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This Week in Yellowstone: June 5th to June 11th, 2025 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park, where everything
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is green, the rivers are high, and the pullouts
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are starting to get very crowded. This is That
0:09
Scott Guy you know and love with another 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
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June 5th to June 11th, I chat about a new thermal
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explosion at Biscuit Basin, talk about the Beartooth
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Highway, and give you tips on how to beat the
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summer crowds. I also share some information
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about picnic areas in the park and tell you why
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you should hike Bunsen Peak. I'll also give you
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the complete weather forecast, wildlife report,
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and everything else you need to know to have
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an incredible time this week in Yellowstone.
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By the way, this episode, just like every episode
0:55
in the summer, is going to be in the 30 minute
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range. I am trying to cut this shorter. Obviously
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this doesn't help, but I'm trying to make them
1:05
as quick and concise as possible. But there's
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a lot of information to talk about a lot of cool
1:09
experiences. So apologies in advance. All right.
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Disclaimer. I'm probably going to miss a few
1:14
details and, you know, reach out to me with questions.
1:18
I also mentioned park locations very casually.
1:21
If you're unfamiliar, write them down, search
1:24
for them online. You'll find out what I'm talking
1:26
about. Also, this podcast is a passion project.
1:30
I'm not paid or sponsored, so if you're enjoying
1:32
it, I'd love a review online or a quick email.
1:36
If you want to support my work, you can also
1:38
check out my guidebooks on hiking and wildlife
1:40
watching, or you can join me for a guided Yellowstone
1:43
hiking tour. You can get all the details and
1:45
books at Outdoor -Society .com or just reach
1:49
out to me directly. I currently have a lot of
1:52
availability in July. So if you want to hike
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with me in July and have your own guide on a
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trail, hit me up. All right. This week's Yellowstone
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news. It's been a pretty slow week of news in
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Yellowstone. And as always, that's a good thing.
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The main news this week is that the Black Diamond
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Pool in Biscuit Basin once again erupted. The
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USGS is reporting that a small eruption occurred
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at Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin on May
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31st at 8 .39 PM. Now, this is cool because if
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you remember last week, I talked about how there's
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a new webcam out in Biscuit Basin. Well, they
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captured this one. So I've linked to the explosion
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that was filmed in the show notes for you to
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watch. You can also search online and probably
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find it, but it's not the big explosion you're
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going to see. It's the smaller one that just
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happened recently, not last July. The other news
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is that Yellowstone National Park raised its
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fire danger level to moderate. As of Monday,
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June 2nd, Yellowstone National Park has elevated
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fire danger. There's no real additional fire
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restrictions in effect, but visitors are reminded
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to follow standard park fire regulations. Campfires
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are only allowed in designated fire rings within
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established campgrounds and campsites. Fires
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must be attended to at all times and fully extinguished
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cold to the touch before being left unattended.
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Oh. I also want to mention that on June 6th and
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7th, the Roosevelt Area amenities are going to
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be opening. This includes the cabins, the dining
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room, the store and the horseback rides, stagecoach
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rides and Old West Dinner Cookout. I will talk
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about this at some point. It is a fun experience,
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but that's not the experience I'm talking about
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this week. My experience this week is driving
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the Beartooth Highway. So the Beartooth Highway,
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officially US Route 212, is widely regarded as
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one of the most breathtaking drives in the United
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States. I tell people this all the time and they're
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like, well, have you done this drive? Yes, I
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have. Beartooth Highway. Awesome. So check it
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out. Stretching for 68 miles from Cook City to
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Red Lodge, which is just outside of Yellowstone
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National Park's northeast entrance. That's Cook
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City and Red Lodge is Kind of near I -90, but
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not really as you're headed toward Billings.
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This is a high mountain route that winds through
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rugged peaks of the Beartooth and Absaroka ranges,
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climbing to nearly 11 ,000 feet. It's packed
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with jaw -dropping vistas, glacial lakes, alpine
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tundra, and unique stops along the way. It's
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an unforgettable journey through one of the most
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dramatic landscapes. And honestly, if you don't
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like it, then I don't know what sort of scenic
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road you will like. So, a little bit about the
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road. The Beartooth Highway opened in 1936 and
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closely follows the path taken by General Philip
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Sheridan in 1872 after his visit to Yellowstone.
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The road was a monumental engineering feat at
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the time and remains one of the highest paved
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highways in the country. Its name comes from
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the jagged Beartooth -shaped spire visible from
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the road, a striking geological feature that
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gives the region its character. Now, a lot of
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people confuse the Beartooth with Pilot Peak,
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but it's not. But I don't have time or an ability
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to show you images to differentiate. But the
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Beartooth is definitely a very scenic mountain,
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more toward the east side than Cook City, just
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so you know. So when I describe this road, I'm
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going to start in Red Lodge as kind of like a
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you're driving to the park. So starting in Red
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Lodge, you'll quickly fall in love with the friendly
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mountain town known for its historic charm, great
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food, and outdoor culture. Honestly, there are
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some amazing restaurants there, so check them
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out. The adventure starts just outside of town,
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where the highway immediately starts to climb
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into the Beartooth Mountains through a series
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of dramatic switchbacks that seem to float above
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the valley floor. Now there's some scenic stops
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and highlights. Rock Creek Vista Point, which
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is about 21 miles from Red Lodge, is kind of
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that first great view. The Overlook provides
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one of the best panoramic views of the route.
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There's a short paved trail that leads to several
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viewing platforms, interpretive signs, there's
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photo opportunities, and it's a perfect place
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to appreciate the scale of the climb that you
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just did coming up those switchbacks. And...
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You can kind of look out of where you are going.
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As you continue on the drive, you're going to
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reach Beartooth Pass. The highway to here tops
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out at 10 ,947 feet, offering views that stretch
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for miles over alpine lakes, rocky ridgelines,
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and even distant peaks in Yellowstone. You're
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literally above the treeline here, and it's a
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world of tundra and snowfields even in July.
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One of the stops near the summit that you should
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go check out is the Beartooth Basin summer ski
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area. Near the summit, this unique ski area ski
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area operates in the summer, usually from late
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May through early July, depending on snow conditions.
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It's a favorite among experienced skiers looking
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for a rare offseason run. If you get a chance
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to watch some people just bomb down the hill,
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it is incredible. There's also a great This is
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also a great place to see some of the wildlife
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of the region once the snow melts, including
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marmots and mountain goats. As you continue to
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drive from Red Lodge and then drop down, you're
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going to reach Beartooth Lake, which is about
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50 miles from Red Lodge. This scenic glacial
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lake sits just off the highway and offers peaceful
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views, a campground, and access to several hiking
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trails. It's a great spot to stop for a picnic,
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fish, or simply stretch your legs. Also in that
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area, the top of the world store. It's around
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mile 45 from Red Lodge, and this remote general
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store is the only real service, only real structure
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with anybody in it that you're gonna find between
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Red Lodge and Cook City. It's a good place to
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grab a snack, buy a souvenir, or get up -to -date
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weather and road conditions. Also as you're headed
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toward Cook City, stop at Crazy Creek Falls.
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This is a very short stop where there's a trail
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that heads uphill and it's not for everybody
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But those able to hike should do this heads uphill
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along some rocks to a cascading waterfall tumbling
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over smooth rock slabs It's a mostly easy rock
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like walk for people used to hiking and it's
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a great way to Kind of either start your driver
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in your drive depending which way you're going
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There are some hiking trails along the way. There's
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dozens if not hundreds. However Until the snow
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melts more they're not worth mentioning right
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now if you want to know some my favorite hikes
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in the area I do have many of them listed in
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my hiking guidebook to the region That is my
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beyond the boardwalks hiking it I have some favorite
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hikes in the bear tooth that I mentioned and
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I have plenty more that I haven't mentioned yet
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So reach out to me, especially once snow melts
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the final stretch of the drive Wines in a Cook
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City, which, you know, I love Cook City for a
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lot of reasons. It's a it's a strange little
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town. Some of the stories I have from there are
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great. Again, I'll talk about Cook City at a
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different time. But honestly, like I wanted to.
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briefly mention the Beartooth Highway. I could
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talk all day about the Beartooth Highway. It
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is hands down one of the most scenic roads you'll
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ever drive. It's not for everybody. If you don't
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like exposed kind of cliffs next to the road,
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you're not really going to like this. If you
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don't like driving switchbacks and winding tight
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corners, you may not like this. However, if you
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want a road that will live on forever in your
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memory and you'll want to return to all the time,
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that's the Beartooth Highway. Drive out there.
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You really can't go wrong drive safe Watch for
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motorcycles and stop everywhere that catches
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your eye because you never know when you're gonna
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be back and I know I flew anybody that knows
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a bare -toothed highway knows I just flew through
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that way too fast But I do want to get to the
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other stuff that I want to talk about this week.
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So that includes my tip of the week My tip this
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week, as I hinted at last week, easy ways to
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beat the summer crowds at Yellowstone. So, summer
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in Yellowstone National Park is nothing short
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of spectacular. Wildflowers burst into color,
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bison calves bounce around the meadows and prairies,
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and every trail beckons with promises of breathtaking
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views. But summer is also busy as time of the
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year. Between June through August, nearly 3 million
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people visit Yellowstone National Park. To put
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that in perspective the rest of the year the
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park only sees 1 .5 million people and most of
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those visit in May September and October But
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your busiest three months June July and August
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With an influx of visitors during the summer
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most of the parks most more well -known destinations
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get very crowded and busy Don't worry though
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Unlike some people who claim to be Yellowstone
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experts, and I'm purposely mentioning this in
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case they're listening because I'm a little petty,
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I will never tell you not to visit during the
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summer. In fact, it's because of summer visits
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that I fell in love with the park and have dedicated
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my life to helping others love it too. You can
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have a peaceful, memorable Yellowstone experience
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this summer without having to elbow your way
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through the crowds. So without delay, here's
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how to make the most of your adventure while
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steering clear of the busiest places and times.
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So rise with the sun or earlier and steer clear
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of midday madness. The early riser gets the wilderness
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and quiet in Yellowstone. If you're camping or
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staying nearby, set your alarm for dawn or before
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and make sure you're up and active. Not only
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is the light in the morning just absolutely magical
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like sunrise over geysers and scenic vistas but
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you're also going to be beating the crowds that
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pour in mid -morning plus summer mornings are
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when wildlife is most active pack your binoculars
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and camera the night before have everything ready
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to go wake up and just head to where you want
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to go and enjoy nature's best show before everyone
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else wakes up when does everyone else wake up
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well It's getting earlier, but from about 10
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a .m., 9 a .m., 10 a .m. to 5 p .m., the most
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popular spots, places like Old Faithful, Grand
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Prismatic Hot Springs, all the geyser basins,
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the Grand Canada Yellowstone, and every other
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well -known spot will feel very busy. Parking
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lots are going to be full. People are going to
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be stressed. It's going to be hot. It's not necessarily
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going to be a pleasurable time if you're not
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expecting a crowd. If you're expecting a crowd,
12:47
great. But instead of joining that kind of like
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rush from ten to five. Take that ten to five
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time to do some self discovery at somewhere else.
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You can relax at a picnic area by a quiet creek,
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hike a short trail or go to lesser visited trails
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and sites during these hours. There is a lifetime
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of stuff to see just along the road in Yellowstone.
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Everyone will want to see Old Faithful erupt.
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Do it. Everyone wants to see Grand Prismatic
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Hot Spring in the summer when there's no steam.
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You can see all the colors. Do it. Just know
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that if you're there from 9 or 10 a .m. to 5
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p .m., it's going to be crowded. But if you can
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do it on the opposite ends of those times, you're
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going to miss a lot of the people. You're going
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to have better wildlife sightings. It's just
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going to be more peaceful. Also, like I said,
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if you need someplace to go. Message me. Ask
13:49
me. Book a tour. Buy my book. I guarantee you,
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you will not run out of things to do. Another
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thing to do is pace yourself if you can. Take
13:59
your time soaking everything in in the park.
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Most park visitors tend to rush from point to
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point, crowding the main areas before rushing
14:08
off to the next one. I once sat at Artist Point
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in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone for an hour.
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And I was just timing random groups of people
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for and seeing how long they stayed It was a
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very silly thing to do but I'm glad I did it
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because I learned something important the average
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time people spent individuals and groups spent
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at this amazingly scenic and stunning viewpoint
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one of the most iconic places was a minute and
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a half a minute and a half this place and then
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they would walk back to their car to drive to
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the next thing now I understand there is a kind
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of rush to see everything because there's a lot
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to see in Yellowstone as I mentioned and if you
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have a checklist that you need to see you can't
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dilly -dally but you're also missing out on some
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of those things of the park that you don't need
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to be appreciated a little longer plus when you
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slow down You get to appreciate and observe more
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if you walk to this viewpoint at artists point
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Look at the waterfall and distance and all the
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colors Take a couple pictures. Take a selfie
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then walk back to your car Did you really get
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a good look at those colors? Did you see the
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steam from the river? Did you look further downstream
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the view from your at your back when you're looking
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at the falls? You know, there's a lot to do and
15:39
see and slow down. Honestly like you can still
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see everything but you don't have to do it at
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a hectic pace. If you pace yourself you can visit
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the popular sites early and late in the day and
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hit less crowded trails or overlooks in between.
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Even on the busiest days Yellowstone will have
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quiet moments waiting for you if you're willing
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to slow down and look a little deeper. Some of
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my best memories come from sitting quietly on
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a trail, watching a herd of bison amble by, or
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marveling at distant geyser plumes out in the
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prairies against a perfect blue sky, or watching
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a thunderstorm build. Those are all like, those
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are more memorable to me than seeing Old Faithful
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erupt. Now, I understand Visiting Yellowstone
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is a vacation. I'm lucky enough to live here
16:30
and you want to see everything. All I'm asking,
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I'm not telling you to skip anything. All I'm
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saying is make sure you slow down and actually
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appreciate it. Fully dive in to the moment when
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you're there, because you never know when you're
16:43
going to be back. Now, obviously, if you only
16:46
have a day or two, you'll just need to resign
16:50
yourself to the fact that things are going to
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be busy in the summer. If you want to see everything,
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you really can't just take the middle of the
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day and not do the main highlights. I get that.
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But just remember, no visitor to the park is
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any less or more important than another. I'm
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a tourist, you're a tourist, we are all tourists
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in the park, and all of us deserve to be there
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and appreciate it in our own way, as long as
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we're following park rules. Another thing to
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do, pick the right entrance. Most visitors enter
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Yellowstone from the west entrance in West Yellowstone.
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It's routinely jam -packed in the summer from
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around 8 a .m. until 11 a .m. or longer. For
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a quieter arrival, try coming in the northeast
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entrance through Cook City, south entrance by
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Grand Teton, the east entrance out by Cody, or
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the north entrance by Gardner. These routes are
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less crowded and offer stunning scenic drives
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to everywhere in the park just as well without
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having to deal with that traffic. Now I talked
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last week about all of this and we'll always
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let people know that West Yellowstone, while
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having all the amenities, will be the most crowded
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entrance every single day in the summer. I would
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love to tell you it's not, West is going to be.
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Now, more than likely, it's too late to change
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where you're staying. If you're staying in West,
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it's gonna be crowded from around 8 a .m. until
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11 or longer. So know when to enter, wake up
18:21
early, plan your time around when those lines
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are, and then you don't have to just sit in your
18:25
car trying to enter the park because that's a
18:27
frustrating way to start your day. And honestly,
18:31
it's just not that fun to sit in your car in
18:33
a line trying to get into nature. All right.
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Another way to kind of avoid the crowds. Pack
18:40
a picnic and picnic off the beaten path. Summer
18:44
means warm weather and perfect picnic conditions.
18:47
Instead of trying to dine at the crowded lodges
18:49
or restaurants, pack a lunch and find your own
18:53
peaceful spot. Could be a shaded meadow, could
18:56
be a riverbank, could be a quiet pullout on a
18:58
scenic drive. You can also stop at one of the
19:01
more more than 50 designated picnic areas in
19:04
Yellowstone. Each of these offer its own unique
19:06
slice of wilderness bliss and scenic enjoyment.
19:09
And what makes these picnic areas really fun
19:11
is that many of them were once campgrounds. That's
19:14
long before the park became as popular as it
19:16
is today. Eating outside in Yellowstone in the
19:20
wild landscapes is an experience all its own.
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It's very memorable. And is way more relaxing
19:26
than like driving into Canyon or driving to old
19:28
faithful and standing in lines Yes, you probably
19:31
can't get that huckleberry ice cream. I know
19:33
that's disappointing, but you can do that in
19:35
the evening You can just have these this place
19:39
out By yourself, maybe a couple other cars with
19:43
you Just remember when you're picnicking to always
19:45
pick up every single scrap of food and waste
19:48
that includes every seed every every peel everything
19:53
None of those are natural and leaving them behind
19:56
is awful for wildlife and the environment. So
20:00
another way to avoid crowds, embrace the evening
20:03
calm. Evenings in Yellowstone during the summer
20:06
are incredible and way less crowded. As the sun
20:10
starts to set, even by like 5 p .m., once it's
20:13
dinner time, crowds thin out. Air starts to cool,
20:17
wildlife re -emerges. Consider, you know, driving
20:20
then and going to the scenic spots. There might
20:23
be a little more steam, but it's not going to
20:24
be that much more. And just enjoy kind of the
20:29
last few hours. Sunset during the summer is after
20:32
9 p .m. in around July 4th. It feels like it's
20:37
10. So you have some time in the evening when
20:41
everyone else leaves for dinner. That is honestly
20:43
my favorite time when I have people visiting
20:45
and I want to take them into the park during
20:47
the summer. I suggest we leave my house here
20:51
in Livingston, which is about an hour away at
20:53
11 or noon, get into the park a little later
20:56
and then spend the whole evening there and then
20:58
drive back at night. Now, if you do drive at
21:01
night, go very slow and drive extremely safe.
21:06
Animals will be jumping into the road. They're
21:09
very hard to see one. Thing I want to remind
21:12
everybody in this part is if you're driving any
21:14
time of the day, the fastest speed limit in the
21:17
park is 45 miles an hour. Not 50, not 55, 45.
21:22
You're in a national park, there's animals, slow
21:25
down. Another way to avoid crowds, go beyond
21:28
the boardwalks. There's this misconception that
21:31
everything worth seeing in the park is well known.
21:35
As someone who has spent nearly 40 years in the
21:37
park, trust me when I tell you that it's simply
21:40
not true. I wrote a book about it and my guided
21:43
hiking tours are designed to take you beyond
21:45
the boardwalks, but you can do this on your own.
21:48
Yellowstone has plenty of viewpoints, pullouts,
21:50
side roads, and trails that are incredible. So
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go there. If you don't know where to go and you're
21:58
hoping to find some of these lesser -known, beloved
22:01
spots, chat with a park employee or a guide.
22:05
Most of us are very happy to share some very
22:07
cool spots that aren't on the must -see checklist
22:10
that everyone has. Alright, my random Yellowstone
22:14
fact of the week. Yellowstone has 50 picnic areas,
22:18
so I just mentioned this a few moments ago, but
22:21
I feel like this information was lost in the
22:23
mix. Therefore, I want to repeat it and go into
22:26
more detail. Sure, Yellowstone National Park
22:29
is famous for its geysers and wildlife, but there's
22:31
another experience that doesn't get nearly enough
22:34
credit. The picnic area is scattered throughout
22:36
the park. They're surprisingly easy to enjoy
22:40
and allow you to be in some amazing scenery.
22:44
Whether you are in any area of the park, there's
22:48
a picnic area by you. Now before you just plan
22:51
your picnic and drive out, there's a few things
22:54
you should know. Nearly all the picnic areas
22:56
come with picnic tables. About half of them have
22:59
vault toilets. These are the rustic kind without
23:02
running water. Most of those, overwhelming majority
23:06
of those will have toilet paper. Just bring extra
23:08
toilet paper all the time just in case. A handful
23:13
of these picnic areas will have grills, but open
23:16
fires are no go unless you're at a site with
23:18
a fire grate and the fire danger allows it. So
23:21
stick to the self -contained grills or cook stoves
23:24
that you'd use while camping anyway if you plan
23:28
to do any cooking. Also, this is bear country.
23:31
You need to store all the food in your vehicle
23:33
when not eating it. A lot of people have a picnic,
23:36
leave some food around, walk around. Don't do
23:38
that. When you're done eating, put everything
23:40
away. Whatever food you bring in, food scraps
23:43
included, must go back out with you. Feeding
23:45
wildlife is a major no. That includes birds and
23:50
small rodents. Proper food storage is essential
23:53
for everyone's safety, including the animals,
23:55
and recently a bear was killed by park staff
23:58
after it became habituated to human food in a
24:01
picnic area. So where should you have your picnic?
24:04
If you're out by Yellowstone Lake, I like to
24:07
go to Steamboat Point Picnic Area on the north
24:09
shore of the lake. I mean, it's obviously on
24:11
the north shore. You can't drive it south shore.
24:14
I don't know why I wrote that. It's great for
24:17
a sunset. especially or a sunrise. I know that's
24:21
not picnic time, but like if you do a dinner,
24:23
that's good. You can also go to Fishing Bridge
24:28
or Sedge Bridge if Steamboat is a little too
24:31
crowded or you don't want to go there. Around
24:33
Old Faithful, I like to go to Delacy Creek Picnic
24:36
Area. It's a way more peaceful vibe. It's right
24:38
by the water. You can also go to Spring Creek
24:42
or the East Lot Picnic Areas. Norris Geyser Basin
24:46
has a good one near it. That is the Given Meadows
24:49
picnic area, and that's near the Given River.
24:52
It's a favorite of mine. I stop there all the
24:54
time. It's often looked over. After you're there,
24:58
you can head to Given Falls. You can go to Norris
25:02
Meadows, Caldera Rim, as secondary picnic areas.
25:06
In Hayden Valley, I love the Nez Perce Ford picnic
25:09
area. That is my all -time favorite. Right now,
25:12
I think they're fixing the road, so I'm not sure
25:15
if it's going to be open in the next week or
25:16
so. But if it is open, definitely stop there.
25:21
Nearby alternatives include Cascade and Lee Hardy
25:24
Rapids, right by the Yellowstone again, the Yellowstone
25:27
River. If you're by Mammoth, my favorite place
25:30
out there, just a little south of Mammoth, is
25:33
Sheep Eater Cliff Picnic Area. which is right
25:37
near this really cool basalt cliff right by the
25:41
Gardiner River. It's very cool. You can also
25:45
kind of hike the river along that down about
25:47
a half mile to one of my favorite little gems.
25:50
So if you're listening still, you just got one
25:52
of my gems that I like to share when I talk to
25:55
people face to face. If you are looking for other
25:58
areas, I like Beaver Lake as well. That's a solid
26:01
choice. It's nearby there. A couple other places
26:03
to go to. Soda Butte Creek near Lamar Valley
26:08
is a great one. I also like out that northeast
26:13
side. If you go to Pebble Creek and you can just
26:16
sit by the water. Also, the Yellowstone River
26:18
Picnic area if it's open is Probably my all time
26:21
favorite place to go. Um, I know I said that
26:24
a lot, but Yellowstone River Picnic area. Definitely
26:26
cool. All right. Gotta, gotta move on. I could
26:30
talk about some places all day. So very quickly,
26:33
uh, I have a new tour I want to announce. I sincerely
26:36
hate marketing myself, but I'm excited about
26:39
a new tour offering. So please bear with me quickly
26:41
this summer. I invite you to slow down, breathe
26:44
deeply and reconnect. We lived in a world that's
26:50
way too fast. We're always on screens. There
26:52
are schedules. We probably all are slightly sleep
26:55
deprived. And it's easy to lose touch with the
26:58
outdoors with stillness and ourselves. So I'm
27:02
offering what I'm calling guided meditation tours
27:04
in Yellowstone. And those are designed to offer
27:07
a pause, a disconnect, and a chance to remember
27:12
that soul -nourishing power of nature. So with
27:15
my new tour offering we step away from the crowds
27:18
Go beyond the boardwalks and head directly into
27:21
Yellowstone's untamed beauty these immersive
27:24
journeys lead you to quiet Lesser known sometimes
27:28
hidden corners of the park Where there's streams
27:31
forests mountains sometimes thermal areas Wonderful
27:37
views that all create a perfect backdrop for
27:40
grounding ourselves being present renewing yourself
27:46
in nature. So through these guided meditation
27:50
hikes, I want to be very careful they're not
27:52
guided meditation, they're guided meditation
27:53
hikes, we go to four or five areas on the trail
27:56
and we have a mindful connection with the land
28:00
through scent, touch, sight, smell. I know that's
28:05
scent but you know I wanted to say it. By doing
28:09
that you're gonna slow racing thoughts and discover
28:12
what it means to just simply be in Yellowstone.
28:15
There's no noise out. There's no pressure. It's
28:18
just you, your breath and the rhythm of Yellowstone.
28:23
This isn't a walk in the woods. It's a return
28:26
to balance. And if you're interested, send me
28:29
a message for details. All right. The weather
28:31
last week's weather forecast certainly didn't
28:34
pan out. So we'll see what this one does. Weather
28:36
for this coming week from Thursday. the fifth
28:41
to Wednesday the 11th. Very easy for Lamar Valley.
28:45
If you're headed to Lamar, expect highs in the
28:48
60s and 70s every single day, lows in the 30s,
28:53
slight chance of rain. Rain seems to be picking
28:56
up towards Tuesday and Wednesday, but they always
28:58
do that. If you're in the Gardner and Mammoth
29:02
area, expect temperatures in the 60s and 70s
29:06
up to the 80s. Monday and Tuesday next week lows
29:11
are gonna be in the 40s very slight chance of
29:14
rain probably some thunderstorms just expect
29:16
a thunderstorm every now and then and you'll
29:19
be prepared I'm gonna be repeating myself a lot
29:22
but West Yellowstone highs in the 60s and 70s
29:26
lows in the 30s and 40s slight chance of rain
29:30
rain seems to maybe pick up on Tuesday and Wednesday
29:33
but generally should be great expect a thunderstorm
29:36
every now and then And Old Faithful expect temperatures
29:40
to be a little cooler, maybe a higher chance
29:43
of thunderstorms here and there, but really very
29:46
similar to West Yellowstone. And finally, that
29:48
brings us to Cody. So Cody's forecast is very
29:52
similar to Gardner's. Highs in the 60s and 70s.
29:56
Lows, though, are in the 40s and 50s, and it
30:00
might get into the 80s Monday and Tuesday. Rain
30:04
seems to maybe pick up Tuesday and Wednesday.
30:06
Again, expect thunderstorms. If they don't happen,
30:10
great. If they do, you're ready. Alright, with
30:13
this warm weather, let's take a look at the snowpack.
30:17
All right, you ever like pull up a map of a snowpack
30:20
and be like, ooh, that's not good. That's what
30:22
I just did. Our snowpack right now has dropped
30:26
down into the 50 % of normal range for most of
30:29
the park. South end of the park is down to below
30:32
40 % of normal. Out in the Beartooth, it's dropping
30:35
pretty quickly. Everything is dropping very quickly
30:38
and without any precipitation in the forecast
30:41
and warm weather, expect this to drop even more.
30:46
Not great, not ideal. We'd like to hold onto
30:49
the snowpack through the month of June, not at
30:52
the start of June to lose most of it, but we'll
30:55
just see what happens. Can't do anything about
30:58
it, so fingers crossed it doesn't melt out as
31:01
fast as it looks like it's going to. The road
31:04
conditions. All major roads are open right now
31:07
in and around Yellowstone. This includes Dunraven
31:09
Pass and the Beartooth Highway. I don't see anything
31:13
really happening to close these roads weather
31:15
-wise, so. should be good to go, but for updated
31:18
information on the roads, you can call 307 -344
31:23
-2117 for recorded information, or you can do
31:27
what all of us locals do, sign up to receive
31:30
Yellowstone Road Alerts on your cell phone by
31:32
texting 82190 to the number 888 -777. Camping
31:39
information. As always, Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
31:42
is open. Madison Campground near West Yellowstone
31:45
is open, Fishing Bridge Campground or RV Park
31:49
is open, Bay Bridge also open, Tower Campground
31:52
and Canyon are open, and Grant Village will open
31:56
on the 6th of June. That brings us to the Wildlife
32:00
Watching Report. Alright, wolf -wise... head
32:05
toward Lamar, Slough Creek, and Hayden. There
32:08
have been some decent sightings out there. That
32:11
is probably your best bet for wolves in the park
32:13
right now. I would personally go to Slough and
32:16
Lamar, but that is not to say that if you go
32:20
down to Hayden, you're not gonna see them very
32:23
well. So, that's the wolves. Now, if you want
32:27
grizzlies, most of them are being seen out by
32:32
either the east entrance road, Couple have been
32:36
spotted out in Hayden, but out in the distance
32:40
in Lamar is just a grizzly bear extraordinary.
32:44
I don't even extravaganza. There we go. Knew
32:46
I was going to say something with an E. So it
32:49
is just ridiculous how many grizzlies are out
32:51
in the distance. I say the distance because they're
32:54
being seen through spotting scopes. Now I drove
32:57
the park today, which I'm recording this on Wednesday,
32:59
June 4th. I saw four black bears and I drove.
33:04
Basically from Mammoth to Tower Tower to Canyon
33:09
Canyon Norris Norris back to Mammoth and out
33:12
I saw four bears there without really even trying
33:15
middle of the day So black bears are out all
33:19
over some of them right by the road. Those are
33:21
gonna be kind of hit -and -miss so again If you
33:27
put in the miles and go to the right areas at
33:29
the right time of the day, you're gonna see some
33:30
bears That's about that's about all I can say
33:33
I still will always recommend driving out kind
33:37
of by floating Island Lake up to Tower fall and
33:42
then out toward like Slough Creek and Pebble
33:46
Creek out by Lamar Valley That's where you're
33:49
probably gonna have your best wildlife including
33:51
the most bison I also saw a lot of hawks. I saw
33:55
a couple of santa hill cranes with colts, which
33:58
is the name for baby santa hill cranes. If you
34:00
didn't know that, now you do. And generally,
34:03
wildlife is all over the park. Drive around,
34:06
see it. Oh, I also saw a moose down by Norris
34:09
geyser basin, which is Not super common, but
34:13
every few years I see one down there. So if you're
34:15
in the park the next couple of days, swing down
34:17
there. Otherwise, if you want moose, head out
34:19
toward Cook City or down to the Tetons. That's
34:22
your number one moose sighting. If you need any
34:25
other wildlife updates, reach out to me. Again,
34:28
I could talk about wildlife in the park and where
34:30
to see it right now for hours. In fact, I wrote
34:33
a book about it, so you can also pick up that
34:35
guidebook, buy it through me if you'd like to
34:38
or. Support billionaires through Amazon either
34:41
way. No shame. I just want you to be able to
34:44
see wildlife like an expert Because I'm long
34:48
I'm not going to be doing the Trail updates.
34:51
There's not really a lot going on right now.
34:53
Anyway, so I'm just skipping to the trail of
34:56
the week My trail of the week, one of my favorites,
34:59
Bunsen Peak. I've wanted to talk about it for
35:01
weeks now. Was waiting for it to be snow free
35:04
and hikeable without, you know, really needing
35:07
to figure out where to hike at some point. So
35:09
the Bunsen Peak Trail is one of those hikes in
35:11
Yellowstone that gives you a little bit of everything
35:13
aside from thermal areas. It's manageable effort
35:17
for a mountain. It offers great views and it's
35:22
just enough in an adventure to feel like you
35:24
earned your summit. While the elevation for this
35:27
hike is minimal and it's pretty short, this is
35:31
not an easy hike. A lot of people see the distance
35:34
and elevation and assume it's a very easy hike.
35:37
It's not, especially if you're from sea level.
35:39
The trailhead starts above 7 ,000 feet. The trail
35:44
is 4 .4 miles up and back with an elevation gain
35:47
of around 1 ,600 feet. It's tucked just south
35:51
of Mammoth Hot Springs near Swan Lake Flat and
35:54
it's an out and back trail or a loop depending
35:56
on your route and it leads you to the top of
35:59
Bunsen Peak which is an extinct volcanic cone
36:02
named after the scientist Robert Bunsen. That's
36:06
the same guy that the Bunsen burner is named
36:08
after but he never came to the area they just
36:11
named it after him. Most people will hike this
36:15
in like three to five hours depending on how
36:17
many breaks they take. A lot of people think
36:20
they'll do it in two. Have fun if you want to
36:22
try it. It's not very enjoyable. You'll want
36:25
to linger and enjoy the views. Again what I've
36:28
been talking about all day is kind of slow down
36:29
and enjoy simple things. Please do that especially
36:33
this hike. The trail is a steady uphill climb
36:36
pretty much from the start. but there's a series
36:39
of switchbacks that will get your leg working
36:41
right away, and there's nothing too technical
36:44
on the trail. It's just a consistent grade that
36:47
keeps you working. There sometimes is some snow
36:50
near the top, especially that last quarter to
36:53
half mile, so you may have to hike straight up
36:55
a scree field. Right now, don't think you really
36:58
have to do that, so don't worry about that. The
37:00
trail begins in a large pole pine forest, shady
37:04
and peaceful, but as you climb the trees start
37:06
to thin and the views really open up. Pretty
37:09
soon you're catching glimpses of Swan Lake Flat,
37:11
Golden Gate, and as you look back you'll even
37:14
spot Mammoth Hot Springs and the little town
37:16
of Gardiner if you know where to look. It's one
37:18
of those hikes where the scenery just keeps getting
37:20
better and better the higher you go. About halfway
37:23
up, landscape shifts again. Trees give way to
37:27
rocky terrain and low growing alpine scrub There's
37:30
still some trees but not as many and that gives
37:32
stunning views of Yellowstone's northern range
37:35
allowing you to see Spulture Peak and Electric
37:39
Peak off in the distance. This part of the trail
37:41
is more exposed but the views are great and With
37:46
more exposed trail doesn't mean like more dangerous.
37:49
It just means more wind so always have a light
37:52
jacket even in the summer it's almost always
37:54
windy as you start getting near the top. Reaching
37:57
the summit of this 8 ,564 feet mountain feels
38:01
like a real accomplishment and the payoff is
38:04
worth every step. The view is full on 360 degrees
38:08
and you've got Swan Lake flat spread out below
38:11
Mount Everett's looming nearby and mountain layers
38:14
stretching out for miles in every direction.
38:16
It's that kind of view that just makes you stop
38:19
and take it all in for a while, which is great.
38:22
Again, you can see mammoth and down in Blacktail
38:25
Ponds, you can even see the road splitting the
38:27
thing and maybe you'll see people stopped and
38:29
watching a bear or something. Wildlife is a part
38:33
of this experience. This area is home to elk,
38:36
mule deer, and if you're lucky or unlucky, depending
38:38
on your view of seeing a bear, you might see
38:41
a bear. I've seen black bear and grizzly here
38:44
any time of the year, any time of the day. So
38:48
bring bear spray. And despite it being a popular
38:51
trail again, bear spray is needed. You're going
38:54
to see a lot of people up there without bear
38:55
spray. You're also going to see people without
38:57
food and water. Don't do that. Be prepared. In
39:00
the summer months, wildflowers do pop along the
39:03
first part of the trail, especially. If you're
39:06
feeling ambitious, you can keep going past the
39:08
summit. There's a boot path that meanders on
39:11
the ridge before dropping down the backside and
39:13
connecting with the Bunsen Peak Road Trail. This
39:17
road links to the steep Osprey Falls Trail that
39:20
drops into Sheep Eater Cliff. This will add quite
39:22
a bit of mileage and elevation, so it's best
39:25
for hikers who are ready to commit for a long
39:27
day. If you want the distance and elevation of
39:30
the full loop with Osprey Falls, message me.
39:34
Me, the Bunsen Peak Trail is a solid choice if
39:37
you want a hike that's close to the road, still
39:39
feels like a real adventure, gives you a mountain
39:41
summit, gives you great views, and some options
39:44
to go longer if you want. I do this trail multiple
39:47
times a year and I always love it. It's a great
39:50
way to get above it all, literally without spending
39:52
the entire day in the backcountry. You have sweeping
39:56
views, a bit of a workout, and a sense of place
39:59
that shows the scale of Yellowstone. This is
40:02
just a sweet spot to hike and I absolutely love
40:05
it. And I would if you're a hiker and can handle
40:07
it go there All right. That is it for this week.
40:11
Apologies for going long again a lot to say summer
40:14
is a busy time a lot to recommend Next week.
40:18
I'm gonna return with all the information you
40:20
need to have a good week in the park Including
40:22
the wildlife weather and trail updates until
40:25
next week Sincerely, thank you for listening
40:28
to this and happy trails This week in Yellowstone
40:41
is brought to you by the Outdoor Society because
40:44
that's my company and that's where this is hosted
40:46
There are no sponsors. This is a labor of love.
40:49
So thank you all for listening copyright 2025,
40:53
baby