Latest / This Week in Yellowstone National Park / This Week in Yellowstone: June 19th to June 25th, 2025

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This Week in Yellowstone: June 19th to June 25th, 2025 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park, where the mosquitoes
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are emerging and are super hungry, and people
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keep being shocked at how hot it is in direct
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sun and elevation, this is that Scott guy you
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know and love with another episode of This Week
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in Yellowstone. What's up everybody this week
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in Yellowstone National Park from June 19th to
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June 25th I'll give you an update on Yellowstone's
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record visitation in May Tell you about a dog
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that chased a wolf in Hayden Valley and let you
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know about an awesome hike near Old Faithful
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Also give you the complete weather forecast the
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wildlife report and everything else you need
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to know to have an incredible time this week
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in Yellowstone As always, standard disclaimer,
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I might miss a few details, so feel free to reach
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out with any questions you may have. I also mention
0:54
park locations extremely casually, so if you're
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unfamiliar, jot them down as I'm doing this and
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then you can do a quick search to find out exactly
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where I'm talking about. Finally, this podcast
1:05
is a passion project. I'm not paid or sponsored.
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I do this because I want you to have a good time.
1:11
If you like it. Please give it a review or just
1:14
send me a quick email. Let me know you like it.
1:16
And if you'd like to support me more, you can
1:17
check out my guidebooks or you can book a hiking
1:20
tour with me. You can find those on outdoor society
1:24
dot com, or you can just reach out to me directly
1:26
and ask. All right. This week's Yellowstone News
1:29
record attendance in May of twenty twenty five.
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So Yellowstone National Park saw a strong surge
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in visitation this May, welcoming 566 ,363 recreation
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visits. That's an 8 % increase compared to May
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of 2024. And this made May of 2025 the park's
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busiest May on record, marking a significant
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20 % jump from May of 2021. And 2021 still holds
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up for the record. visitation for the year overall
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with 4 .8 million visitors. So 2025 is shaping
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up to be another busy year. So far this year
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Yellowstone has recorded 762 ,672 recreation
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visits through the end of May. That number will
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easily double once we get June numbers. June
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may break a million people. So if the visitation
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continues, we're seeing a 6 % increase in visitation
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from that same time in 2024 and a 17 % rise from
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2021. So this is going to be a busy year. These
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numbers reflect not only a rebound from the pandemic
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and the weather related closures, but also that
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there's a continual interest in the park as a
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top travel destination. And with a lot of the
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talk of the underfunded parks and people not
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being able to travel as much, we're still not
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seeing that here in the park or the communities
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outside the park. Now, that being said, a lot
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of people are visiting the park, but they're
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not necessarily spending the same amount of time
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or extending their vacations being outside of
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the park. So we will probably see a dip in total
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revenue for tourism this year. But in the park,
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we're seeing a lot of people. All right, changing
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gears. There's a new trail in West Yellowstone.
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So it's kind of a new trail. I missed this a
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week ago, but I wanted to cover it now. West
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Yellowstone has a new trail. Like I said, not
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brand new, but mostly new. The Yellowstone short
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line trail kicks off near the corner of Iris
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Street and Obsidian Avenue in West Yellowstone
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and it stretches for 8 .8 miles one way or 17
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.6 miles round trip. And it's a great option
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for a scenic walk, a run or a bike ride. There's
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a gentle maximum grade of just 1%, so it's like
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super flat, and it's 10 foot wide paved asphalt.
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Super easy, obstacle -free route, suitable for
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just about anyone. Following the old railroad
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corridor, the trail traces the historic path
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of the Yellowstone Special and the Yellowstone
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Express, which were seasonal passenger trains
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that once operated by Union Pacific's Oregon
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Shortline Railroad. So as you travel along the
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South Fork of the Madison River and through the
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beautiful Custer Gallatin National Forest, you'll
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get sweeping views of Montana's rugged landscape
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and may even spot some of the wildlife that lives
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in the region. So obviously bring bear spray
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with you. This route was once the first glimpse
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of Montana for countless visitors headed to Yellowstone
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and today it still captures that same sense of
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adventure and awe. Now some bummer news. Wolf
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gets chased by dog in Hayden Valley. You've probably
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seen this. If you haven't, I'm just going to
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briefly cover it. The following is from a post
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by Yellowstone Insight Tours. Today, a domestic
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dog leaped from the back window of a slow moving
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vehicle in the heart of Yellowstone to chase
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after a wild wolf. After some unnecessary details
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and critiques the post continues. There is a
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carcass hidden on one side of the roadway and
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the wolf was trying to navigate a safe road crossing
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through the people and traffic to the food source.
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Many people were already out of their vehicles
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and the smart wolf began walking off the road
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edge paralleling it just to get past the people.
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The car with the dog was driving slowly assessing
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the situation. I'm not sure if the dog stepped
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on the back window button to open it or if the
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window was already open. As the car passed the
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wolf, the dog leapt out from the car and ran
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full sprint towards the wolf. Once the wolf saw
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the shepherd, it began loping away, which then
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switched to a faster gate down the road. Eventually,
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the wolf turned, stood its ground to the shepherd
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and stopped the chase. They were within 15 feet
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of each other. The driver immediately reversed
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and fastened straight as a race car driver could
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do and called his dog, which turned to the road
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and to the guardian, quite quickly. The yearling
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wolf seemed a bit shaken up, but quickly kept
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on its mission to circumnavigate the people and
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eventually swim the Yellowstone River to obtain
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its breakfast. I'm not even going to bother saying
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anything more about this. Yeah. Alright, the
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last bit of news I have. Well, there's two bits
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of news. I forgot I added something before I
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wrote the last bit of news. So fire danger in
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Yellowstone National Park is currently high.
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Please be extremely careful when you have fires,
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follow all rules and regulations, and let's try
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and, if there is a fire this year, have it a
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naturally started fire by lightning. Then finally
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finally for news warm water temperatures and
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low river flows prompt fishing closures on select
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rivers after 2 p .m. in Yellowstone National
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Park. If you're fishing the Madison River and
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all associated tributaries the Firehole River
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and all associated tributaries the Gibbon River
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and all associated tributaries tributaries, that's
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a fun word to say, downstream from Norris campground.
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So pay attention to those closures. Our snowpack
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is basically gone, as I'm going to talk about,
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and we don't really have much precipitation in
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the forecast and it's going to be hot. So don't
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expect these fishing closures to change or the
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fire danger to get any better. My experience
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of the week. The Blacktail Plateau Drive. The
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Yellowstone National Park's website describes
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the Blacktail Plateau Drive as, Blacktail Plateau
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Drive is an unpaved, six -mile, one -way road
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that meanders through alpine forests and meadows.
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It provides a more rustic way to travel to Tower
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Roosevelt and gives opportunities to see wildlife
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and take in the beautiful alpine scenery. If
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that speaks to you, great, but I wanted to do
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a little better and try and sell you to drive
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this. Because it's a cool road. I absolutely
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love it when it opens up It's the highlight of
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me when I'm driving back and forth I actually
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if I have a tour in that northeast side I will
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leave my house earlier just so I can make sure
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I have time to drive this road So I want you
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to do it and here's why so the road is much more
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than that description as Are all the side roads
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in Yellowstone? Blacktail Plateau Drive is an
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old remnant of the original stagecoach road between
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Mammoth and Tower Junction, spanning the years
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from 1905 to the 1930s. The road also follows
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the path of the Bannock Indian Trail, which if
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you don't know about it, you should totally look
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it up. I don't have time to talk about it. Otherwise,
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we would accomplish nothing more on this podcast.
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So the road is gaining popularity, but since
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large vehicles like tour buses and RVs are not
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allowed on it, it gives those who can legally
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drive it a chance to take in some of the most
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grand views of the northern range from the road.
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Driving Blacktail Plateau Road in Yellowstone
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National Park during the summer is a relaxed
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scenic adventure that feels like a step off the
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beaten path. The six -mile one -way dirt road,
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which runs west to east, so the Mammoth side
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to the tower side, starts about nine miles east
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of Mammoth Hot Springs, or just under nine miles
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west of Tower Junction. It's kind of in that
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halfway point as the starting ground. Winding
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its way through some of the parks quieter, more
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open terrain. It's typically open from mid -June
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to September once the road has dried out from
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the spring and has been graded. It's also near
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a bear management area, so depending how active
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the bears are, it could close down at any time
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still. So while the road is unpaved and can get
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bumpy with plenty of washboard sections and potholes,
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it's passable in most cars if you take it slow.
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People in little sedans, I've seen a lowered
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Honda Civic with a giant spoiler driving that.
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You can do it. Just drive slow. And also, again,
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a note trailers, RVs and buses are not allowed
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on this. Though the drive itself only takes about
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20 to 30 minutes without stopping, most people
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spend closer to an hour or longer because there's
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so much to see. Wildlife is a big part of the
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experience here. You might spot bison, elk, mule
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deer, and sometimes even a moose. Black bears
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and grizzlies also wander through, especially
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in the early morning or late evening when it's
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quieter. If you go in June or July, you'll also
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catch a beautiful burst of wildflowers blanketing
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the hillsides. It's one of the best time for
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photos. I go there especially like sunrise. It
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is awesome at sunrise since I'm like meeting
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people for tours. Cannot recommend that enough
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sunset. Also stunning. So the road will climb
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gradually up to around 7 ,000 feet. Views start
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opening up to reveal rolling sage. Sagebrush
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Flats, and the dramatic Absaroka Range in the
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distance. Around mile four, you hit a point with
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panoramic views that are absolutely worth pulling
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over for. From there, the road drops with an
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8 % grade, which is quite steep, as you descend
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into more forested terrain as it winds back down
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toward Tower Junction. It actually comes out
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right near the Petrified Tree area. Just to let
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people know where that is This section this downhill
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steep section is typically where I see a lot
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of bears. It is honestly one of those like Majority
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of the time I drive it. I will see a bear so
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I love driving it But I also don't drive it in
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the middle of the day Now know that this is a
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dusty ride and the road is narrow So it's smart
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to take it slow and to use the pullouts Especially
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with other cars around even if you're just gonna
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stop real quick Just use a pull -out. It's fine.
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Let people drive by if they're in more of a hurry.
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Good for them. If they want to drive slower,
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good for them. Let people do what they want as
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long as they're following rules. And like most
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of the park, there's no cell service. There's
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no facilities out there. There's not going to
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be any pit toilets or anything like that. So
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come prepared with water, snacks, binoculars,
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and of course your camera and your camera phone.
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Also keep an eye out on the weather because sudden
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rain can make this road slick and muddy. And
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if it rains enough, it will lead to a closure
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of the road. road until it dries out. Having
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this road open when you're visiting is no guarantee
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so when you're there and it's open, drive it.
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Blacktail Plateau Road is yet another hidden
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treasure in Yellowstone. It's perfect if you're
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looking to escape the crowds, soak in some amazing
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scenery, and maybe have a wildlife encounter
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or two. It's a mellow but memorable drive that
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gives you a real sense of Yellowstone's wild
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beauty that is found beyond the paved roads.
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My tip of the week! How to deal with Yellowstone's
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mosquitoes. They're back! Hooray! With a buzz
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and a bite, I was quickly reminded that it's
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now mosquito season in Yellowstone. Along the
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trail to Grand Prismatic Overlook and Fairy Falls,
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last week they were out in full force, distracting
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people from the amazing views as they had to
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smack the bugs off of them the entire walk and
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at the overlook. People were very frustrated
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the whole day with mosquitoes. And getting to
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Fairy Falls was even worse. Each and every year,
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this time brings about swarms of mosquitoes and
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swarms of complaining about mosquitoes. Those
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of you who come from mosquito -infested lands
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should know what to do, but it's always worth
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a refresher. Mosquitoes can definitely be a nuisance
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in Yellowstone, especially during the late spring
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and early summer, with pee activity in June and
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July. They're most active in the early morning
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and evening, mainly near wetlands, rivers, and
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other areas with standing water. If you're extremely
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sensitive to bites or just want to avoid the
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worst of mosquito season, consider only doing
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things in the middle of the day or visiting at
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a different time. To protect yourself, It's pretty
13:23
simple. Wear long sleeves and pants, ideally
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in light colors, since mosquitoes are supposedly
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more attracted to dark clothing. Now, as I was
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researching this, everything I read said this.
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I have never heard this in my life, but since
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every single website was like, light clothing
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is supposed to be better. I will pass that along.
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If it's not true, let me know. If it is true
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and you have experience with it, let me know
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too. I've never heard this and so figured I would
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still pass it along. I also know that treating
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clothing with permethrin, it adds protection
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and can be found at most outdoor retailers so
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you can kind of coat things like that. You can
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also buy like special clothing for mosquitoes.
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Now I usually hike in like a sun shirt and shorts
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and so my go -to, as awful as it smells and as
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sticky and maybe bad for me as it is, is using
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insect repellent. Products that contain DEET
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or more natural things like lemon eucalyptus
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are your best bet. Last week I hiked with a bottle
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of off in my backpack and just sprayed myself
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as needed. Multiple people walked by asking if
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they could borrow it as they were just getting
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bitten left and right. And just be sure to follow
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the application instructions and reapply as needed,
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especially if you're sweating or near water.
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Now I do want to issue a warning. Long -sleeve
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sun shirts don't always stop the bites. I know
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of multiple people while hiking last year that
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donned sun shirts, long -sleeve shirts, thinking
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they would help. They both got over 20 bites
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through their shirts. Also, many trails you would
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assume would be mosquito -free will also have
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mosquitoes. It's just that time of the year.
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Expect them everywhere, and if they're not there,
15:10
congratulations. It's also suggested to treat
15:13
your gear like backpacks with any bug spray.
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And if you're camping in buggy areas, mosquito
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netting can make a huge difference for comfort.
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Try to avoid lingering in marshy or densely forest
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areas where mosquitoes thrive, and opt for higher
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elevations or breezier, more open spaces when
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popular. Now, obviously, if you're camping, it's
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going to be really hard. Just do the best you
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can. If you really are hiking and are bothered
15:38
by it and you just want to not be bothered by
15:40
it, and you know you're going somewhere buggy,
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consider a mosquito head net. Sure, people are
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going to probably laugh at you, but they can
15:50
be surprisingly helpful in keeping you sane on
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the trail. If you're visiting right now, mosquitoes
15:56
are going to get you. Just be prepared, do the
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best you can. Random Yellowstone Fact of the
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Week. Swans at Swan Lake Flats. I know I'm talking
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about birds, but please stay with me as this
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is a very important wildlife success story and
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something that you may not be aware of. And it's
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not as flashy as the wolves or grizzly or bison
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recovery, but it's equally important and awesome.
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So the trumpeter swan restoration Yellowstone
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National Park, particularly at Swan Lake Flat,
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is a powerful example of long term conservation
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pain off. These elegant birds were nearly wiped
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out of the lower 48. by the early 20th century
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due to overhunting, habitat loss, and shrinking
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wetlands. At one point, there were fewer than
16:42
70 swans that remained in the Greater Yellowstone
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Ecosystem. Although their numbers saw a brief
16:47
recovery in the mid -1900s, the population within
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the park dropped dramatically again, hitting
16:53
a low of just four swans by 2009 and 2010. To
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reverse that trend, Conservationists took action
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through captive breeding and strategic releases,
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and since the 1980s, groups like Wyoming Wetland
17:07
Society, Yellowstone Forever, and the Ricketts
17:09
Conservation Foundation have been raising signets,
17:12
which are young swans, in captivity and releasing
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them in key wetland areas like Swan Lake Flat,
17:18
Hayden Valley, and Allam Creek. In recent years,
17:22
those efforts have really started to show results.
17:24
For example, in 2019, two signets successfully
17:28
fledged at Swan Lake Flat. for the first time
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since 1966. By 2022, swans were nesting there
17:36
again and raised two more young. In 2023, eight
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signets were released in Hayden Valley, and by
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2024, swans were returning to places like Swan
17:45
Lake Flat to nest on their own. Currently, there
17:49
is a nesting pair of swans at Swan Lake Flat,
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which can be seen from a few of the pullouts.
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There are signs with closures telling you not
17:57
to walk past them. Please do not walk past them.
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You can take pictures from a distance. You can
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use binoculars or spotting scopes. Pretty soon
18:06
those eggs are going to hatch and there will
18:09
be baby swans swimming in. the flats and that
18:12
is so cool with the mountains in the background.
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I got to have a couple days with them last year
18:17
and was truly remarkable. Today the park is home
18:20
to roughly 28 to 29 resident swans including
18:23
a few territorial pairs including those nested
18:27
a Swan Lake flat that I just mentioned and since
18:29
2012 over 50 signets have been released giving
18:32
the population a better chance to grow. Of course,
18:35
challenges remain. Spring flooding, drought,
18:38
predators, and disturbances from humans still
18:40
threaten successful nesting. And because the
18:43
local swan population is fairly isolated, it
18:46
also struggles with limited genetic diversity
18:49
and few new swans migrating in from other areas.
18:53
The restoration effort is very much a team project
18:56
involving park staff, researchers from Montana
18:58
State University, and several non -profit non
19:01
-profit government partners. Their work includes
19:04
everything from habitat protection and nest monitoring
19:07
to tracking swans via GPS and even importing
19:11
eggs from Canada to boost genetic diversity.
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Swan Lake Flat in particular has become the symbol
19:17
of hope where swans have returned to nest after
19:20
more than half a century. It's a reminder that
19:22
meaningful wildlife recovery takes time, patience,
19:26
and constant collaboration. But thanks to ongoing
19:28
dedication, the Trumpeter Swan's unique call
19:31
continues to echo across Yellowstone's wetlands.
19:35
The weather for the coming week. Lamar Valley.
19:38
This coming week is pretty steady with six of
19:40
the seven days seen partly cloudy or mostly sunny
19:43
skies. The exception is Sunday. After high in
19:46
the 80s in Lamar on Thursday, high temperatures
19:48
drop 10 degrees a day to Sunday when the high
19:51
is 51 and the low is going to be 26. There's
19:54
also a chance of rain or snow on Sunday. Temperatures
19:57
start to climb again on Monday, hitting the 60s
20:00
and then maybe 70 by Tuesday and Wednesday. Expect
20:03
thunderstorms every day because it's that time
20:05
of the year. Gardner Gardner is going to be starting
20:08
out toasty this week. Highs on Thursday are going
20:11
to be nearly 90. Then Friday will be 79 with
20:14
a chance of thunderstorms. Sunday will be 64
20:17
and mostly sunny, and then Sunday will see highs
20:19
in the mid 50s and lows around freezing with
20:22
clouds and rain. Monday will have partly sunny
20:25
skies and highs in the 60s, and then Tuesday
20:27
and Wednesday will see highs in the 70s and mostly
20:30
sunny skies. Like everywhere right now, expect
20:33
a thunderstorm or two a day. West Yellowstone.
20:38
West Yellowstone will be warm as well, Thursday's
20:40
high will be in the 80s, Friday will be windy
20:42
with highs in the 70s, then things cool off a
20:45
bit, Saturday's high is 58 with a low of 31,
20:48
and Sunday will see a high of 50 and a low of
20:51
25. Monday and Tuesday will have highs in the
20:54
60s and lows in the 30s and then Wednesday will
20:56
have a high near 70 and a low of 33. Once again,
21:00
expect thunderstorms. Cody. After a high in the
21:04
90s on Thursday, Friday's high will drop to the
21:07
mid 80s and then Saturday will be in the mid
21:10
70s with a chance of rain. Sundays should be
21:12
rainy and cloudy with highs in the 50s and lows
21:14
in the 30s. Then things will warm back up around
21:17
70 degrees on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
21:20
Finally. You know what I'm going to say. Expect
21:23
thunderstorms! Alright, the snowpack update.
21:27
The snowpack in the park, as of June 18th, is
21:30
pretty much non -existent. If you head to the
21:32
mountains above 10 ,000 feet, there'll be some
21:34
snow. But otherwise, things have melted out pretty
21:37
nicely in the park. And because of this, this
21:40
is the last week of the snowpack update until
21:44
the fall. So, goodbye snowpack update until September.
21:49
Alright, the road conditions. I mentioned some
21:52
potential of snow in the weather report, so the
21:55
only dicey weather that appears in the forecast
21:58
as of right now is Sunday. So be aware that there
22:01
could be snow that may fall at higher elevations
22:04
in the park, and that could cause a temporary
22:06
road closure or two, especially between Old Faithful
22:09
and West Thumb, which is Craig Pass, between
22:12
Tower and Canyon, that is... you know, Mount
22:15
Washburn and everything and then out of the east
22:17
entrance toward Cody over Sylvan Pass. Also the
22:20
Beartooth Highway may see snow and we just don't
22:25
know how much precipitation is going to fall
22:27
and it's anyone's guess as to what it's going
22:30
to be like. It could be a lot and there could
22:32
be closures or it might just be a very pretty
22:34
dusting where everybody just gets to be excited
22:36
for a June snow. Just be prepared for it so if
22:40
it happens it's not going to impact you and if
22:42
it doesn't happen you can say oh it didn't happen.
22:45
Other than that, all major roads are open right
22:47
now in and around Yellowstone. This includes
22:50
Den Raven Pass and the Beartooth Highway. Now
22:52
for up -to -date information on roads, you can
22:54
call 307 -344 -2117 for recorded information,
23:00
or you can sign up to receive Yellowstone road
23:02
alerts on your cell phone by texting 82190 to
23:07
the number 888 -777. Camping information. As
23:13
always mammoth hot springs campground is open
23:15
and as of June 19th every campground in the park
23:18
That's going to open this year is open now a
23:21
random fun fact because apparently I had extra
23:24
time this week I did I took the numbers of the
23:28
campgrounds that are open there are 2001 front
23:31
country campsites in Yellowstone National Park
23:33
according to the website where you can reserve
23:36
your Campground I I don't know how accurate that
23:40
is, but I thought it would be fun to share Alright,
23:43
the wildlife watching update. So I was in the
23:46
park yesterday, which would make this Tuesday
23:49
the 16th. I had good bear activity between Mammoth
23:53
and Tower, and then people up in Tower said that
23:57
they saw some grizzlies between Tower and...
24:02
Canyon and then out the east entrance there was
24:05
more grizzlies Hayden Valley had some good wolf
24:08
sightings. So did Lamar Valley not slew Creek
24:11
slew Creek wolves Very low activity almost none
24:15
You can drive down there and see what's down
24:18
there, but don't expect it You'll have better
24:20
luck just driving into Lamar out to Pebble Creek
24:23
and round prairie and back a couple times with
24:26
the heat right now Animals are going to be active
24:29
early in the morning and later in the evening.
24:31
They are not going to be that active in the middle
24:33
of the day Now bison are everywhere. There are
24:36
baby pronghorn running around There's baby bison
24:39
if you go to calcite Springs, which is just near
24:42
tower fall you If you have keen eyes can scan
24:47
that cliffside across the river and look all
24:50
the way down to the river and you might see a
24:53
bighorn sheep with newborn babies. I was there
24:56
the other day and I pointed out the newborns
24:58
to people. I was the only one that saw them.
25:01
And by the time I left, people were pointing
25:02
them out to everyone else. And it was really
25:04
cool. Out in Lamar, there's also a coyote den
25:08
with a couple of babies. I haven't mentioned
25:10
it in previous weeks because it's in an area
25:13
where it gets very crowded. And I didn't want
25:17
to make that worse. You know, there is some level
25:21
of responsibility I have to have with wildlife
25:23
sightings when they will cause a traffic jam
25:25
that will really limit transportation back and
25:28
forth, which is needed. Otherwise, I'm going
25:31
to keep saying what I'm what I say. Best wildlife
25:34
watching you're going to have is going to be
25:37
in Lamar Valley, followed by Hayden Valley. Hayden
25:41
Valley is picking up. I will give it that. But
25:44
currently, it's still Lamar. If you have a spotting
25:47
scope and you pull off where you see people looking
25:49
through spotting scopes, you're going to see
25:51
a lot. So keep your eyes peeled. If you have
25:54
specific questions, reach out to me. Other than
25:56
that, go to the valleys early morning, late in
26:00
the evening, drive the mountain passes, and you
26:02
should see some wildlife, especially out that
26:04
east side and then between Canyon and even petrified
26:10
tree like. I won't tell you exactly what's going
26:13
on, but I would head out toward the petrified
26:15
tree between Mammoth and Tower quite often if
26:18
you're if you're in the park. All right. Trail
26:21
alerts on updates. Everything has been changing
26:24
so much. I had this typed out, then I looked
26:26
at it the next day and then things have changed.
26:28
So if you need. Trail conditions talk to a ranger
26:33
go to the visitor center or you can go to the
26:35
backcountry situation report from the Yellowstone
26:37
National Park website That's what I do every
26:40
day to see what's going on. There are some bear
26:42
closures But like I said, they could be back
26:45
open again immediately so Check that out talk
26:50
to somebody as soon as you enter the park about
26:52
where to hike so speaking of hiking my trek of
26:55
the week Lone Star Geyser. I'm actually talking
26:58
about something in the thermal areas, everyone.
27:00
Isn't that amazing? Not just the northern range
27:03
where I'm incredibly biased about. So the Lone
27:06
Star Geyser Trail in Yellowstone National Park
27:08
is a relaxing and scenic hike that leads to one
27:11
of the park's more off the beaten path geysers.
27:14
Yes, it's well known, but it's still off the
27:16
beaten path. So tucked away from the south of
27:19
the often busy Old Faithful area, the trail starts
27:22
at Kepler Cascades Parking Area on the Grand
27:24
Loop Road. It's a 4 .8 mile round trip hike on
27:28
a wide gently rolling path that follows an old
27:31
service road through quiet lodgepole pine forest
27:34
alongside the firehole river. The route is easy
27:37
to moderate and it's great for most hikers including
27:40
families thanks to the relatively flat terrain.
27:43
It's also open to bicycles up to the geyser and
27:46
even and the even surface makes it doable for
27:50
strollers as well. I've seen people push strollers
27:52
there so that's really cool. What's especially
27:54
nice about this trail is that it offers an alternative
27:58
starting point if you're wanting a longer hike
28:00
and you're already at Old Faithful. There's a
28:03
connector path near Old Faithful Lodge and the
28:05
visitor center that leads to the main Lone Star
28:07
Geyser trail and obviously it adds a bit of distance
28:10
but it gives you the option to walk right from
28:12
the heart of Yellowstone's most iconic areas
28:14
with everyone there and just immediately have
28:17
people fade away and vanish. It's a fun way to
28:20
escape the crowds and get into a quieter corner
28:23
of the park without needing to hop in your car.
28:26
As you walk, you're going to hear the steady
28:28
flow of the river and you may spot elk, bison,
28:32
or a variety of birds along the way. In the summer,
28:35
wildflowers often brighten the trail with pops
28:37
of color and bear encounters are rare here, but
28:40
they are very possible. So carry bear spray,
28:43
have it quickly accessible and know how to use
28:46
it. Yes, it's a family friendly trail and you're
28:48
going to see people with strollers there, but
28:49
that doesn't mean that there's not a grizzly
28:51
right there too. This is Yellowstone. There's
28:54
bears everywhere. Along the hike, you're also
28:57
going to pass a few small thermal features as
28:59
you go and it's hints of the geyser waiting at
29:01
the end. After about 2 .4 miles, the trail opens
29:05
up in a peaceful clearing where Lone Geyser sits
29:07
framed by the forest and bubbling quietly between
29:10
eruptions. The geyser itself is a striking cream
29:13
color cone that's about 10 feet tall. It erupts
29:16
roughly every three hours and shoots water and
29:19
steam 30 to 50 feet up in the air for up to 30
29:23
minutes. Because it's so much more remote than
29:25
places like Old Faithful, you might actually
29:27
find yourself sharing the moment with just a
29:30
few people or no one at all. or it could be dozens
29:33
of people. It's just gonna be what it's gonna
29:35
be. There's usually a logbook nearby, usually
29:38
at the start of the trail, where visitors note
29:41
the last eruption time, which can help you decide
29:43
if it's worth hanging around. Spoiler alert,
29:46
it is. Just bring a lunch, hang out there for
29:49
a while. Yeah, it erupts every three hours, but
29:51
you're gonna be in nature. Like, take the time,
29:54
hang out, watch it erupt, come back. Please know
29:56
there's no restrooms water stations or facilities
29:59
on this trail so be sure to pack everything you
30:01
need water snack sunscreen and You know anything
30:05
else you need pack a trash bag, and if you see
30:07
trash pick it up That's what I've been doing
30:09
and it's been nice The trail is best from late
30:12
spring through the fall when it's dry and clear
30:14
you can actually do this in the winter And I
30:16
wanted to mention this so if you stay like in
30:19
the park during the winter if you ride a snow
30:21
coach There's a way to get there It's really
30:23
cool. And obviously, like every trail in the
30:26
park, dogs are not allowed. Do not bring your
30:28
dog on this trail. Now, whether you start at
30:31
Kepler Cascades or connect from Old Faithful,
30:34
Lone Star Geyser Trail offers a peaceful, rewarding
30:36
escape into nature. It's the perfect mix of forest
30:39
solitude, riverside beauty, and the rare chance
30:42
to see a geyser erupt in a quiet, natural setting.
30:45
If you're looking for a laid back hike with a
30:47
big payoff, this one's a gem. Also, majority
30:50
of the people I run into on this trail Super
30:53
awesome. So smile at people say hi. Let them
30:56
know what you saw Continue the good vibes and
30:59
enjoy Lone Star Geyser That's it for this week.
31:03
I made it a little shorter. So I hope me talking
31:06
a little faster wasn't terrible next week I'm
31:09
gonna return with all the information you need
31:11
to have a good week in the park and You know
31:14
wildlife weather and trail updates. I'm gonna
31:16
be in the park multiple times So if you see me
31:18
say hi, if you need anything reach out to me
31:21
other than that Have a great week, and happy
31:24
trails!