Latest / This Week in Yellowstone National Park / This Week in Yellowstone: August 20th to August 26th, 2026

Transcript

This Week in Yellowstone: August 20th to August 26th, 2026 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park where the sage
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has been smelling amazing in the early morning
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hours after an evening rain This is that Scott
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guy you know and love with a brand new episode
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of this week in Yellowstone What's up everybody
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this week in Yellowstone National Park from August
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20th to August 26th 2026, I talk about the dirt
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road that's found just outside of the park that
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few people ever drive. I tell you about the history
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of glaciers in the park and what they left behind,
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and offer a reminder to leave things where you
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found them in the park. I'll also give you the
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complete weather forecast, a cool trail to hike,
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the wildlife report, and everything else you
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need to have an incredible time this week in
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Yellowstone. Standard disclaimer, I may miss
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a few details here and there. That's just me
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trying to be a little more brief. I could easily
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make this podcast two hours every week, but no
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one wants that. And if you do, maybe I'll launch
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a Patreon or something and you can hear me ramble
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for an hour or two a week. But until then, just
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know that I'm going to miss some details because
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I'm trying to be brief. Also know that I mentioned
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park locations very casually. So if you're unfamiliar
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with anywhere I'm talking about, a quick search
1:23
can help or you can reach out to. to me directly,
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you can text me at 406 -589 -1873 or shoot me
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an email at theoutdoorsocietyatgmail .com. Now
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I do want to say that those of you that have
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texted me and emailed me, I'm trying to catch
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up. It's been a busy last month. So if you messaged
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me, sent me something, I apologize for not getting
1:46
to it. Everything just gets stacked up and I
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do the best I can. So apologies. Please, if it's
1:52
pressing and coming up, reach out to me again.
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It's not a personal thing. I do try and respond
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to every single person that reaches out. So reach
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back out to me. I'll try and catch up in the
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next week or so, and I'll do my best. Finally,
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please know that this podcast is a passion project
2:07
of mine. If you enjoy it, I'd love a review online
2:11
at whatever, wherever you listen to it. So if
2:14
it's like Apple podcasts, review their Spotify,
2:16
review it there, or just shoot me a quick email.
2:19
I like getting those. It's really nice every
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week to get so many wonderful message from all
2:25
of you listeners because, you know, I'm just
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recording this in my little studio office and
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there isn't like anybody here to tell me if I'm
2:34
rambling or not. I know I'm rambling right now,
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but I appreciate all of your contact that you've
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done reaching out to me, telling that you like
2:42
what I do. So thank you so much. If you want
2:44
to support me more, you can check out my hiking
2:46
and wildlife watching guidebooks, or you can
2:49
join me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's
2:51
backcountry. For more information and all that,
2:53
visit outdoor -society .com or contact me directly,
2:57
again 406 -589 -1873 or theoutdoorsocietyatgmail
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.com. This week's Yellowstone news. The proposed
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highway near Yellowstone. If you've been online,
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you may have seen that there is a proposed interstate
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that will run from Texas to Montana, and there's
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a lot of different rumors going around and a
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lot of worry, and I want to talk about what that
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proposed highway means to Yellowstone National
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Park specifically. So here's what I wrote to
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summarize all of the news about it. A proposed
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interstate could bring major changes to US 287
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around the Greater Yellowstone Region, but it
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will not turn Yellowstone National Park's existing
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roads into an interstate or automatically widen
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the roads inside the park. The I -47 Future Interstate
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Act of 2026 would designate US 287, which runs
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from Port Arthur, Texas, to Montana, as future
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Interstate 47. Importantly, US 287 is officially
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discontinuous through Yellowstone National Park.
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The roads inside the park are National Park Service
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roads, not US 287. Again, this could be a new
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interstate, but it will not be an interstate
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through Yellowstone National Park. Their proposal
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could nevertheless have significant implications
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outside of the park, especially along that Greater
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Yellowstone ecosystem near West Yellowstone,
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Madison Valley, and then kind of that southeast
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side as well. Converting the mostly two -lane
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highway to an interstate could eventually require
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substantial improvements depending on how the
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designation is implemented and what projects
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are actually funded. The main concern is that
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the future highway upgrades on the existing two
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-lane highway to an interstate would increase
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traffic volumes, increase vehicle speed, and
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make the physical footprint of the road much
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higher which would result in fragmenting key
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habitat, impeding wildlife movement, polluting
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rivers, and impacting the heritage and rural
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character of our region. Obviously this is still
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just out there being floated but there's a lot
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of talk about it and I wanted to mention it because
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I've also seen a lot of people saying they're
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gonna build a four -lane highway through Yellowstone
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National Park and that is fundamentally not true.
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Proposal for this interstate does not cover park
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roads. They would have to change things substantially
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and That's just not gonna happen. It's The amount
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of funding the amount of red tape that there's
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going to be for this it's just not going to happen
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now the impact of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem
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with A highway like this could be huge, especially
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if they decide not to do wildlife overpasses
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every mile or two or things like that. That's
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really going to negatively impact the region.
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I'll talk about that more as we get there, but
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I just wanted to mention that I've seen a lot
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of chatter online and had to address it. One
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other thing I'm going to talk about in the future,
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but not this episode because we're still waiting,
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is the fate of the molly pack. The mollies left
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Yellowstone a while ago and they are out of the
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park in Wyoming. And Wyoming is not exactly the
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best place for wolves to go outside of park protection.
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I could talk about this again for a long time.
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I'm not going to right now, but just know that
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we're still waiting on confirmation if the mollies
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return to the park or are still out. Right now,
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it's just a big question mark. My experience
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of the week. Grassy Lake Road. I often talk about
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scenic roads in the park tucked away off the
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main areas. I've also been known to constantly
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tell people to drive the Beartooth Highway, Chief
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Joseph, and the road between the east entrance
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and Cody. I even recommend driving Old Yellowstone
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Road north of the park. This week, I'm continuing
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my tradition of telling you to find the roads
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less traveled while visiting Yellowstone and
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highlighting the often overlooked Grassy Lake
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Road. Located just a few miles south of the south
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entrance between Yellowstone and the Tetons,
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Grassy Lake Road is a 36 -mile road, 35 of which
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are dirt and gravel, that connects the John D.
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Rockefeller Memorial John D. Rockefeller Jr.
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Memorial Parkway to just outside of Ashton, Idaho.
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While you may already be perking up hearing about
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this hidden scenic road, I ask you to pump the
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brakes for a little bit. Grassy Lake Road is
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not a casual drive. The road is oftentimes washboarded,
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sometimes rutted, sometimes full of deep potholes.
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It is windy and always narrow. The National Park
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Service takes this one step further and recommends
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a high clearance vehicle. Usually I'm a bit lax
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about warnings like this, like, oh, you can make
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it. But this is correct. I want to say that even
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those route looks short on a map, the conditions
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of the road can easily take an hour to each way
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without stops. And this is not something to do
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in a camper van, in a RV or in a vehicle that
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does not do well on very, I'll call them rustic
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roads. Now, if you do have a car that's capable
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of driving on some really bumpy, not ideal roads,
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this is for you. Starting at Flag Ranch, the
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first couple of miles are probably the easiest
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part of the drive. The road leaves the Snake
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River and passes through lodgepole forests and
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meadows, and in the first few miles, you're still
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close to the services of Flag Ranch, which is
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also known as Headwaters, where you can get fuel,
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food, and other supplies. After those first few
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miles, though, the pavement is long gone and
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the road becomes a very bumpy gravel route that
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continues west. This is an area where wildlife
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is common, so I'd take the curve slowly. I would
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stop at any place you have good visibility and
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scan for moose, elk, deer, and bears, especially
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as we get a little later in this month. At about
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11 miles in, you reach Grassy Lake Reservoir,
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and this is one of the landmarks that gives the
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road its name. It's a good place to slow down,
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take in the scenery, get out of the car, wander,
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because the road's just kind of settled into
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what it's going to be for the next little bit.
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At and around the reservoir, there are some trailheads,
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there's a couple side roads to get to another
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little lake. This is a good place to really wander
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and see what else is out there if you have time.
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I really like around the reservoir a lot, and
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if this is where you just decide to drive to
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and turn around, you've had a good time. I forgot
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to mention that when you're driving out here,
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really make sure to keep an eye out just for
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cool spots to get out and wander for a little
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bit. When you get out of the car, always carry
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bear spray. This is a heavy bear area, but it's
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worth it to just explore because it's a really
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overlooked, very pretty section of country. So
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from roughly 11 to 20 miles, you're continuing
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west through increasingly remote country. There's
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more trailheads, there's more side roads, and
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this is just So cool, so remote, so scenic. I
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really like being out here in the morning or
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the evening, especially when the sun's low on
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the horizon. There's a little smoke in the air
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and makes it all look very scenic as well. Again,
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though, once you're driving out here, know that
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you're not going to be driving fast. You're not
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going to be able to make up time for all your
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stops. You're going to have loose gravel, washboards,
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potholes, narrow sections, and just everything
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that's going to slow you down. And that's kind
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of the reward of being here. This is not a road
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to quickly go from point A to point B. You should
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be out here to just enjoy the remoteness and
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the scenery. If you want a remote picnic, this
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is where you go. So then around 20 to 35 miles,
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the road continues west and you just kind of
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slowly exit. The way you kind of entered, you
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just exit everything and you're still... enjoying
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some good views, some awesome wetlands, little
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lakes here and there, really nice quiet meadows,
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good wildlife watching, but every mile you drive,
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you're closer to the end of this road. By about
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mile 36, you then get off the gravel and the
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road continues another dozen or so miles toward
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Ashton before you connect to all of the other
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roads out there. The entire Flag Ranch Ashton
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route is about 49 miles. but the character of
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that drive changes considerably between the remote
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gravel section and the approach to Ashton. So
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I really just am talking about the gravel section.
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If you're doing this drive in late August, it's
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a really good time of the year. I love it. You
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get those elk bugles in the morning and the evening.
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You start seeing moose out there. Moose are starting
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to hang out for their mating season. You also
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get just away from everybody. August is a busy
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time in the parks for Tetons and Yellowstone,
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and Grassy Lake is a little slice of heaven that,
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yeah, it's more popular than it's been, but honestly,
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the road conditions just kind of scare enough
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people away. It's a very local, very niche thing
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to do, so enjoy it. I think you'll love it. Just
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be aware that when there are storms in the area,
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this area can flood pretty quickly. You know,
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we don't get a lot of heavy rains, so our drainage
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is not the same as some other areas. So if we
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get a thunderstorm that rains an inch or two,
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expect some very muddy conditions. If you're
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looking for a quieter road that gets you away
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from Yellowstone's main routes, Grassy Lake Road
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is well worth considering, but it's a road to
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approach with respect. The scenery is beautiful,
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the country is remote, and the route offers exactly
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the kind of off -the -beaten -path experience
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I'm always encouraging people to seek out. Just
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remember that this is not a casual scenic drive.
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Again, the road can be rough, narrow, and slow
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going, cell service is unreliable and non -existent,
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and late August weather can change quickly. But
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go prepared, take your time, make sure your vehicle
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and supplies are up for the trip, if you do that,
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Grassy Lake Road can be one of those Yellowstone
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drives that you remember long after you've left
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the park. My tip of the week. So, most of you
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that listen to this, this will be completely
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known, but I do want to reiterate this so you
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can pass this message along, but this week I'm
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going to be talking about why no one should take
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anything from the park that includes antlers,
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rocks, bones, flowers, and feathers. Just leave
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them be. I know there's something almost irresistible
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about finding a beautiful piece of Yellowstone
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and wanting to hold onto it. Maybe it's an unusually
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colorful rock beside a trail, a wildflower that
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seems too perfect to leave behind, a feather
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lying in the grass, or an elk antler resting
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in the woods. It's easy to think, I'll just take
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this one thing home. After all, it's already
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laying here. How could taking one thing possibly
14:09
hurt? In Yellowstone, the answer is simple. Just
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leave it where you found it. This is not merely
14:15
a suggestion from the National Park Service.
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Removing or possessing natural resources, including
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wildflowers, antlers, rocks, and other natural
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objects is prohibited under federal regulations.
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Yellowstone's current laws and policies specifically
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identifies 36 CFR 2 .1 A1 as prohibiting the
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removal or possession of natural or cultural
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resources. The Yellowstone Pledge puts it more
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plainly. Leave what you find. Don't take antlers,
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artifacts, rocks, plants, or other objects from
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the park. There's a good reason for leaving these
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things behind. Let's say you find a rock that
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you like. It may seem insignificant to pick it
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up and put it in your pocket. But Yellowstone's
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geology tells a really cool story. And a rock
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is evidence of an ancient lava flow, or a glacier,
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or an extinct volcanic event, or erosion of mountains
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that existed long before Yellowstone became a
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national park. Maybe it's a fossil, or some other
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geological object. While it is tempting to put
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it in your pocket, leave it there. It's part
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of the landscape. It tells the story. And other
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people deserve to have that story too. By taking
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things away from the park, we're altering how
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the park is and we're changing the story and
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putting ourselves in it. If you've listened to
15:43
this podcast enough, you know that I do not ever
15:46
have main character energy. The fact that I have
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a podcast is funny to me because I really don't
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like being the voice of something, but it's the
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same as like everything else in the park. I want
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the park to speak for itself. And if you take
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a rock, something like that, then you're not
16:05
letting the park speak for itself. Now, I also
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mentioned wildflowers. Yellowstone is home to
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more than a thousand native plant species and
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flowers are part of that ecosystem. They provide
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food for insects and other wildlife. But more
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importantly than that, they produce the seeds
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that allow future generations of plants to grow.
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Picking a flower may seem harmless, but thousands,
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tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of visitors
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making the same decision would have a very real
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effect on how the landscape looked. If everybody
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hung out when the wildflowers were blooming around
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Mount Washburn and picked it, then the next year
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the flowers there aren't going to be as good.
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And every year everybody does that, it's going
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to get worse and worse. So... Again, straightforward
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message from the National Park Service, enjoy
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the wildflowers, but don't pick them. Antlers
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can be really tempting. Finding a naturally shed
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elk antler or a skull or a bison horn or a moose
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paddle, something like that, is really cool.
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I love going to the backcountry and finding these
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things. But that's precisely why it belongs in
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Yellowstone. Shed antlers are part of the natural
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environment and the park's regulations specifically
17:23
prohibit collecting them. The same applies to
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bones, feathers, and other animal remains. I
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know it looks like an insignificant thing to
17:33
do, but there's still natural resources that
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are protected by the park. If I could take things
17:38
from the park, I'd have an amazing collection,
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but then I'd also take people into areas and
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there'd be no cool skulls or bones or antlers
17:46
out there, and people deserve to see that. Along
17:49
these lines, some of the other guides like to
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find antlers and bones and then hide them in
17:55
special places so only they know where they are.
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I don't even do that. If I see something in the
18:00
backcountry, we pick it up, we handle it, we
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take pictures with it, and we set it down exactly
18:06
where we found it. And that's what I hope all
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of you do. Now there's another reason I like
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the idea of leaving things behind. It's that
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someone else should get to discover them too.
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Imagine finding an unusual rock along a trailhead
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and realizing that nobody has picked it up Maybe
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the next person stops to examine it Maybe somebody
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with kids is there and they wonder how it got
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there and they become a scientist because I don't
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know You know, there's something that can happen
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by coming across these things So one example
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of people leaving things behind that makes a
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really cool moment for everyone is there's a
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trail north of the Yellowstone River near the
18:45
boundary of the park Where you're hiking along
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and if you know where to look There's a tree
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with an antler sticking out of the middle of
18:54
it. The tree is fully grown around the antler
18:57
Somebody years and years ago when the tree was
19:00
kind of split Set an antler there and every single
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person that walked by left it there That's what
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I hope happens everywhere is that you see something
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you enjoy it and then you leave it behind for
19:13
other people to see Now, if I sound like, oh,
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I'm just, you know, he's just saying all these
19:20
things because he just wants everything to be
19:21
left there, I'm also saying that this is illegal.
19:25
There are real legal consequences for ignoring
19:27
these rules. Violations of the federal regulations
19:31
governing Yellowstone can result in fines up
19:33
to $5 ,000 per person and imprisonment up to
19:37
six months or one or the other. The Yellowstone
19:41
superintendent also notes that courts can impose
19:44
probation of up to five years and court costs.
19:47
There are maximum statutory penalties, not an
19:50
automatic fine for every person who picks up
19:52
a rock, and the actual penalty depends on the
19:55
circumstances and the charge. Obviously, people
19:58
pick things up all the time. And if the park
20:00
was like, here's five years in jail for or six
20:04
months in jail for picking up a rock. for and
20:08
it's a kid you know they can't do that but they
20:13
can go after people when they really start breaking
20:15
rules and a lot of those rules are for fossils
20:17
for skulls and antlers things like that yellowstone
20:21
has demonstrated that park violations can lead
20:23
two significant consequences. In one recent case
20:26
involving multiple illegal activities, a defendant
20:29
received jail time, fines and fees, probation,
20:32
and a temporary ban from Yellowstone and all
20:34
public lands. Other Yellowstone cases involving
20:37
resource or safety violations have resulted in
20:40
substantial fines, community service, payments,
20:42
jail sentences, and park bans as well. So why
20:45
am I talking about this? That's usually the question
20:47
I ask myself and I know all of you ask when I
20:50
go on these rants. I'm talking about this right
20:52
now because I've seen more people go out and
20:54
pick flowers. They're cutting little pieces of
20:57
sage. They're doing these things that I understand
20:59
it's exciting. I've also seen people try and
21:02
take bones and antlers and then get tossed in
21:04
the back of a ranger car. This happens all the
21:06
time and I see it and I just want to mention
21:09
it in case you're tempted to do that. Just know
21:12
it's against the law. Don't do it. Enjoy the
21:15
things when they're there. Mark down where you
21:17
found them and go back year after year and see
21:19
how they've changed. That's more fun. That's
21:22
the legal way to do it. And know that the best
21:25
Yellowstone souvenir is the one that you leave
21:28
behind so you can continue to visit it and create
21:31
more and more memories every single time you
21:33
go there. My random Yellowstone fact of the week.
21:37
Glacial history and glacial erratics. One of
21:40
the easiest ways to begin understanding Yellowstone's
21:43
glacial history is to stop and look at a rock
21:45
that seems as though it shouldn't be there. Across
21:48
Yellowstone National Park large boulders sit
21:50
scattered across valleys, ridges, and plateaus,
21:53
sometimes surrounded by a bedrock of an entirely
21:56
different kind. These are glacial erratics, and
22:00
they are among the most visible reminders that
22:02
Yellowstone was once buried beneath an immense
22:04
landscape of moving ice. An erratic is a rock
22:08
that has been transported from its original location
22:10
by a glacier and deposited somewhere else as
22:13
the ice retreats. In Yellowstone these rocks
22:16
provide tangible clues about the direction and
22:18
extent of ancient glaciers. A glacier is more
22:22
than a frozen sheet of ice sitting motionless
22:25
on the ground. As snow accumulates and compresses
22:28
it into ice, the growing mass eventually flows
22:30
under its own weight. Rocks can become incorporated
22:33
into the ice, particularly along the base, where
22:36
they're carried along the dragged landscape.
22:39
Some are ground into sediment, and others, including
22:42
enormous boulders, may travel for miles before
22:45
being deposited. By identifying the composition
22:48
of an erratic and comparing it with the bedrock
22:50
around it, geologists can determine where the
22:52
rock originated and begin reconstructing the
22:56
glacier that carried it. This is really important
22:59
in the northern range of Yellowstone where I
23:02
do a lot of tours and I always point out these
23:04
glacial erratics to varying levels of excitement,
23:07
I'll be honest. Not everybody cares, but I'm
23:09
talking about it now. These erratics help geologists
23:13
recognize the glaciers that impacted Yellowstone.
23:17
The USGS scientists today combine evidence from
23:20
erratics, moraines, glacial sediments, and different
23:23
things to reconstruct the movements and timing
23:26
of Yellowstone's ancient ice. Once we recognize
23:30
the erratics as evidence of moving ice, we can
23:32
zoom out and ask a larger question. When did
23:35
Yellowstone become a glacial landscape? Yellowstone
23:39
has experienced repeated glaciation during the
23:41
last 2 .6 million years. Evidence for the oldest
23:45
episodes is limited because later glaciers, volcanic
23:48
eruptions, rivers, and other geological processes
23:52
have altered or buried much of that record. The
23:55
National Park Service notes that a glacial deposit
23:57
near Tower dates approximately 1 .3 million years
24:01
ago, demonstrating that glaciers occupied Yellowstone
24:04
long before the most recent ice age. The two
24:07
most recent major glaciations are known as the
24:11
Bull Lake and Pinedale Glaciations. The Bull
24:14
Lake Glaciation occurred roughly 150 ,000 -140
24:18
,000 years ago and produced an extensive glacial
24:21
system across the Greater Yellowstone region.
24:24
In some areas, Bull Lake glaciers actually reached
24:27
farther than the later Pinedale glaciers. Much
24:30
of the evidence they left behind, however, was
24:33
later buried or destroyed by younger ice. The
24:36
Pinedale glaciation was the most recent major
24:40
glacial episode and corresponds broadly with
24:43
the last ice age. At its maximum, an enormous
24:46
ice cap covered nearly the entire Yellowstone
24:49
Plateau and may have reached approximately 4
24:52
,000 feet thick. That's almost a mile thick.
24:58
Mount Washburn was completely buried beneath
25:00
the ice. It's important to know that this was
25:03
not part of the continental ice sheet that covered
25:05
Canada and much of the northern United States.
25:08
Yellowstone developed its own extensive mountain
25:11
glaciers and plateau ice cap, fed by abundant
25:14
snowfall at the region's highest elevation. The
25:17
ice did not simply sit over Yellowstone. It flowed
25:20
outward from the plateau and surrounding mountains,
25:23
carving valleys, transporting enormous quantities
25:25
of rock, and depositing debris as it advanced
25:28
and retreated. In northern Yellowstone, an outlet
25:32
glacier flowed down the Yellowstone River Valley
25:34
and eventually extended into what is now Montana's
25:37
Paradise Valley. Moraines and other deposits
25:40
left along its path allow scientists to reconstruct
25:43
this glacier's retreat. The retreating glaciers
25:46
also help some of the landscapes we recognize
25:48
today. Glacial ice dammed rivers and altered
25:51
drainage patterns, while meltwater and sediments
25:54
reshaped valleys. In Hayden Valley, for example,
25:58
glacial blockage helped create a lake where sediment
26:00
accumulated before the ice disappeared and the
26:03
lake drained. The broad valley visitors see today
26:06
is partly a product of glacial activity and its
26:09
aftermath. Glacial dams also formed in Lamar
26:12
Valley and the eventual failure produced large
26:16
floods that helped shape the landscape around
26:18
Yellowstone's northern entrance. Eventually the
26:21
ice disappeared Most of Yellowstone's plateau
26:23
was ice -free by roughly 13 to 14 ,000 years
26:26
ago, and rivers, vegetation, wildlife, and eventually
26:29
humans returned to the landscape that was already
26:32
fundamentally shaped by glaciers. Archaeological
26:35
evidence indicates that people were present in
26:37
the Yellowstone region by around 11 ,000 years
26:40
ago, and that's always shifting. A little aside
26:43
for those of you who want to know me a little
26:45
better, I have been really digging into early
26:50
human history, and then some more modern human
26:52
history. And it's interesting that when I grew
26:56
up, we were always told that humans were in North
27:00
America first around, you know, eight to 10 ,000
27:02
years ago, and then it became 11. And now I've
27:05
heard 14. And now there's been theories of 16
27:08
to 18 ,000 years being floated about. And it's
27:12
fascinating to see as we lock down how long people
27:14
have been here and what life was like. If you
27:18
know of any good books about this, recommend
27:20
them to me. I love this. I legitimately love
27:23
this. I listen to these audiobooks all the time
27:25
when I'm driving to and from the park. I read
27:27
them. It's great. Alright, back to glaciers.
27:31
So, glacial erratics are something that I love
27:34
and I wanted to talk about because they're really
27:36
compelling. They sit out in the middle of the
27:39
prairie and they look nothing like the rest of
27:42
the landscape. What it does is it tells you that
27:45
something else was there. The glaciers are gone,
27:49
but their fingerprints remain across Yellowstone
27:51
and the valleys they carved, the sediments they
27:53
deposited, the lakes and drainages they altered,
27:57
and the enormous rocks they carried far from
27:59
home. A glacial erratic is, in a very literal
28:02
sense, a piece of Yellowstone's ice age sitting
28:06
in the landscape that we see today, waiting to
28:08
tell us where the ice once went. The weather
28:12
for the coming week. I know I went from talking
28:14
about geology to weather I'm sure people are
28:17
sleeping by now the weather for the coming week
28:19
as always This is the best forecast for the week
28:22
at the time of the recording the forecast can
28:24
change numerous times in a week But this should
28:27
serve within the ballpark of what you'll experience
28:29
when visiting the park. So let's start with Lamar
28:31
Valley on Thursday a high of 84 a low of 50 Friday
28:37
85 and 53 Saturday 77 and 50 with a 55 % chance
28:42
of thunderstorms late morning afternoon into
28:45
the evening Sunday 76 and 46 35 % chance of storms
28:50
during the day Monday 76 and 46 19 % chance of
28:55
rain Tuesday 76 and 46 22 % chance and Wednesday
28:59
76 and 47 with a 24 % chance of precipitation
29:05
Gardner, Montana On Thursday 89 and 52 Friday
29:11
89 and 57 Saturday 81 and 52 50 % chance of thunderstorms
29:18
Sunday 79 and 48 with a 35 % chance of thunderstorms
29:22
Monday 80 and 49 with an 18 % chance of rain
29:26
Tuesday 79 and 49 18 % chance of rain Wednesday
29:31
80 and 49 24 % chance of rain West Yellowstone
29:36
Thursday, 84 and 44. Friday, 86 and 51. Saturday,
29:43
76 and 46 with a 44 % chance of thunderstorms.
29:47
Sunday, 75 and 42, 24 % chance of storms. Monday,
29:52
75 and 43, 20 % chance. Tuesday, 75 and 44, 15
29:57
% chance. And Wednesday, 76 and 44 with an 18
30:01
% chance of some storms. Cody, Wyoming. Thursday
30:06
91 and 61 Friday 89 and 63 Saturday 86 and 63
30:12
with a 21 % chance of thunderstorms Sunday 86
30:16
and 60 with a 25 % chance of thunderstorms Monday
30:20
83 and 58 with a 23 % chance Tuesday 81 and 59
30:25
with a 16 % chance and Wednesday 84 and 59 with
30:30
a 24 % chance of thunderstorms And finally Cook
30:34
City, Montana Thursday 78 and 51 Friday 80 and
30:39
54 Saturday 74 and 51 with a 61 % chance of thunderstorms
30:45
Sunday 72 and 47 with a 36 % chance of thunderstorms
30:49
Monday 72 and 47 19 % chance Tuesday 72 and 48
30:55
30 % chance of storms and Wednesday 73 and 49
31:00
33 % chance of storms Road conditions no major
31:05
park roads are closed right now. There's obviously
31:08
some construction here and there but Delays have
31:11
been really minimal. I haven't really gotten
31:13
too bothered by sitting in traffic. So it shouldn't
31:16
be too bad I don't think they're doing much above
31:19
and beyond that Please know that during these
31:21
thunderstorms if they're bad enough the park
31:23
will close some of those dirt side roads and
31:26
That's for good reason because they can't really
31:29
get people out if they get stuck there. So know
31:32
that after a thunderstorm those roads may be
31:34
closed. I meant to mention that a while ago and
31:36
I forgot but some of you have already pieced
31:39
that together when you're visiting and it's pretty
31:41
obvious as to why. For up -to -date road information
31:45
you can call 307 -344 -2117 or you can sign up
31:49
to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your cell
31:52
phone by texting the number 82190 to the number
31:56
888 -777. Don't know if you care, but I do a
32:01
little dance every time I say eight eight eight
32:03
seven seven seven so enjoy that mental image
32:06
camping information Everything that is going
32:10
to be open is open so if you're camping enjoy
32:13
it good time of the year to camp cooler mornings
32:15
it smelled so good this last week in the park
32:19
every morning after some rain i don't know if
32:21
everybody else noticed it if you're in the park
32:23
but i absolutely loved it it reminded me of camping
32:26
so i i hope that you're enjoying the weather
32:29
and the cooler mornings too the wildlife watching
32:33
update so last week has been wild in the park
32:36
no pun intended it's been really fun for the
32:41
frequency of animals spotted in some areas and
32:43
the absolute mystery of where the animals went
32:46
and others. So I heard from a lot of people this
32:49
week that there were no bison in Hayden Valley.
32:53
People would go down there for the bison rut
32:54
and they didn't see any and that happens. The
32:57
bison move around. They're not in one spot all
32:59
the time and sometimes they go a ridge or two
33:02
over and they're not right next to the road.
33:04
Since they were gone last week. I'm assuming
33:06
they're gonna be back this coming week They might
33:09
not be but they could be so check that out north
33:12
Side of the park the northern range. I say this
33:16
every week This is where the best wildlife watching
33:19
is happening the other day. There were wolves
33:22
running around the bison Institute area There
33:25
were moose out by floating Island Lake There
33:28
were badgers and coyotes running together near
33:31
Slough Creek. There are all of these experiences
33:34
that were truly wonderful in the northern range.
33:37
There are grizzly bears spotted in the distance.
33:39
There are black bears up on the hillsides. The
33:42
northern range was really popping off in wildlife
33:44
watching last week. Now, does that mean it's
33:46
going to be the same this week? Can't tell you
33:48
that. I do also want to say that bighorn sheep
33:52
sightings have been. Less than normal for me
33:56
in the northern range. Usually I'm seeing them
33:58
a lot by Junction Butte and things like that
34:02
haven't really been seen them there even went
34:03
out over to calcite Springs and scanned didn't
34:05
see any there So they're probably on the north
34:09
side of the river from Junction Butte just hanging
34:11
out. So it's not like oh, no, where do they go?
34:14
They're gone forever. It's just they're somewhere
34:16
else. The heat made it maybe did it the rainstorms
34:18
maybe did it I've also been hearing that, you
34:21
know, bighorn sheep have been pretty good over
34:23
Dunraven Pass in the evenings and out the east
34:26
entrance throughout. They've been there. There's
34:29
also been some really good elk activity around
34:33
mammoth around Lake, even heard somebody say
34:36
that they saw some in Canyon the other day. So
34:38
that was neat. So the elk rut is starting to
34:42
pick up. Everything will say elk rut starts in
34:45
September and those are rough. Estimates of when
34:48
things happen the elk red is starting now, but
34:52
doesn't really take off until September usually
34:54
So if you're in the park now, don't think oh,
34:57
I'm not gonna see any elk There's definitely
35:00
elk that are starting to try and gather harems
35:03
around the lake area around mammoth north of
35:07
the park to in Like by the airport. There's a
35:10
bunch of elk the airport in Gardiner. Not the
35:13
airport in West Yellowstone And then there's
35:16
a lot of elk that have been hanging out by Madison
35:18
and things like that. So you're here at a good
35:20
time. It's just harder to see things. The one
35:23
other wildlife thing I want to mention before
35:25
I move on from the segment is that a lot of people
35:28
have been reaching out to me saying, well, I
35:29
need to see a grizzly bear. Where can I see grizzly
35:31
bears? This is the hardest time to see a bear.
35:34
You're either going to see one or you're not.
35:37
The best chance you have is going out the east
35:39
entrance, going through Hayden, going through
35:42
Lamar, and just putting in the time in the evenings
35:45
and the early morning hours. It's the hardest
35:48
time if you're dead set on wanting to see bears.
35:52
Plan a trip for next year in May and early June.
35:55
that is the best time to see dependable bear
35:57
sightings. So if you're here now, I can't really
36:01
help you see a bear. I can tell you that if you
36:03
do see one, it's probably going to be a mile
36:05
or two away. Maybe you're going to get lucky,
36:07
but most people have been seeing them pretty
36:10
far away. So spotting scopes, binoculars, good
36:12
thing to have. If you need more wildlife watching
36:15
tips, reach out to me. Happy to help. Also, I
36:18
have a wildlife watching guidebook on my website.
36:20
Ebook copies are just $10. And if you want to
36:23
support the podcast and have some wildlife tips
36:25
for your park visit, happy to send one of those
36:27
out your way. I do have paperback copies too,
36:30
but generally most people that are listening
36:32
to this are in the park or headed to the park
36:34
immediately. And my shipping goes through media
36:36
mail so it can take a week, week and a half.
36:39
So ebooks get there within 24 hours of when I
36:42
see your order. So pick that up. I also have
36:45
a hiking one. But if you listen to the podcast,
36:47
you know that I really dislike selling my products
36:51
or like doing fake ad reads. So if you like what
36:56
you hear, pick up a guidebook. If not great,
36:57
keep listening. Happy to help you. Trail alerts
37:01
and updates. No real trail closures right now.
37:05
That could change, but right now there is nothing
37:07
impacting your backcountry travel or hiking travel.
37:11
Glanced at it. It's updated for the most part
37:14
This has been a pretty bad year for this to be
37:17
updated and it could be staffing issues It could
37:19
just be that the amount of time that the backcountry
37:24
Office has to update the website is not quite
37:27
the same as previous years Maybe more people
37:29
are hiking and asking them questions throughout
37:31
the day or whatever But there is a link to the
37:33
backcountry conditions page in the show notes
37:35
of this I do that every week and will continue
37:39
until the end of September, so check that out.
37:42
If you are hiking, carry bear spray, have it
37:45
readily accessible and not in the bottom of a
37:47
backpack, and know how to use it. If you see
37:49
a bear close by, you maybe have two to three
37:52
seconds to react. And with that is the trail
37:57
of the week. This week's trail offers a little
37:59
more of a challenge than some of the previous
38:01
week's hikes. I know I'm trying to mix it up
38:03
a little, but if you're hoping for something
38:05
easier this time around, I suggest dropping me
38:08
a message or, you know, check out my hiking guidebook
38:11
again, $10 for an ebook. Um, this week's hike
38:15
comes straight from my guidebook and it's sepulcher
38:18
peak. Now I call it sepulcher. Some people say
38:21
sepulcher. I'm going to call it sepulcher because
38:24
it pains me. It's the same as saying like tower
38:26
fall. So sepulcher, uh, if that is cringy to
38:30
you to hear, I apologize in advance. I don't
38:33
say it that many times. This hike near Mammoth
38:36
Hot Springs is a good way to get away from Mammoth,
38:40
because Mammoth can feel like one of the busiest
38:42
and most developed corners of Yellowstone. There's
38:44
boardwalks winding across the terraces, there's
38:47
roads and buildings and plenty of people around.
38:49
It's an awesome area. I love Mammoth, but sometimes
38:52
you want to get away from it. It's really easy
38:56
to assume that solitude is hard to find around
38:58
Mammoth. I thought that too until I hiked Sepulcher.
39:01
beginning near Liberty Cap, the route climbs
39:04
in a much wilder landscape than most people expect
39:08
exists in this area. The full loop is commonly
39:11
described by the National Park Service at about
39:13
11 miles, but every time I do this it's about
39:17
12 to 13 miles. Either way, it's a strenuous
39:21
hike. You're gonna have roughly 3 ,400 feet of
39:24
elevation gain and top out at a summit of 9 ,652
39:28
feet above sea level. From the top, you get sweeping
39:31
views across Northern Yellowstone, including
39:34
Mammoth, Gardiner, Swan Lake Flats, the Yellowstone
39:36
River, and Electric Peak, and all of the mountains
39:40
of the region. You can actually see the Tetons
39:42
from the backside of this hike. If you do hike
39:46
this, know it's... very much bear country, the
39:49
National Park Service specifically warns that
39:51
this area is heavy in grizzly bears. So carry
39:56
bear spray, have it readily accessible and not
39:58
buried in your backpack, hike in groups when
40:00
possible, and if you're hiking alone or with
40:02
groups it doesn't matter, make a lot of noise
40:04
by talking, clapping, singing, everything you
40:07
can to let animals know you're coming by. Also,
40:10
read how to use your bear spray and know how
40:12
to use it confidently before you head out. If
40:16
you start the route by connecting the Beaver
40:19
Pond's trail and hike the loop counterclockwise,
40:22
then this is the way that I hike and you can
40:24
have that knowledge when you start. This isn't
40:28
an easy hike. Again, you immediately start to
40:32
climb. You move through the forest and open country
40:35
before you climb even more toward the summit.
40:38
The elevation gain comes quickly, expect a sustained
40:41
climb rather than a leisurely stroll, and remember
40:44
that you're starting at around 6 ,200 feet before
40:47
eventually reaching 9 ,700 feet. But, you're
40:50
climbing a mountain, the views are worth it.
40:54
climb out of the woods a bit you get into some
40:56
open sections and there's switchbacks and there's
40:58
ridge lines and then there's another forest and
41:01
then there's a really steep part and then you're
41:02
at the summit that sounds very easy if you hike
41:05
it you know exactly what i meant by all of that
41:07
but just know that you're going to be hiking
41:10
steep and exposed for quite a while start this
41:14
early because the weather can change and also
41:16
doing this in the heat is no fun and there's
41:19
not a lot of shade to be found I would rather
41:22
come down the backside of this mountain when
41:24
I'm in the sun even though there's no shade because
41:26
you're losing elevation and the wind is usually
41:29
whipping there. Once you're on the higher ridges
41:33
this is when the character of the hike changes
41:35
and the mountain really starts feeling like more
41:38
of a mountain. The forest gives way to the open
41:40
slopes and the landscape around Mammoth is really
41:42
far away in spirit and distance. It's one of
41:46
my favorite things about this hike is you just
41:49
get so much contrast on it. You begin the day
41:52
surrounded by cars and within a few miles you
41:54
find yourself walking a high mountain ridge with
41:57
very little evidence of civilization and very
42:00
few people around it. I see people here sometimes
42:03
but not that often. Last time I did this hike
42:06
I didn't see a whole person in the 12 plus miles
42:08
I did. The final approach to the summit makes
42:11
the hike feel like a mountain climb but um well
42:15
i shouldn't say a climb a mountain hike you're
42:18
not using your hands you don't need to use your
42:19
hands you get along this really sharp drop off
42:23
there's marmots running around you can look down
42:26
and see mountain goats on the cliff sides and
42:29
then you're working your way up a decently steep
42:32
section getting to the top on a clear day At
42:35
the top, the panorama is fantastic. I do want
42:38
to say if you're hiking this, you're going to
42:40
get to almost the top and there's a boot path
42:43
to the cliffs on the right side. That is where
42:46
you want to go. Yes, you can turn and follow
42:49
the trail and then go to the true summit, but
42:51
the views there aren't as good. I mean, do that,
42:54
but you're going to get the same views without
42:56
having to do that little bit of a summit push.
42:58
And I love sitting on those rocks by the cliff
43:01
because the views are fantastic and you just
43:04
get a look down at the Yellowstone River 3000,
43:06
4000 feet below you. The summit isn't the end
43:09
of the scenery, though. So after you have a break
43:12
there, refuel, rehydrate, keep hiking along the
43:15
trail past that real summit, and then you start
43:18
descending into one of the more beautiful descents
43:21
in the park. huge switchbacks on this open prairie
43:25
as you work your way down towards Swan Lake Flats.
43:28
You can see Bunsen Peak, you can see all of those
43:30
other mountains, and way off in the distance
43:32
on a clear day, you see the Tetons. Eventually
43:36
those sweeping switchbacks fade away, you're
43:38
back in the trees and you follow a creek. Along
43:41
this creek is where I've seen moose, where I've
43:43
seen lots of bear sign, so make a lot of noise
43:46
when you're working your way through the creek.
43:48
eventually you then reach another open section
43:51
of prairie and there's a trail to the left and
43:54
you want to take that and head back toward mammoth
43:56
you can kind of pick and choose the way you go
43:58
back there's multiple trails to follow so you
44:02
might want to plan out before you go and know
44:03
which trail to go on but one of the great things
44:07
about this is that you get back after the mountain
44:13
and you walk through the prairie and then you
44:15
start dropping back down toward mammoth and you
44:17
start seeing signs of all the mammoth thermal
44:19
areas you're not walking through the hoodoos
44:22
but all of a sudden you'll walk through a forest
44:25
and there'll be a giant gap in the ground next
44:29
to you and it's just a vent and then you get
44:32
further and then there's a place where there's
44:34
no Plants growing and it's just a barren wasteland
44:38
and then you keep getting closer and closer to
44:40
mammoth the contrast from what you were seeing
44:43
up on the mountains lush and green and really
44:46
fun and then this like Thermal wasteland is almost
44:49
comical after spin and then it gets more comical
44:52
because after spending hours in the quiet mountains
44:56
all to yourself you suddenly find yourself back
44:59
along that upper terrace loop road where there's
45:02
cars driving there's lots of visitors there's
45:05
the terraces and all of a sudden you're back
45:07
in civilization after a few miles of just nothing
45:11
and so this transition can be a little jarring
45:15
but it's really fun because when you walk back
45:18
down mammoth and you go down some of the boardwalks
45:21
to make your way back to where you parked you're
45:24
going to be Dressed like you went on a major
45:26
hike and everybody's gonna assume that you just
45:28
dress that way to do the mammoth terraces Which
45:31
is really funny to me and every time it makes
45:33
me laugh in my head because I'm like no I just
45:35
did like a 12 or 13 mile day But I don't need
45:38
to brag about it Unless someone asks and then
45:40
they're getting an earful about what my day was
45:43
because I love recommending this mountain along
45:46
this mountain you get a semi demanding climb
45:49
a nearly 10 ,000 foot summit amazing views potential
45:55
wildlife, great forests and meadows, thermal
45:58
features, and just this level of solitude that
46:02
you can't find anywhere else unless you do a
46:04
real hike in the park. If you are not a serious
46:08
hiker, do not do this hike. But if you're looking
46:12
for a hike that has substantial elevation gain,
46:15
a long distance, and a ridge line that can't
46:19
be beat, this is for you. If you want an easier
46:22
hike, Pick up my guidebook, reach out to me,
46:25
happy to recommend things, but if you're looking
46:27
for a mountain day that's a fun loop and you
46:30
never have to backtrack a trail, this is the
46:33
trail for you. That's it for this week. In the
46:37
next episode, I'm going to return with all the
46:39
information you need to have a good week in the
46:41
park, including the wildlife weather and trail
46:42
updates. Until then, pick up a guidebook of mine.
46:46
Please recommend this to your friends or anybody
46:48
coming to the park. Recommend it on social media
46:51
if you can. I know social media is a bit not
46:54
fun these days, but everybody needs positivity
46:57
and pretty things and Yellowstone is full of
46:59
all of that. So until next week, happy trails.
47:13
Abrupt ending! This week in Yellowstone is brought
47:16
to you by The Outdoor Society. That's my company.
47:19
It's just me. I do this. It's a labor of love.
47:21
If you like it, tell your friends. Rate and review
47:23
it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening
47:27
and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright
47:30
2026, baby!