan a trip for next year in May and early June.
that is the best time to see dependable bear
sightings. So if you're here now, I can't really
help you see a bear. I can tell you that if you
do see one, it's probably going to be a mile
or two away. Maybe you're going to get lucky,
but most people have been seeing them pretty
far away. So spotting scopes, binoculars, good
thing to have. If you need more wildlife watching
tips, reach out to me. Happy to help. Also, I
have a wildlife watching guidebook on my website.
Ebook copies are just $10. And if you want to
support the podcast and have some wildlife tips
for your park visit, happy to send one of those
out your way. I do have paperback copies too,
but generally most people that are listening
to this are in the park or headed to the park
immediately. And my shipping goes through media
mail so it can take a week, week and a half.
So ebooks get there within 24 hours of when I
see your order. So pick that up. I also have
a hiking one. But if you listen to the podcast,
you know that I really dislike selling my products
or like doing fake ad reads. So if you like what
you hear, pick up a guidebook. If not great,
keep listening. Happy to help you. Trail alerts
and updates. No real trail closures right now.
That could change, but right now there is nothing
impacting your backcountry travel or hiking travel.
Glanced at it. It's updated for the most part
This has been a pretty bad year for this to be
updated and it could be staffing issues It could
just be that the amount of time that the backcountry
Office has to update the website is not quite
the same as previous years Maybe more people
are hiking and asking them questions throughout
the day or whatever But there is a link to the
backcountry conditions page in the show notes
of this I do that every week and will continue
until the end of September, so check that out.
If you are hiking, carry bear spray, have it
readily accessible and not in the bottom of a
backpack, and know how to use it. If you see
a bear close by, you maybe have two to three
seconds to react. And with that is the trail
of the week. This week's trail offers a little
more of a challenge than some of the previous
week's hikes. I know I'm trying to mix it up
a little, but if you're hoping for something
easier this time around, I suggest dropping me
a message or, you know, check out my hiking guidebook
again, $10 for an ebook. Um, this week's hike
comes straight from my guidebook and it's sepulcher
peak. Now I call it sepulcher. Some people say
sepulcher. I'm going to call it sepulcher because
it pains me. It's the same as saying like tower
fall. So sepulcher, uh, if that is cringy to
you to hear, I apologize in advance. I don't
say it that many times. This hike near Mammoth
Hot Springs is a good way to get away from Mammoth,
because Mammoth can feel like one of the busiest
and most developed corners of Yellowstone. There's
boardwalks winding across the terraces, there's
roads and buildings and plenty of people around.
It's an awesome area. I love Mammoth, but sometimes
you want to get away from it. It's really easy
to assume that solitude is hard to find around
Mammoth. I thought that too until I hiked Sepulcher.
beginning near Liberty Cap, the route climbs
in a much wilder landscape than most people expect
exists in this area. The full loop is commonly
described by the National Park Service at about
11 miles, but every time I do this it's about
12 to 13 miles. Either way, it's a strenuous
hike. You're gonna have roughly 3 ,400 feet of
elevation gain and top out at a summit of 9 ,652
feet above sea level. From the top, you get sweeping
views across Northern Yellowstone, including
Mammoth, Gardiner, Swan Lake Flats, the Yellowstone
River, and Electric Peak, and all of the mountains
of the region. You can actually see the Tetons
from the backside of this hike. If you do hike
this, know it's... very much bear country, the
National Park Service specifically warns that
this area is heavy in grizzly bears. So carry
bear spray, have it readily accessible and not
buried in your backpack, hike in groups when
possible, and if you're hiking alone or with
groups it doesn't matter, make a lot of noise
by talking, clapping, singing, everything you
can to let animals know you're coming by. Also,
read how to use your bear spray and know how
to use it confidently before you head out. If
you start the route by connecting the Beaver
Pond's trail and hike the loop counterclockwise,
then this is the way that I hike and you can
have that knowledge when you start. This isn't
an easy hike. Again, you immediately start to
climb. You move through the forest and open country
before you climb even more toward the summit.
The elevation gain comes quickly, expect a sustained
climb rather than a leisurely stroll, and remember
that you're starting at around 6 ,200 feet before
eventually reaching 9 ,700 feet. But, you're
climbing a mountain, the views are worth it.
climb out of the woods a bit you get into some
open sections and there's switchbacks and there's
ridge lines and then there's another forest and
then there's a really steep part and then you're
at the summit that sounds very easy if you hike
it you know exactly what i meant by all of that
but just know that you're going to be hiking
steep and exposed for quite a while start this
early because the weather can change and also
doing this in the heat is no fun and there's
not a lot of shade to be found I would rather
come down the backside of this mountain when
I'm in the sun even though there's no shade because
you're losing elevation and the wind is usually
whipping there. Once you're on the higher ridges
this is when the character of the hike changes
and the mountain really starts feeling like more
of a mountain. The forest gives way to the open
slopes and the landscape around Mammoth is really
far away in spirit and distance. It's one of
my favorite things about this hike is you just
get so much contrast on it. You begin the day
surrounded by cars and within a few miles you
find yourself walking a high mountain ridge with
very little evidence of civilization and very
few people around it. I see people here sometimes
but not that often. Last time I did this hike
I didn't see a whole person in the 12 plus miles
I did. The final approach to the summit makes
the hike feel like a mountain climb but um well
i shouldn't say a climb a mountain hike you're
not using your hands you don't need to use your
hands you get along this really sharp drop off
there's marmots running around you can look down
and see mountain goats on the cliff sides and
then you're working your way up a decently steep
section getting to the top on a clear day At
the top, the panorama is fantastic. I do want
to say if you're hiking this, you're going to
get to almost the top and there's a boot path
to the cliffs on the right side. That is where
you want to go. Yes, you can turn and follow
the trail and then go to the true summit, but
the views there aren't as good. I mean, do that,
but you're going to get the same views without
having to do that little bit of a summit push.
And I love sitting on those rocks by the cliff
because the views are fantastic and you just
get a look down at the Yellowstone River 3000,
4000 feet below you. The summit isn't the end
of the scenery, though. So after you have a break
there, refuel, rehydrate, keep hiking along the
trail past that real summit, and then you start
descending into one of the more beautiful descents
in the park. huge switchbacks on this open prairie
as you work your way down towards Swan Lake Flats.
You can see Bunsen Peak, you can see all of those
other mountains, and way off in the distance
on a clear day, you see the Tetons. Eventually
those sweeping switchbacks fade away, you're
back in the trees and you follow a creek. Along
this creek is where I've seen moose, where I've
seen lots of bear sign, so make a lot of noise
when you're working your way through the creek.
eventually you then reach another open section
of prairie and there's a trail to the left and
you want to take that and head back toward mammoth
you can kind of pick and choose the way you go
back there's multiple trails to follow so you
might want to plan out before you go and know
which trail to go on but one of the great things
about this is that you get back after the mountain
and you walk through the prairie and then you
start dropping back down toward mammoth and you
start seeing signs of all the mammoth thermal
areas you're not walking through the hoodoos
but all of a sudden you'll walk through a forest
and there'll be a giant gap in the ground next
to you and it's just a vent and then you get
further and then there's a place where there's
no Plants growing and it's just a barren wasteland
and then you keep getting closer and closer to
mammoth the contrast from what you were seeing
up on the mountains lush and green and really
fun and then this like Thermal wasteland is almost
comical after spin and then it gets more comical
because after spending hours in the quiet mountains
all to yourself you suddenly find yourself back
along that upper terrace loop road where there's
cars driving there's lots of visitors there's
the terraces and all of a sudden you're back
in civilization after a few miles of just nothing
and so this transition can be a little jarring
but it's really fun because when you walk back
down mammoth and you go down some of the boardwalks
to make your way back to where you parked you're
going to be Dressed like you went on a major
hike and everybody's gonna assume that you just
dress that way to do the mammoth terraces Which
is really funny to me and every time it makes
me laugh in my head because I'm like no I just
did like a 12 or 13 mile day But I don't need
to brag about it Unless someone asks and then
they're getting an earful about what my day was
because I love recommending this mountain along
this mountain you get a semi demanding climb
a nearly 10 ,000 foot summit amazing views potential
wildlife, great forests and meadows, thermal
features, and just this level of solitude that
you can't find anywhere else unless you do a
real hike in the park. If you are not a serious
hiker, do not do this hike. But if you're looking
for a hike that has substantial elevation gain,
a long distance, and a ridge line that can't
be beat, this is for you. If you want an easier
hike, Pick up my guidebook, reach out to me,
happy to recommend things, but if you're looking
for a mountain day that's a fun loop and you
never have to backtrack a trail, this is the
trail for you. That's it for this week. In the
next episode, I'm going to return with all the
information you need to have a good week in the
park, including the wildlife weather and trail
updates. Until then, pick up a guidebook of mine.
Please recommend this to your friends or anybody
coming to the park. Recommend it on social media
if you can. I know social media is a bit not
fun these days, but everybody needs positivity
and pretty things and Yellowstone is full of
all of that. So until next week, happy trails.
Abrupt ending! This week in Yellowstone is brought
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2026, baby!