Latest / This Week in Yellowstone National Park / This Week in Yellowstone: September 25th to October 1st, 2025

Transcript

This Week in Yellowstone: September 25th to October 1st, 2025 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

0:00
From Yellowstone National Park, where the aspens
0:02
are shimmering golden leaves in the cool autumn
0:05
breeze, this is that Scott guy you know and love
0:08
with a brand new episode of This Week in Yellowstone.
0:21
What's up everybody this week in Yellowstone
0:24
National Park from September 25th through August
0:27
1st 2025 I'll tell you about a guy who tried
0:30
to take the devil out of Yellowstone Give you
0:33
tips on where to see fall colors in the park
0:35
and try to convince you to head down to West
0:37
Thumb and the Tetons this week I'll also give
0:40
you the complete weather forecast a cool trail
0:43
to hike the wildlife report the news and everything
0:47
else you need to have to have an incredible time
0:50
this week in Yellowstone. Standard disclaimer,
0:54
I'm probably going to miss a few details here
0:56
and there, and also I mention park locations
0:58
extremely casually, so if you're unfamiliar,
1:02
jot things down, do a quick search online, or
1:04
you can just reach out to me. Also, this podcast
1:07
is a passion project. I'm not paid or sponsored,
1:11
so if you enjoy it, I'd love a review or a quick
1:13
email. To support my work, you can check out
1:16
my guidebooks on hiking and wildlife watching,
1:18
or you can join me for a guided Yellowstone hiking
1:21
tour in the park. For details on all of that,
1:24
visit outdoor -society .com or reach out to me
1:27
directly. Honestly, as much as I wanted to have
1:32
some fun news story to talk about this week,
1:34
there really isn't one. The only thing I feel
1:37
like mentioning here is something that has been
1:39
occurring all summer or was as recently as last
1:42
Sunday. So at around 5 p .m. There was a five
1:46
mile backup of vehicles heading toward West Yellowstone
1:50
for Madison Junction Everyone exiting the park
1:53
at the same time. This wasn't because of wildlife
1:55
or an accident It's because like I just said
1:59
everyone leaves the park at the same time So
2:02
if you're heading back to West after a day in
2:04
the park wait until six or so and then you'll
2:07
avoid the line there's no point in sitting in
2:10
traffic just waiting to leave the park yeah like
2:13
you may have dinner plans things like that but
2:15
plan ahead a little bit more um you're not going
2:17
to get there any faster if you leave at five
2:20
and get stuck in traffic or wait until six and
2:22
catch the tail end of it in west and if you stay
2:25
until six that's like one more place you can
2:27
go and enjoy the park for one more hour of the
2:31
day like who doesn't want one more hour in yellowstone
2:33
my experience of the week Wander West Thumb Geyser
2:37
Basin, then chase the fall colors into the Tetons.
2:41
So those of you who listen every week have probably
2:43
noticed a trend. I tend to not mention things
2:46
in the southern stretches of the park. Now this
2:49
is not necessarily by design. It just kind of
2:52
happened that way. I don't know why it happened.
2:56
I know partially it's because most everything
2:58
the average visitor wants to see or do is found
3:01
along the main loops. also it's because there
3:05
just aren't as many things south of West Thumb
3:07
Geyser Basin. So this week I'm kind of bucking
3:10
the trend and I'm recommending going to West
3:12
Thumb and then keep driving south until you hit
3:15
the Tetons. I know it's a podcast about Yellowstone
3:17
and I'm telling you to go to the Tetons but it's
3:20
not that far away and it's worth it and you'll
3:22
hear why in a minute. So fall in Yellowstone
3:25
and the Tetons doesn't mess around. It comes
3:27
fast, burns bright, and then just like that it's
3:31
gone. If you're here in late September or early
3:33
October, you've got that perfect chance to pull
3:36
off one of the best one -day combos in the region.
3:39
That's wandering through Yellowstone's West Thumb
3:41
Geyser Basin, then hopping in the car and heading
3:44
south for the amazing fall colors of Grand Teton
3:48
National Park. So why is West Thumb worth a stop?
3:52
And a lot of people blow by West Thumb on their
3:56
way around Yellowstone, but honestly if you do
3:58
that you're missing out. I understand time constraints,
4:01
there's things to see, but this geyser basin
4:04
is right on the edge of Yellowstone Lake which
4:07
makes it totally different from spots like Old
4:09
Faithful or Norris. You have steaming pools and
4:13
like bubbling springs on one side and then this
4:16
massive sparkling lake on the other. The boardwalk
4:20
loop at West Thumb isn't that long and it packs
4:23
some really cool features. You're gonna see the
4:25
fishing cone and this is the famous hot spot
4:28
that early tourists used to go to to cook fish
4:31
in. There's the abyss pool that is impossibly
4:35
deep. It's bright blue and it's one of my favorite
4:38
pools in the entire park and it's right along
4:40
the boardwalk at West Thumb. Then there's all
4:43
these smaller bubbling pools and stuff that just
4:46
make the whole area feel alive. And in the fall,
4:49
you can just add that crisp air so you get a
4:51
little steam. There's potential for elk roaming
4:54
around that area. There's golden grasses. And
4:57
there's potential for snow that might possibly
5:00
be dusting the mountains across the lake. And
5:02
it's kind of like this is the spot that's Yellowstone
5:05
at its most peaceful and most beautiful. So if
5:08
you're going to West Thumb or going by it, stop
5:11
there. It's worth it. You'll love it. It's fantastic.
5:16
Once you've strolled around West Thumb, the fun's
5:19
just getting started. From the south entrance,
5:22
you know, don't skip Lewis Falls and Moose Falls
5:24
as you're driving to the south entrance. You're
5:27
gonna hop on the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial
5:29
Parkway. You don't have to turn off to get up
5:32
to that. You're just there. And then you just
5:34
keep heading south. This road connects Yellowstone
5:38
straight into Grand Teton National Park, and
5:40
the drive is totally worth the trip. In the fall,
5:43
it's a full -on color show. Aspens and cottonwoods
5:46
glowing gold, willows turning orange, and the
5:49
Snake River winding its way through it all. Then
5:51
as you get close, the Tetons suddenly rise up,
5:54
sharp, jagged, and potentially snow -dusted.
5:57
It's one of those jaw -dropping moments you don't
5:59
forget. Now, there's a lot of cool places in
6:03
the Tetons. It's ridiculously photogenic all
6:06
year long, but in the fall it's even better.
6:09
You honestly can't go wrong anywhere you go in
6:12
Grand Teton, but there are a few classic spots
6:15
to check out. The ones I like to mention are
6:18
Oxbow Bend. It's probably the most famous viewpoint
6:21
in the park. Mount Moran reflected in the Snake
6:23
River, framed by those golden cottonwoods. There's
6:26
Schwabacher Landing. It's a riverside spot with
6:30
amazing Teton views and lots of fall color. And
6:34
I've seen Moose Mate there, right with that background.
6:37
the coolest thing I've ever seen as far as like
6:41
you know seeing animals mate in a beautiful area.
6:44
There's the Moose Wilson Road closer to Jackson
6:46
and it's twisty narrow lined with aspen groves
6:49
that glow like lanterns and there's moose and
6:52
bears there so even better. Then you have Jenny
6:56
Lake and honestly out of everywhere in the Tetons
6:59
if you can only stop one spot in the Tetons go
7:03
to Jenny Lake walk just a little bit beyond the
7:07
infrastructure of like the visitor center and
7:09
all of that, you're going to find some pretty
7:12
cool color and just perfect views of the mountains.
7:17
So why this combo rocks of West Thumb and the
7:21
Tetons? If spending the morning at West Thumb
7:23
and cruising down the Tetons in the afternoon
7:25
is the best of both worlds. You start your day
7:28
surrounded by Yellowstone's bubbling otherworldly
7:31
geothermal features and end it in one of the
7:34
most stunning mountain landscapes in the country.
7:36
lit up with fall colors Just remember a few things
7:40
fall in this region is very quick Sometimes you
7:44
get a week or two of peak colors before everything
7:46
vanishes also know that daylight hours are starting
7:50
to shrink Sunset is think as I'm recording this
7:55
is right around seven ish So you don't have a
7:59
ton of time plan early plan your time if you
8:02
drive at night drive very carefully but otherwise
8:06
Do this one -two punch. It's awesome. I do it
8:09
every year. It's fantastic. It's like the highlight
8:13
of fall for me, and I really want you to do that.
8:16
Don't wait on going. Don't say I'm gonna do this
8:18
next year. If you're in the park this week, plan
8:21
on this. My tip of the week. I was going to talk
8:25
about preparing for snow in the park, but based
8:27
on this week's forecast, I'm going to hold off
8:29
on that. Instead, I'm continuing the theme of
8:32
this week, which is fall colors. If you don't
8:35
like fall colors, I'm sorry for this episode.
8:38
Also, fall colors are great. Firstly, know that
8:42
fall in Yellowstone can be extremely short, as
8:44
I mentioned before. We often joke that in the
8:46
years we get more than three weeks of color,
8:49
we're super spoiled. Typically you see the peak
8:52
fall colors from late September to early October
8:54
especially in the northern part of the park and
8:57
around Yellowstone Lake. Keep in mind the exact
8:59
timing really depends on weather and an early
9:02
frost or snowfall can speed up the color change
9:04
and shorten the viewing window. Now as I typed
9:07
this out on September 23rd we are at the high
9:12
and at peak fall foliage according to the fall
9:15
foliage map at explorefall .com Don't know the
9:20
accuracy of that but they said we're here at
9:22
peak and driving through the park last week all
9:24
aside from the mammoth area Which will be catching
9:28
up shortly Everything is just popping off. There
9:31
is like orange aspen everything So if you're
9:35
coming to Yellowstone in hopes of miles upon
9:37
miles of dazzling displays of autumn awesomeness
9:40
I want to temper your expectations just a little
9:43
bit While the park does have stunning scenes
9:46
of shimmering golds and reds, the stands of deciduous
9:49
trees here are not as prevalent as one might
9:52
think. The conifers dominate the park. While
9:56
approximately 80 % of Yellowstone is forested,
9:59
the lodgepole pine makes up roughly three quarters
10:02
of the park's total forest, or about 60 % of
10:05
the park's total area. Other common conifers
10:09
include Ingleman spruce, subalpine fir, Douglas
10:13
fir, and whitebark pine. Aspen and cottonwood
10:17
are also found in the park scattered throughout
10:19
the landscape. They're rarity, and I use that
10:21
word in quotation marks because you'll see a
10:23
lot of them, but not as much as you may expect.
10:28
You're gonna have some birches as well that are
10:31
turning colors There's great shrubs and small
10:33
plants turning colors helping to bring even more
10:36
autumn beauty to this trip that you have You'll
10:39
also have the golden hues of the prairie and
10:41
that's kind of an underrated thing out here is
10:43
the prairie becomes very gold Especially standing
10:46
against the blue skies and like Hayden or Lamar
10:49
Valley There's a few favorite spots of mine to
10:53
drive and see fall colors in the park, aside
10:55
from the aforementioned trek down to the Tetons,
10:58
and they're as follows. Actually, just know that
11:01
the areas I mentioned are not the only places
11:03
to see fall colors in the park, they're just
11:05
where I enjoy them the most. Everyone has a favorite,
11:08
these are mine, other people have other favorites.
11:11
Starting off the list the Blacktail Plateau Road
11:14
is a classic and one that shouldn't be missed.
11:16
You start out near a great stand of aspen then
11:19
weave in and out of wooded areas with both conifers
11:22
and deciduous trees. You're also going to have
11:24
some of the prairie scenes and the shrubs. There's
11:27
the Mammoth to Sheep Eater Cliffs area with Swan
11:30
Lake Flat and that's another great little section
11:33
giving some aspen cool shrubs and sweeping views
11:36
to see a splash of color off in the distance
11:38
toward Electric Peak or out by Bunsen Peak. Dunraven
11:42
Pass, obviously a great spot to see fall colors,
11:45
especially if you head up Chittenden Road. The
11:48
Dunraven Pass and Chittenden Road will give you
11:51
aspens, a lot of underbrush popping in reds and
11:54
purples, and you'll get sweeping views to see
11:57
colors off in the distance as well. Now the Slough
11:59
Creek Road is another can't miss. You're gonna
12:02
have great colors here, and there's also a chance
12:04
to see wildlife of all shapes and sizes. This
12:07
area is also where my hike of the week is located,
12:09
specifically because of those fall colors. Now
12:12
down south... by Lewis Falls, you have some good
12:15
color, which is one reason I recommended heading
12:17
down that way to the Tetons this week. And finally,
12:21
just going to Lamar and Hayden for that classic
12:23
fall look of Yellowstone. You can have some aspen
12:26
in the hills, some nice and golden prairie, and
12:29
some cottonwoods doing their best to impress
12:31
you with their colors as well. Just know that
12:34
anywhere you go, the fall colors are going to
12:37
be short lived. I know I'm saying that a lot,
12:39
but it's so true. And that's why you need to
12:42
try to see fall colors this week and probably
12:44
next week. As I drove through the park a few
12:47
days ago, the aspirins were starting to become
12:49
quite brilliant, making this a great week to
12:51
start enjoying autumn in Yellowstone. And again,
12:54
the longer you wait, the colder it gets, the
12:56
less fall colors are going to be around. My random
12:59
Yellowstone fact of the week. Removing the devil
13:02
from Yellowstone. So back in the days of fur
13:05
traders prospectors and the first tourists around
13:08
like the 18 mid 1800s and into the early years
13:11
the park and the region surround it felt like
13:14
a total mystery to the European settlers and
13:18
explorers moving west into the indigenous lands
13:21
The steam was pouring out of vents and hot springs
13:24
boiled and rivers thundered through canyons and
13:27
for people seen at all for the first time The
13:29
place didn't feel much like a paradise For a
13:33
lot of the people who came out early, it felt
13:36
fiery, dangerous, and even a little sinister.
13:39
And that's how names like Coulter's Hell, Hell
13:41
Roaring Creek, Hellbrath Springs, Devil's Kitchen,
13:45
and Devil's Thumb ended up on maps and in guidebooks.
13:48
These names weren't random. They captured how
13:51
newcomers experienced the land. Unpredictable,
13:54
powerful, and otherworldly. Sulfur stank in the
13:57
air, the ground hissed and trembled, and rivers
14:00
roared so loud that they drowned out conversation.
14:03
To visitors, it really did feel like a glimpse
14:06
of damnation. Later, generations would start
14:10
looking back and think, maybe that's a little
14:12
dramatic, and started pushing for names that
14:15
fit a different story. So there's a push to change
14:19
names. One of the biggest critics was Arnold
14:22
Haig, a USGS geologists working in the park in
14:26
the 1880s. Haag hated the hell and devil names.
14:31
He thought they were coarse and sensational,
14:33
not fitting for a place he believed should inspire
14:35
awe and respect. So he pushed to replace them
14:38
with names drawn from mythology, poetry, or just
14:41
a simple description. His campaign didn't completely
14:45
succeed, but it left a mark. After Haag, place
14:48
names were expected to elevate Yellowstone's
14:50
sense of wonder, not scare people off. So what
14:54
changed and what didn't? Some names were swapped
14:56
out officially, others just faded with time,
14:59
and a surprising number stuck. For example, Devil's
15:02
Bathtub became Bathtub Springs, though plenty
15:05
of people still use the old name. There is an
15:08
Indian pond that went through an offensive renaming
15:11
in the 1920s before being restored back to Indian
15:14
Pond in 1981. Mount Doane was renamed First Peoples
15:19
Mountain in 2022 after tribes and historians
15:22
highlighted Doane's role in violence against
15:25
Native Americans. But others like Hell Roaring
15:28
Creek, Hell Roaring Trail, Devil's Kitchen, all
15:31
of those are still alive and well, whether on
15:34
official maps or in the language of locals and
15:36
long -time visitors. So why did some of these
15:39
stick around? And there isn't really a simple
15:41
reason why some names changed and others didn't.
15:44
Part of it was taste. Hague and others wanted
15:47
something more polished. Part of it for the changes
15:50
were safety. Names like Devil's Kitchen made
15:53
places sound enticing when they were actually
15:56
kind of deadly. In recent years, cultural accountability
16:00
has played a big role with efforts to highlight
16:02
indigenous history and remove names tied to colonial
16:06
violence. And sometimes it's just inertia. If
16:09
people keep using a name, it's hard to stamp
16:11
it out completely. So how many are left? At one
16:16
point, Yellowstone had 60 names with Hell or
16:19
Devil in their names. A lot of them have been
16:21
retired, but quite a few remain in one form or
16:24
another, whether in guidebooks, local lore, or
16:26
casual conversation. I mean, honestly, like Hell
16:29
Roaring Creek, that Hell Roaring area, one of
16:32
my favorite places in the park. We also had Devil's
16:35
Slide outside of the park between, like, just
16:37
north of Gardener, right? So we have all of these
16:40
things. Some of these names are just too vivid
16:42
to completely disappear. And then if you tie
16:45
that to the wave of awe and fear that people
16:48
kind of like, right? Then you are gonna have
16:52
some of these names last. So changing a name
16:55
isn't just swapping a word or a sign. Names carry
16:58
respect or disrespect. They shape what kind of
17:01
stories we tell about a place and who gets remembered
17:04
in them. For indigenous communities Yellowstone
17:07
is sacred and names that erase that history or
17:10
glorify violent figures add insult to injury.
17:14
Renaming things like First Peoples Mountain shift
17:16
the focus toward heritage, respect, and truth.
17:20
In the 1800s Yellowstone names told stories of
17:23
devils and damnation like I said. In the 1900s,
17:27
performers like Hague and then his predecessors
17:29
tried to make them sound more poetic. And if
17:32
you look around a lot of the hot springs, a lot
17:34
of them have very different names than like...
17:39
Satan's cauldron or something like that right
17:41
we have like politician spring I think is one
17:44
of them and that's just funny because it's hot
17:46
air haha Not every old name is gone in the park
17:51
But overall the trend toward titles that highlight
17:54
wonder history and meaning is increasing now
17:57
Yellowstone isn't really actively and aggressively
17:59
changing names But that push happened long enough
18:04
ago that it's worth mentioning so then when you're
18:07
in the park, you kind of have a better understanding.
18:10
Yellowstone's always been more than a landscape.
18:12
It's been more than just that first like, ooh,
18:13
that's scary or that smells bad. It should be
18:16
still a place of wonder layered with history
18:19
and stories. And that's why the names we choose
18:21
are part of that storytelling and it shapes how
18:24
each new visitor experiences the park. On a similar
18:28
note, it's the same way of positivity that I
18:31
try and use when describing the park. Yes, there's
18:34
going to be crowds, but people want to see this.
18:36
That's exciting. That's great. People want to
18:38
experience nature. You can look at the negative
18:40
or you can look at the positive, and we should
18:43
be looking at the positive and trying to uplift
18:46
and inspire. The weather for the coming week.
18:50
This week, the weather in Lamar Valley looks
18:53
decent to start. Thursday, a high of 74, a low
18:57
of 38. Friday, a high of 70, low of 35. Saturday,
19:01
a high of 72, low of 38. Sunday, a high of 70,
19:05
low of 40, with an 18 % chance of rain. Then
19:08
Monday, everything kind of shifts. Monday is
19:11
a high of 67, a low of 40, with a 31 % chance
19:15
of rain. Tuesday is a high of 60, and a low of
19:18
37, with a 37 % chance of rain. And Wednesday
19:21
is a high of 51, and a low of 33. with a 36 %
19:26
chance of rain. The weather for Gardner, similar.
19:29
Thursday, highest 77, low of 39. Friday, highest
19:33
73, low of 35. Saturday, highest 75, low of 39.
19:38
Sunday 74 and 42 Monday 70 and 42 with a 24 %
19:44
chance of rain Tuesday 63 and 39 with a 36 %
19:49
chance of rain and then Wednesday 55 and 34 with
19:53
35 % chance of rain Out in West Yellowstone things
19:57
are similar, but a little chillier Thursday high
20:01
of 73 low at 32 Friday high of 70 low of 28 Saturday
20:06
high of 71 low of 32 Sunday high of 70 low of
20:11
38 Monday high of 66 low of 37 with a 33 % chance
20:17
of rain Tuesday a high of 58 and a low of 33
20:21
with a 42 % chance of rain and that rain could
20:24
be just under half an inch and then Wednesday
20:27
a high of 52 and a low of 28 with a 40 % chance
20:31
of rain Now those of you out by the east entrance
20:34
out toward Cody Thursday high of 81 low of 57
20:38
Friday high of 77 low of 47 Saturday high of
20:43
79 low of 52 Sunday high of 79 low of 54 Monday
20:49
high of 77 low of 53 with a 9 % chance of rain
20:53
Tuesday high of 74 low of 51 with a 6 % chance
20:57
of rain and Wednesday a high of 66 and a low
21:00
of 45 with a 5 % chance of rain All this weather
21:04
talk brings me to the snowpack update. Currently
21:07
the snowpack update is not a thing. Should be
21:11
back in the next few weeks though. Looks like
21:12
we might have some snow sticking around. And
21:15
now the road conditions. So all major roads and
21:19
most side roads are open in and around Yellowstone
21:21
National Park right now. This includes Dunraven
21:23
Pass and the Beartooth Highway. However, that
21:27
late or the early next week rainstorms are very
21:32
cold. If you notice some of those lows, you know,
21:36
low 30s, high 20s, if that does happen with precipitation,
21:41
the higher roads are going to see some snow.
21:45
That could lead to some closures. It may not,
21:49
but it could. So the best way to be up to date
21:52
and have all the information, one of two ways.
21:56
You can call every morning, you can call 307
21:59
-344 -2117 for recorded information, or you can
22:04
do what everyone that lives out here does, and
22:06
you can sign up to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts
22:08
on your cell phone, and you need to text the
22:11
number 82190 to the number 888777. Again, there
22:20
is a chance that these rain, snowstorms, Will
22:26
impact travel in the coming week? again, it may
22:30
not that long -term forecast hard to be accurate
22:33
about but it's better to stay on top of it and
22:36
Constantly check the roads if you need any more
22:39
help reach out to me. I'll do my best camping
22:43
information Every campground the park that's
22:46
gonna open this year is open except for Indian
22:50
Creek Madison and Grant There are plenty of campsites
22:54
around right now if you're headed to the park
22:56
and want to camp So you can find one and have
23:00
no problem doing so the wildlife report So the
23:04
elk are still all around the mammoth area out
23:07
Madison River area and Madison Junction I've
23:10
heard of some good elk down by West Thumb Which
23:12
is why I mentioned it and then just kind of generally
23:16
all around there's going to be some elk here
23:18
and there If you want a good herd of elk, leave
23:23
the park out of the north entrance and head down
23:26
Old Yellowstone Road until you get to the junction
23:29
with the Yellowstone Hot Springs. Driving that
23:32
road should give you a good opportunity to see
23:34
quite a bit of elk. That's kind of my little
23:36
insider's tip. Also out that way, obviously,
23:40
grizzlies out at Tom Miner Basin. I sent somebody
23:42
there the other day. They saw grizzlies. They
23:45
took great pictures. All was well. All was happy.
23:48
Good times for bears. Now, valley -wise, Hayden
23:52
Valley has been hit and miss. Hayden has been
23:54
kind of shrouded in some fog early in the morning,
23:57
so it's made wildlife watching a little more
23:59
difficult. That's standard for this time of the
24:02
year, so... You know, if you head out there,
24:05
expect that fog may limit your visibility. However,
24:08
people did see some wolves out there. I have
24:09
heard some grizzly reports, so check that out.
24:13
There's still some bison roaming around out in
24:16
Hayden, and also there's been some swans sighted,
24:19
things like that. Lamar Valley and out by Slough
24:22
Creek, kind of the whole Little America, Lamar,
24:25
Slough Creek area. Wolves have been spotted,
24:28
grizzlies have been spotted, there's been some
24:29
carcasses, there's been coyotes, and I've also
24:32
heard of a few brief moose sightings out around
24:37
Baronet. Now... If that's true, that's awesome.
24:41
I just heard hey, I was driving and I'm pretty
24:43
sure I saw moose out there So I haven't seen
24:46
them there, but somebody told me they did and
24:48
I kind of trust that person So keep an eye out
24:50
big bull moose out that way Big horn sheep are
24:53
gonna be hit and miss this time of the year If
24:57
you head up over Dunraven Pass or out the east
24:59
entrance probably your best bet Also, you know,
25:02
I say it every time go to calcite Springs and
25:05
scan across the cliffs and you might see some
25:07
there. Also that north road that I told you about
25:10
to see the elk, kind of a Yellowstone hot springs.
25:14
We are about a month, month and a half away from
25:18
the bighorn sheep rut. And so that's a good opportunity
25:21
to maybe see some of the earlier guys hanging
25:24
out down there. So check that out. Otherwise,
25:27
drive the park, put in the miles. Wolves again,
25:31
if you really want to see wolves, head out towards
25:33
Slough Creek area. and look for people looking
25:36
for things. And as I mentioned a few weeks ago,
25:39
if you see somebody with a spotting scope, you
25:41
can ask nicely to look through their spotting
25:43
scope. Don't assume they will let you. And if
25:45
they don't try and have your own pair of binoculars
25:48
or rent a spotting scope, you can do that in
25:50
Gardner. And I think there's a place in West
25:53
as well. Otherwise, wildlife watching. It is
25:55
a good time of the year. Those chilly mornings,
25:57
get things active, seeing all the bison kind
26:00
of get you know frustrated at that the good times
26:05
are over and um cold and wet is here it's kind
26:10
of entertaining to see especially those newborn
26:12
bison after that first rain like if you're in
26:14
the park on tuesday or wednesday and it's rain
26:17
and snow mix that's a fun time to see the those
26:20
newborn bison really experience that for the
26:22
first first or second time in their life and
26:25
be very confused and probably a little sad if
26:29
you like what you're hearing on this You can
26:33
pick up a guidebook. I have a guide. I've guidebooks
26:35
on wildlife watching and hiking in the region
26:37
They're both available in ebook and paperback
26:40
formats. And if you Buy those books that helps
26:44
me keep the lights on in this podcast, if that's
26:47
a thing. And also, it's just a nice way, if you
26:49
appreciate what I do. Ebooks are just $10. I
26:52
ship those out as soon as I get the email. And
26:55
if you buy a paperback, I ship that out as soon
26:57
as I can. Sometimes my distributor is a little
27:00
slow, so I apologize. Also, if you do really
27:04
want to you can buy these on amazon but um billionaires
27:07
don't need more money so you can get them directly
27:10
from my website at outdoor -society .com Trail
27:15
alerts and updates so currently as a time of
27:18
this recording all the trails that are supposed
27:20
to be open in the park are open aside from that
27:22
turbid lake trail where the bear attack happened
27:24
a couple weeks ago all this information on trail
27:27
conditions that you need to check before you
27:29
head out are found on the Backcountry Conditions
27:32
page of Yellowstone National Park's website.
27:38
If you're looking for a hike with a decent array
27:42
of fall colors along a straightforward path with
27:45
good views and a high potential for wildlife,
27:48
this is the hike for you right now. I know I've
27:50
recommended it before, but right now is a great
27:52
time to check it out, so I wanted to talk about
27:54
it. Should I be mentioning more hike scenarios
27:56
that will be closing soon? because of the snow
27:59
and winter conditions, probably. And I'm gonna
28:02
make that happen in the next few weeks, but this
28:04
week I really wanted to talk about Slough Creek
28:06
and First Meadow and why. So this trail follows
28:09
a historic wagon trail that goes all the way
28:11
into the Absaroka -Beartooth Wilderness beyond
28:14
Yellowstone's boundary. However, unless you plan
28:17
on absolutely crushing miles, you probably just
28:20
want to go to the first or second meadow. The
28:23
trail begins just up the road from the Slough
28:25
Creek campground, And at the trailhead, you're
28:28
going to find a pit toilet, plenty of parking
28:30
spots, and the trail sign. Once you start hiking,
28:34
you'll start on what some consider to be a steep
28:36
climb, gaining about 400 or so feet in elevation
28:39
in less than a mile. Right from the start, you're
28:43
going to want to be on the lookout for wildlife.
28:45
This time of the year, I've encountered black
28:47
bears right next to the trail within the first
28:49
quarter mile quite often. If this happens to
28:52
you, keep your distance. If passing them is unsafe
28:55
and you are unable to maintain 100 yards from
28:57
the bear, turn around and choose another hike.
29:01
If you can get by the bears, great. So once you
29:04
crest the hill, the trail levels out and leads
29:07
you through a nice stand of aspen. Keep your
29:10
eyes and ears open here as I've seen plenty of
29:13
bears in this stretch of trail as well, often
29:15
feasting on berries. You're also going to see
29:18
some birds and maybe a bison or two. Then after
29:22
a quarter mile or so on that top section, the
29:24
trail starts descending into the first meadow.
29:27
First meadow is great, giving you a chance to
29:30
scan for wildlife, see a backcountry ranger cabin,
29:33
and even head up to the top of a rocky area near
29:35
the creek. The rocky area is on the north side
29:38
of the trail and it's hard to miss if you are
29:41
looking for it. There's a boot path leading to
29:44
it near the patrol cabin and I typically go to
29:47
that rocky area for a snack and a scan for wildlife
29:50
So that's why I highly suggest it Well hiking
29:54
to the rocks or up to the patrol cabin Keep an
29:57
eye out not just for wildlife here, but also
29:59
for some antlers and animal skulls and bones
30:02
There are a few known to be in the area and if
30:05
you are looking for them, you should be able
30:07
to find them The Slough Creek Trail at First
30:10
Meadow is around four or five miles round trip,
30:12
depending on how much you roam around. In the
30:14
fall, the area has some great autumn colors and
30:16
combines everything that makes Yellowstone magical.
30:19
Wide open spaces, a potential for wildlife sightings,
30:22
and a chance to escape the boardwalks. Sure,
30:25
you're on a well -traveled and popular path,
30:27
but now that summer is over, you're not going
30:29
to have that many people around. If you do want
30:32
a longer adventure out this way, keep hiking
30:35
on that main trail. reach second meadow at the
30:39
start of the second meadow follow the trail to
30:42
your left to the backcountry campsite at the
30:45
backcountry campsite you're going to see some
30:47
really cool things that are laying around but
30:50
i'm going to keep those surprised for those of
30:52
you who do decide to hike out here so you can
30:55
have that sense of like discovery of like wow
30:57
this is a really cool thing to come across all
31:01
right next week In next week's episode, I return
31:05
with all the information you need to have a good
31:07
week in the park, including wildlife, weather,
31:11
and the trail updates. So until then, thank you
31:15
sincerely for listening, and happy trails! This
31:28
week in Yellowstone is brought to you by the
31:30
Outdoor Society because that's my company and
31:33
that's where this is hosted There are no sponsors.
31:36
This is a labor of love. So thank you all for
31:38
listening copyright 2025, baby