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This Week in Yellowstone: June 4th to June 10th, 2026 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park, where heavy rains
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last week are giving the landscape more green
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and wildflowers, this is that Scott guy you know
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and love with a brand new episode of This Week
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in Yellowstone. What's up everybody, This Week
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in Yellowstone National Park from June 4th to
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June 10th, 2026. I tell you to go to the water
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features of the park, talk about bear bells,
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bear spray, and bear horns, and quickly share
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what you need to know if you're visiting Yellowstone
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with your pet. I'll also give you the complete
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weather forecast, a cool trail to hike, the snowpack
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update, the wildlife report, and everything else
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you need to have an incredible time this week
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in Yellowstone. Standard podcast disclaimer here.
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I may miss a few details I'm doing my best if
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you need more information about anything I talk
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about just reach out to me happy to help you
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I also mentioned park locations very casually
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So if someplace you hear just doesn't ring a
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bell quick search online can help or again Just
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reach out to me. You can text me directly at
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four zero six five eight nine eighteen seventy
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three or just shoot me an email Also, please
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know that this podcast is the passion project
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of mine if you enjoy it I'd love a review or
1:19
a quick email if you want to support my work
1:21
more You can check out my hiking and wildlife
1:23
watching guidebooks or join me for a guided hiking
1:25
tour in Yellowstone's backcountry I am pretty
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full now in August is basically packed up now.
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So July, I probably have one more opening and
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maybe one in late June if you're coming to the
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park. Other than that, September is wide open.
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So sorry if you're coming and you want to book
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with me. I am currently busy, which is a good
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thing because it's summer and I get to be outside.
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Also, if you do love what you hear and you really
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want to help me out, go on any of your social
1:54
media. sites, whatever, apps, and recommend this
1:58
podcast. That's all I ask. If you had a good
2:00
time because of this, go on any of those groups
2:03
you're a part of and say, hey, I had a great
2:05
time because of this podcast. Very, very finally,
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if you do want any information on my hiking tours
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or guidebooks, go to outdoor -society .com or
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contact me directly. All right, let's talk about
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the news. The main news in the park right now
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is pretty simple. I talked about it last week.
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Elk are calving. they're giving birth all over
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the place and the female elk are very aggressive
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if you get near their young and they give birth
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typically near like the lodges and stuff so You
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know if you see any baby animals do not approach
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them their moms are going to be very very protective
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So give everything room. Also. The other news
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is exactly that give animals room There's been
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not an increase but a continuation of summer
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Visitation late spring visitation of people getting
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too close to wildlife. This happens every year
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It's happened every year since the dawn of the
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park, right? This is not a new thing because
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of social media people have always gotten too
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close to wildlife the only reason it seems like
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it's happening more is one more people are visiting
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the park because there's more people on the planet
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and in America also there's more people documenting
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these behaviors the one thing I do want to mention
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with wildlife watching boundaries and rules is
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25 yards from bison elk all of that that's 25
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yards not 25 feet 25 yards is 75 feet a hundred
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yards from wolves and bears at all times a hundred
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yards is an entire football field So keep those
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distances in mind. Also, if you see somebody
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breaking the rules, there are some very simple
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things to do. Take their picture. Take a picture
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of their car. Go tell a ranger. Also, One thing
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I've been noticing is that a lot of people are
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documenting people breaking rules and they sit
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there quietly filming it, hoping that they get
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injured by an animal. That is callous. That is
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so awful. If you see somebody breaking a rule,
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say something, let them know. Don't yell at them.
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Just be like, Hey, just so you know, that's a
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little close. If they don't listen to you, great.
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Not your problem, but at least you're trying.
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Don't just try and document somebody getting
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seriously injured. I've been seeing that a lot
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from guides, from photographers, from Regular
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guests everybody's just sitting and documenting
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people breaking rules Documenting people breaking
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rules is ineffective in stopping people from
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breaking rules The more we can have a conversation
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about how to properly behave in the park the
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better It's going to be that's all I'm really
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gonna say about that because like I'm trying
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not to be a bummer But you see somebody breaking
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the rules document it report it and also try
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and have them stop You know, that's all you can
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do other than that move about your day and enjoy
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the park It's a beautiful time to be here because
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it's a beautiful time to be here Let's talk about
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my experience of the week. Do go chasing waterfalls.
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While many visitors come for the geysers, bison
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and bears, wolves, and all of the things that
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Yellowstone is most popular for, waterfall lovers
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know that right now is when the parks, rivers,
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and creeks are their most spectacular. Snow melt
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from the high country is pouring into every drainage
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Spring runoff is approaching its peak and afternoon
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rainstorms often add an extra surge of water
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rushing through everything The result is a landscape
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filled with roaring waterfalls these great rushing
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canyons roaring rivers I said roaring twice,
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but you know you get the point and This is when
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everything seems so powerful along the waterways
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of the park. So while I could just like Talk
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about every waterfall in the park. I'm gonna
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talk about some of my favorites and Then if you
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want more information on any of these just reach
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out to me There are so many waterfalls in the
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park and I'm gonna skip probably your favorite
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one, too But these are kind of like the can't
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miss or they're like Let's make sure that we
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have a very good experience and see these obviously
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when we start We're gonna talk about the most
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famous waterfall in the park and that is the
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lower falls of the Yellowstone River in the canyon
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area of the park this is a awesome place to go
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right now. The Upper Falls is really good too.
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Don't skip the Upper Falls. Make sure you do
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both of the Upper and Lower Falls, but if you're
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looking for like the most dramatic one that everybody
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loves the most, that is the Lower Falls. That
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is 300 feet pouring down into the Grand Canyon
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of the Yellowstone. The sound echoes from canyon
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wall to canyon wall, and if you stand at the
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brink of the lower falls, there's a rainbow above
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the river that happens in the afternoon every
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single time it's sunny. And after a rainstorm,
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the scene becomes even more dramatic because
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you have these clouds shifting by, the light
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on the canyon is different, and the river just
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raises even an inch more, but that inch is even
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more spectacular. A short drive north from there
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is another classic, and that's Tower Fall. Now
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tower falls, I've talked about this before, tower
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fall, again this makes me, it pains me to say
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tower fall instead of tower falls, but tower
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fall crashes 132 feet besides the towering volcanic
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spires that have become one of the park's iconic
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landscapes. The waterfall is impressive any time
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of the year, but spring runoff really transforms
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it into a powerful cascade framed by like fresh
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green hillsides and maybe even lingering snow
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in the distance. West of there as you head toward
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Mammoth you're gonna come into Undine Falls And
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that's that's a waterfall that like not a lot
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of people actually enjoy I don't know why I knew
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of a guidebook author that omitted it from their
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book because they said that there are better
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things to do and That may be true, but it's a
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gorgeous waterfall definitely worth the stop
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Undine Falls It's like as you climb from Mammoth
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and you're headed toward tower you climb up the
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road, and then it's there. There's a big pull
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-off however the best way to see it is to go
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to lava creek and then walk the lava creek trail
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from the picnic area across the plateau to the
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top of undine falls you're going to be passing
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right now some wildflowers all sorts of great
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views this is a classic beautiful place. It's
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in every guidebook, it's on maps, but most people
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just don't go there. There is another waterfall
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in the area. I'm not mentioning it because it's
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not worth going to, and I know that I always
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say everything's worth going to. It's not. Go
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to Undine Falls when near the Mammoth area. South
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of Mammoth, there is a Another water feature
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that's not quite a waterfall but it's someplace
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that I love going and that's the Sheep Eater
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Canyon area. And it's really one of the park's
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most underrated scenic stops. There's Sheep Eater
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Picnic area and everybody goes there. But if
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you walk from the picnic area downstream a half
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a mile you get to this box canyon that is just
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stunning and the river roars right through there
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and it is So good. It surges between these dark
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basalt walls, and it creates rapid standing waves
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and smaller waterfalls throughout the canyon.
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It's a short little thing, but it's a mile round
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trip of a hike. There's also some marmots out
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there. But know that this is a very heavy bear
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area, like everywhere in the park, so always
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have bear spray. Between Norris and Canyon, there's
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Virginia Cascades, and that's a really pretty
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area to drive down. The Cascades kind of are
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short lived, but you know you can park at one
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of the pullouts and walk along and look at them
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and I honestly think it's a great little area
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that is really underrated there's also some really
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good picnic areas down there so check that out
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another area to drive for some really cool water
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features is the firehole canyon drive it's a
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scenic two -mile one -way road that it has really
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cool cliffs you have your 40 -foot firehole falls
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view and it's a really nice area also right at
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the end of that there's a little box canyon if
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you leave the Firehole Canyon Drive and pull
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out at the pullout right next to it Like you
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pull out back on the main road and then just
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pull it right away park there and then walk to
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the river There's a box canyon. That is one of
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my favorite water features It's not like a waterfall,
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but it is a narrow box canyon the river just
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absolutely roars through there So definitely
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check that out So one of the bigger mistakes
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people make when visiting the park is thinking
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that the park and features are only found within
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the boundary of Yellowstone National Park. There's
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a lot just outside of the park that everyone
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should see and I'm going to talk about a couple
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of those places. The first one is located just
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outside of Cook City out that northeast entrance.
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There's a waterfall before you get to like the
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main drive for the Beartooth Highway called Crazy
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Creek Falls. It is an overlooked place that,
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you know, everybody's driving to Beartooth Highway
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and no one goes to Crazy Creek Falls. During
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runoff season, which is right now, the waterfall
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becomes like this huge cascade that just tumbles
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down. It's not super steep. It just pours down.
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It's so scenic. It's so awesome. And this is
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the time where it has some of the best energy.
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It's good to stop year round, but right now,
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truly the best. If you are in the Idaho area
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of the park, so like Island Park, all of that,
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go to Mesa Falls on Idaho's Henry's Fork, and
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that is a roaring curtain of water during spring
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runoff. The sound can be heard long before the
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falls come into view, and the sheer volume of
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water rivals most of the region's more famous
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waterfalls. To the south of Mesa Falls, there's
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a hidden area of Yellowstone National Park It's
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called the Beckler region. The easiest waterfall
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to get to is Cave Falls. It's right next to the
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entrance station out there that isn't manned.
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You just drive there. It's great. It is a long
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drive from anywhere else in the park, but the
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Beckler region, Cave Falls, is this perfect hidden
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gem. Unlike the taller plunges found elsewhere
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in the region, Cave Falls spreads 250 feet across
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and then falls 25 30 feet it is Amazing. It's
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a great area and the further you hike out there
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the more waterfalls there are This is a region
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that I will talk about later in the year that
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For those looking to expand their Yellowstone
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knowledge. This is where you go And again, these
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are the easier to get to waterfalls. These are
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mainly front -country waterfalls some takes more
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driving than others, but If you went and saw
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all of these you would have an appreciation for
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the waterfalls of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
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If you want more waterfalls though, trust me
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I can help you. There's a lot in my guidebook,
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my hiking guidebook that I tell everybody to
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go to, or you can just reach out to me and I'll
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happily share what I can. So good luck with those
12:37
and let's get to the tip of the week. Bear bells,
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bear spray, or bear horns, what really works
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in Yellowstone? If you're planning a trip to
12:45
Yellowstone, you've almost certainly come across
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advice about bear safety. Since Yellowstone is
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home to both grizzly bears and black bears it's
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smart to think about how you'll handle a bear
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encounter before you ever step on a trail. By
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the way by trail I mean every trail. Bears are
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on boardwalks, they're on paved paths, they're
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on backcountry trails. Expect a bear everywhere
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and be prepared. The question many visitors ask
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is whether they should carry bear bells, bear
13:10
spray, or even a bear horn. While all three are
13:14
commonly discussed the evidence strongly points
13:16
to one clear winner, and that's bear spray. Bear
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horns can have a limited role in certain situations,
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and bear bells simply do not deserve the reputation
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they've gained over the years, and I'm going
13:28
to talk about that a little bit. Bear bells have
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been sold to hikers for decades, often with a,
13:34
not a promise, but a strong suggestion that the
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constant jingling is going to alert bears to
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your presence and prevent surprise encounters.
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The problem is that there is very little evidence
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showing that they work well in the real world.
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In fact, most evidence points to them not working
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at all. The sound produced by most bear bells
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is surprisingly weak and can easily be drowned
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out by wind, rushing water, thick vegetation,
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or just the normal sounds of the forest. By the
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time a bear actually hears the bell, you may
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already be closer than you'd like. Wildlife experts
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have also pointed out that bears do not naturally
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associate the sound of a bell with people. Human
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voices are far more recognizable and effective.
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A group of hikers talking, laughing, or occasionally
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calling out is much easier for a bear to identify
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than the faint repetitive jingle of a bell. Some
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researchers even say that bear bells are more
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like bird sounds than anything else, and bears
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are not afraid of birds in the least. Many experienced
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Yellowstone hikers and backcountry travelers
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consider bear bells little more than a false
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sense of security. Instead of helping people
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stay alert and proactive, the bells actually
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make hikers feel protected when they're really
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not. You're creating this false sense of safety
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with a bear bell. The best thing you can do?
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Human voices. If I hike solo in the park, which
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I do often, I talk to myself. Loudly. All the
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time. It annoys me. But guess what? Haven't been
15:04
attacked by a bear. Now bear spray is a completely
15:07
different story than bear bells. The National
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Park Service consistently recommends bear spray
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as the most effective tool available for defending
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yourself during an aggressive bear encounter.
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Unlike ordinary pepper spray designed for personal
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use against people, bear spray is specifically
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formulated to create a large cloud that can stop
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or redirect a charging bear. It's much stronger
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than pepper spray. Trust me, if you've ever been
15:33
around this, it is very bad. Bear spray is designed
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to affect the animal's eyes, nose, and respiratory
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system, giving you a chance to escape a dangerous
15:41
situation without causing permanent harm to the
15:44
bear. The effectiveness of bear spray is one
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reason Yellowstone strongly encourages visitors
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to carry it whenever they venture into bear country.
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Park officials also stress that carrying it is
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not enough. It needs to be immediately accessible,
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and hikers should know how to use it before an
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emergency occurs. A canister buried at the bottom
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of a backpack is not going to do you any good
16:05
if a bear approaches at a close range. Also,
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not knowing how to use it is not a good thing.
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So know how to use it, have it readily accessible,
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and know that if you surprise a bear, you might
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have less than five seconds to deploy it. That's
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terrifying, but that is a reality that if you
16:21
are prepared for, you are going to be much safer.
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Now let's talk about bear horns and air horns.
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These can be useful as a noise -making device,
16:32
particularly if there's a bear in the distance
16:34
and you want its attention, but it's not really
16:38
anything anyone in Yellowstone uses, and it's
16:40
not even recommended by any bear expert I know
16:43
out here. In certain situations, that loud blast
16:46
from an air horn may encourage a bear to move
16:48
away or avoid an area, but you know what else
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does that? Your voice yelling, clapping, everything.
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The usefulness of an air horn or a bear horn
16:59
is much less certain once a bear is already approaching
17:02
aggressively or charging. At that point, the
17:05
noise is not going to do anything. Again, the
17:08
park does not recommend these as noisemakers
17:10
at all, so it's best just not even bother with
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it. Because of these limitations, bear horns
17:16
should be viewed as a supplemental tool rather
17:18
than a primary safety device. They can serve
17:21
as a last -ditch noise maker, but they are not
17:24
a substitute for bear spray and should never
17:26
be relied upon as your main line of defense.
17:28
The most effective bear safety strategy in Yellowstone
17:31
is surprisingly simple. Carry bear spray, keep
17:34
it within easy reach, know how to use it, hike
17:37
in groups whenever possible, and make regular
17:39
human noise as you travel through the landscape.
17:42
Talking with your hiking partners or occasionally
17:44
calling out in areas with poor visibility does
17:47
far more to prevent surprise encounters than
17:49
any bell hanging from a backpack could ever do.
17:53
Also, while we're on the subject of bells, playing
17:56
music also not super effective because music
18:00
is not something that bears associate with people,
18:03
right? Human voices. If you're listening to a
18:06
podcast, we'll have that conversation. If you
18:08
listen to my podcast and scare a bear away with
18:10
it, by the way, let me know. But also, like,
18:13
I don't know if I'll take that as a compliment
18:15
or an insult from that bear. But don't rely on
18:18
things like that. Have bear spray. Talk loudly.
18:21
Be alert. That is how you stay safe in bear country.
18:25
So if you're preparing for Yellowstone Adventure,
18:28
don't bother with the bells. Don't bother with
18:30
the air horn. get a good canister bear spray,
18:33
know how to use it, have it ready to go, make
18:36
lots of noise with your mouth, and you should
18:38
be good to go. My random Yellowstone fact of
18:41
the week. Visiting Yellowstone with your pet.
18:43
So bringing a pet to Yellowstone is possible,
18:46
but it requires careful planning and realistic
18:48
expectations. Many first time visitors assume
18:51
that they can enjoy Yellowstone with their dog,
18:53
much like they would at a city park or local
18:55
hiking area or national forest. Yellowstone's
18:58
rules are different, largely because the park
19:00
protects sensitive wildlife habit, dangerous
19:03
geothermal features, and millions of visitors
19:05
each year. The most important thing to understand
19:08
before arriving is that pets are only allowed
19:11
in developed areas in the park. According to
19:14
the National Park Service, pets must remain within
19:16
100 feet of roads, parking areas, and campgrounds.
19:20
They must be physically restrained at all times,
19:22
either in a vehicle, crate, or on a leash no
19:25
longer than six feet. Pets are not permitted
19:28
on hiking trails boardwalks in thermal areas
19:30
or in the backcountry even when carried in backpacks
19:33
drillers or pet carriers Now I did mention a
19:36
few things here, and I'm gonna backtrack a little
19:38
You can leave your car or you can leave your
19:41
pet in a car. You cannot leave your pet in a
19:44
car and Leave it like that is really not something
19:49
you should be doing It is very hot Things happen
19:53
to pets and cars don't do that also When I talk
19:56
about pets not allowed on hiking trails and boardwalks,
20:00
this is a steadfast rule. You will see people
20:03
skirting this issue by buying fake service animal
20:06
like things for their dogs to wear. This is cheating
20:09
the system. This is insulting to people who actually
20:11
have service animals. And it is something that
20:15
people will say, my dog is fine. And nearly every
20:19
year, there is something that happens where a
20:21
dog gets out, jumps in a thermal pool or runs
20:24
away and dies. This happens all the time. It's
20:27
not good. Don't be that person. Now that's very
20:31
mean. I know that it's hard. I have a dog. I
20:33
take him into the park and I follow the rules.
20:35
It's really easy to follow the rules and still
20:37
have a good time. Now know that if you do have
20:41
a dog with you, Yellowstone's most famous attractions
20:44
are off limits. Visitors cannot bring dogs onto
20:47
the boardwalks at Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic,
20:49
North Hot Springs, Mammoth, or any of those other
20:51
geothermal areas. Even like that Grand Prismatic
20:54
Overlook. Pets are prohibited on the park's hiking
20:57
trails again that includes every hiking trail
21:00
now There are some paved areas around old faithful
21:03
There are some paved areas where you have good
21:05
views where you can have your dog The National
21:07
Park Service visitor centers have a lot of those
21:09
places listed the Rangers will happily help you
21:12
out I have a great picture of my dog at old faithful
21:15
with old faithful erupting. It was hot his tongues
21:18
out He's happy geysers erupting in the background
21:21
I'm very happy I have that picture because I
21:23
got to spend time with him in a designated dog
21:26
area in Yellowstone at Old Faithful and it's
21:29
awesome. Now if you are traveling and you're
21:31
already coming to the park and you have your
21:33
dog, what can you do? Great question. One thing
21:36
that I usually do if I'm traveling with somebody
21:39
with a dog is we split up our time. One person
21:42
gets to hike, the other person hangs out with
21:44
the dog, then we switch. That's how I did things
21:48
growing up when we brought dogs. That's how I've
21:50
done things when I've had dogs else other times
21:53
in the park. This is what you may have to do.
21:55
Is it inconvenient? Yes, but you still get to
21:57
experience the park and you get to keep your
21:59
dog safe. All of these restrictions in the park
22:02
regarding dogs and pets exist for good reason.
22:06
Yellowstone is home to bears, wolves, coyotes,
22:08
bison, elk and other wild animals. Pets can attract
22:12
unwanted attention from wildlife. They can transmit
22:15
diseases or they can provoke defensive behavior
22:18
from animals that perceive dogs as threats. The
22:21
National Park Service also notes that thermal
22:23
features pose a serious hazard. Hot springs,
22:26
thermal runoffs, and thin geothermal crusts can
22:28
cause severe or fatal burns to both people and
22:31
pets. For this reason, animals are prohibited
22:34
from all thermal areas and boardwalks. Again,
22:37
This happens all the time. If you want to hear
22:39
about it, read the first chapter of the book,
22:42
Death in Yellowstone. It is truly gruesome, and
22:44
it's about a guy and a dog. If you do have your
22:48
dog with you, visitors should also plan carefully
22:50
for time spent away from their pets. Yellowstone
22:53
regulations prohibit leaving pets unattended
22:55
or tied to objects. Pets may remain in vehicles
22:58
for short periods, but owners are responsible
23:00
for ensuring adequate ventilation, shade, water,
23:03
and overall safety. I have heard that the park
23:05
does crack down on this quite a bit, so just
23:08
know that. During summer, temperatures can rise
23:10
significantly. Camping with a pet is allowed
23:15
in developed campgrounds provided the park regulations
23:17
are followed. Dogs just remain under control
23:20
at all times and owners are required to clean
23:23
up pet waste. Obviously, right? Good campground
23:26
etiquette is especially important in Yellowstone
23:28
because wildlife frequently moves through these
23:30
areas. When I was younger, I camped in the park
23:33
with my dog and we had a bear walking through
23:35
and the bear like was stuck in the campground.
23:37
It was like growling and making lots of noise
23:40
and my dog normally like a barky dog at the time,
23:44
like just got dead silent, slinked off the bed,
23:49
down into the base of my sleeping bag, and cowered
23:52
until the bear left. So you don't really want
23:56
to encourage any sort of attack and have your
23:59
dog not controlled. Again, I know it sounds like
24:02
I'm just saying Don't have your dog. Don't have
24:04
your dog. It's okay to have your dog But we have
24:07
gotten to a point in park visitation where people
24:09
are starting to really push these rules with
24:11
their dogs I've seen more dogs way in the backcountry
24:13
and people being like I didn't know I saw a guy
24:16
way in the backcountry and his dog had a vest
24:19
with spikes on it that said like Coyote vest
24:22
or whatever. So if a coyote attacked his dog,
24:24
it would get like they would bite barbs or something
24:28
he was in the backcountry and he pretended that
24:30
he didn't know that dogs couldn't be in the backcountry
24:32
and I pointed at the sign he was like oh my trailhead
24:35
didn't have a sign every trailhead has a no dog
24:37
sign so I know it's tough but if you do have
24:41
a dog great you're able to travel with it the
24:44
best approach for this is just treat Yellowstone
24:47
as a scenic driving destination and if you have
24:49
somebody else with you rotate times where one
24:51
of you can hike and one of you is with the dog
24:53
Does that change how you experience the park?
24:56
Absolutely. Does that take away from the beauty
24:58
of the park or the time with your dog? Absolutely
25:00
not. I grew up taking dogs here. I still take
25:03
my dog to the park all the time. We just follow
25:06
the rules. We do what we're allowed to do. And
25:08
we all have a great time. So do that. Bring your
25:11
dog. Bring your pet. It is a great place to enjoy
25:15
time with some with something that you love so
25:18
do that but just know the rules and regulations
25:20
exist for a reason and by all of us following
25:23
all these rules and regulations we can ensure
25:25
that we can continue to take our pets in because
25:28
otherwise if too many people break it then no
25:30
one's going to be allowed right and that would
25:32
really not be fun because i enjoy taking my dog
25:34
and i'm sure you do too so if you're bringing
25:36
your four -leg companion three -leg companion
25:38
maybe you know follow the rules enjoy yourself
25:42
Do everything you want to do that is within the
25:45
bylaws of Yellowstone National Park and make
25:48
sure you bring your dog lots of treats and get
25:50
it like Some ice or something on hot days The
25:54
weather for the coming week as always this the
25:56
best forecast for the week at the time of recording
25:58
It can't change but this is kind of like a blueprint
26:01
of what you can expect. So let's start with Lamar
26:03
Valley On Thursday, Lamar Valley is gonna have
26:06
a high of 68, low of 37, 24 % chance of rain.
26:10
Friday, 73 and 42, 1 % chance. Saturday, 74 and
26:15
43, 16 % chance. Sunday, 63 and 33, 24 % chance.
26:21
Monday, 67 and 41, 15 % chance. Tuesday, 62 and
26:26
39 with a 50 % chance of rain starting late morning,
26:30
probably about a quarter of an inch. And Wednesday,
26:32
54 and 35, 50 % chance of a quarter inch of rain.
26:36
Gardner, Montana. On Thursday, high at 73, low
26:39
of 40. Friday, 78 and 46. Saturday, 78 and 46
26:45
with a 21 % chance of rain. Sunday, 67 and 37,
26:49
24 % chance of rain. Monday, 72 and 45, 9 % chance
26:53
of rain. Tuesday, 67 and 42, 56 % chance about
26:58
two tenths of an inch of rain. Wednesday, 60
27:01
and 38, 41 % chance about a quarter inch of rain.
27:05
West Yellowstone, Montana. Thursday, high at
27:08
69, low at 34. Friday, 73 and 40. Saturday, 73
27:13
and 39, with a chance of some rain in the morning.
27:15
Sunday 64 and 31 with a chance of rain in the
27:18
morning Monday 68 and 38 rain potentially developing
27:22
in the afternoon evening Tuesday 61 and 35 63
27:26
percent chance of a quarter inch of rain Wednesday
27:29
55 and 32 40 percent chance of a quarter inch
27:32
of rain Cody, Wyoming Thursday 75 and 49 Friday
27:38
86 and 56 Saturday 86 and 54 with a chance of
27:43
thunderstorms in the early afternoon Sunday 72
27:46
and 44 24 % chance of rain during the day Monday
27:50
76 and 53 Tuesday 76 and 50 with an 18 % chance
27:54
of rain and then Wednesday 70 and 45 with a 24
27:59
% chance of rain and finally for the weather
28:01
Cook City, Montana Thursday highest 63 love 38
28:06
chance of rain in the afternoon evening Friday
28:08
69 and 45 Saturday 70 and 42 with a 17 % chance
28:13
of rain during the day Sunday 59 and 34 with
28:17
a 36 % chance of rain Monday 63 and 42 19 % chance
28:22
of rain Tuesday 59 38 50 % chance of rain probably
28:27
about 0 .15 inches and then Wednesday 52 and
28:31
34 with a 50 % chance about a quarter inch of
28:34
rain. All right, the snowpack update is officially
28:37
over The snowpack is melting quickly. It's not
28:41
worth talking about there is some snow in the
28:43
higher elevations But generally if you're visiting
28:45
the park, it's gonna be a non -issue unless you
28:47
climb like the highest of mountains So snowpack
28:50
is now retired or the snowpack update is now
28:52
retired until the fall. So goodbye snowpack update.
28:56
We will miss you road conditions No main park
29:00
roads are closed right now, and while unlikely,
29:03
be aware that roads can close at any time due
29:05
to inclement weather. Looks like that rain in
29:07
the afternoon evening could close things up,
29:09
but if that last storm didn't, this one may not.
29:13
So for up -to -date information, you can call
29:14
307 -344 -2117 for recorded road conditions,
29:19
or you can just sign up to receive Yellowstone
29:22
Road Alerts on your mobile phone by texting the
29:24
number 82190 to the number 888... 777 camping
29:31
information mammoth is open Madison is open fishing
29:33
bridge is open bridge Bay is open tower is open
29:36
Canyon is open the wildlife watching update so
29:40
as I've been saying the last few weeks the good
29:43
times continue for wildlife watching bears are
29:46
literally everywhere I saw the other day in a
29:50
two -mile section six different bears all black
29:53
bears but still six different bears and two miles
29:55
is ridiculous if you want the best bear watching
29:58
experience probably the bear muted triangle so
30:02
from floating island lake and hell roaring area
30:04
out to slew creek and then up to tower fall and
30:08
that is going to be kind of that general triangle
30:10
where you should see some good bear activity
30:12
also grizzlies are out east entrance area they're
30:17
also out around the norris area they're out around
30:20
canyon it's just a good time to see bears right
30:23
now lamar and hayden are really good so enjoy
30:26
that Wolf sightings have been hit and miss Slew
30:29
Creek, Lamar Valley, typically your best area
30:32
right now. That's where I would go. Moose, if
30:35
you do want to see a moose, probably out toward
30:37
Cook City, and even then you're going to be lucky.
30:40
There's also supposedly some foxes hanging out
30:43
along the northeastern Tinch Road, and that is
30:46
less than ideal because they are begging for
30:48
food at cars. If you see an animal that approaches
30:50
your car, do not give it food. That includes
30:53
ravens and other birds too. Don't feed anything
30:55
in the park. Big horn sheep. I saw lots of baby
30:59
big horn sheep from calcite Springs looking across
31:02
the Yellowstone River Canyon There's also some
31:04
big horn sheep up out the east entrance by Sylvan
31:07
Pass. So go check those guys out Mountain goats
31:11
are way off in the distance on baronet and from
31:13
round prairie. I've heard some people seeing
31:15
them Coyotes are out hunting. They're gonna be
31:18
having their babies soon. Same with the wolves
31:21
It's this a good time put in the work go to the
31:24
main sites, you know You're in the northern range
31:28
if you drive between Mammoth and Cook City in
31:32
the morning and then in the evening and Then
31:35
you also go up to tower at that point and back
31:37
and you don't see anything. I'll be shocked There's
31:39
baby bison everywhere. There's baby pronghorn
31:42
being born. There's baby elk. It is a great time
31:45
There's some newborn Eagles that are starting
31:47
to learn to fly right now. It is so cool So I
31:51
could literally talk about where to see wildlife
31:53
right now for the entire podcast because that's
31:56
how active the park is. Go anywhere and everywhere
32:00
that calls to you especially in the morning or
32:03
the cooler days everything's more active on the
32:05
cooler days so if it's super hot you're not going
32:08
to see as much. Wait until it cools down or start
32:11
very very very early in the morning and you're
32:13
going to have a great time especially in those
32:15
good wildlife corridors. The trail alerts and
32:19
updates section is just now me referring to the
32:22
backcountry conditions page. I link to that in
32:24
the show notes. You can also search Yellowstone
32:26
backcountry conditions and there's a website
32:29
updated by the park pretty much daily that tells
32:32
you what's open, what's closed, everything you
32:34
need to know of where to hike. If you need some
32:37
interpretation of what you're reading on there,
32:39
reach out to me. Happy to help. That brings me
32:42
to the Trek of the Week. This week I'm recommending
32:45
the Garnet Hill Loop from Hell Roaring. The Garnet
32:48
Hill Loop is one of Yellowstone's lesser known
32:50
hikes, offering a mix of sagebrushed grasslands,
32:53
creek bottom forests, the Yellowstone River overlooks,
32:57
and abundant wildlife habitat. While the classic
32:59
start to this is near Roosevelt, the current
33:02
construction of the area makes starting and ending
33:03
here really not fun, so this week I'm suggesting
33:07
that you start at the Hell Roaring trailhead.
33:09
After all, you'd take the detour to the suspension
33:12
bridge at Hell Roaring anyways, so starting there
33:14
just makes more sense. From the hell -roaring
33:17
trailhead, the trail works its way down the switchbacks
33:19
that eventually lead to the suspension bridge.
33:22
I suggest taking the time to hit the bridge first,
33:25
as you'll have to walk up the switchbacks to
33:26
end your day, and generally, one is tired by
33:29
that time, and then you will be like, I don't
33:31
want to see the bridge, see it first, get it
33:34
out of the way, it's beautiful, it's awesome.
33:36
To reach the bridge, pass the junction to the
33:38
Garnet Hill Cut -Off and keep hiking. From the
33:41
trailhead, the bridge is about a mile away, so
33:44
you walk one mile, You get to see this beautiful
33:47
bridge that spans a powerful section of the river
33:49
and provides excellent views of rapids and the
33:52
surrounding canyon. Adding the spur increases
33:55
the overall distance slightly, but it's often
33:57
considered one of the highlights of the area.
33:59
So again, go and do that. Once you've enjoyed
34:02
the bridge, turn around and head back to the
34:04
junction. And then once you hit the main trail,
34:07
you have a choice. Like you take the junction
34:08
down. You cross a little creek and then you climb
34:12
up and then you have a choice. You can either
34:14
turn right or left. I suggest going to the right
34:17
as it makes the elevation gain more manageable
34:19
and it's generally the more dynamic way to take
34:22
the loop. The Garnet Hill loop in this section
34:24
follows Elk Creek through dense forests, which
34:27
are generally known for numerous bears that reside
34:30
in the region. Be very loud here and extremely
34:33
bear aware. I pretty much always see a bear in
34:35
this section. I am not joking be very bear aware
34:39
and be very loud scare the bears away. It's narrow
34:42
and You will run into them if you try and do
34:45
this quiet and it's not going to be good So be
34:48
loud. Let them know you're there Eventually,
34:50
you're gonna hike all the way through that and
34:52
the trees fade away and you enter an open meadow
34:55
This next section of trail passes through the
34:57
historic Yancey area, which was once the site
35:00
of Yellowstone's earliest tourist accommodations,
35:03
and now is home to the Roosevelt Old West Dining
35:05
Cookout operation and horseback tours. Once you
35:08
reach the seasonal buildings at Yancey's, the
35:11
route follows portions of the Old Stagecoach
35:13
Road back toward Roosevelt. At Roosevelt, which
35:16
is not actually technically Roosevelt, because
35:18
you're going to run into this, you may have to
35:20
do a little route finding to avoid entering the
35:22
construction zone. There should be a well -maintained
35:25
and even signed trail darting left, but when
35:27
in doubt, just head north. You'll eventually
35:30
hit the trail, and then if you don't hit the
35:32
trail, you're going to hit the river. Just follow
35:34
the river downstream. Go with the pace of the
35:38
river and you'll find the trail. You really can't
35:40
get lost here. This section of trail cuts through
35:44
this area called Pleasant Valley, which I think
35:46
is aptly named. It's a big sagebrush basin where
35:49
hikers frequently encounter bison, pronghorn
35:51
and elk, and occasionally bears both grizzly
35:53
and black. It also is where you're gonna meet
35:56
up with that garnet hill loop trail. While hiking,
36:00
enjoy like the sweeping views all around with
36:02
the Absaroka Beartooth Mountains and numerous
36:04
glacial erratics left behind by ancient ice sheets.
36:08
Once you find the main trail again, the route
36:10
begins to descend toward the Yellowstone River,
36:13
which you hike next to for a few miles. This
36:15
section is secluded and rarely visited and it's
36:18
awesome and beautiful and wonderful and that's
36:20
why I'm telling you to go there. Be prepared
36:22
to see more wildlife than people here, but be
36:24
aware that the trail around Garnet Hill is a
36:27
wildlife corridor and animals use it often. I
36:30
almost always run into a bison on this north
36:33
section of the trail. Walking right down the
36:35
trail, if you encounter a bison, Stay 25 yards,
36:38
you may have to climb into the hills, but stay
36:40
25 yards away. This section near the Yellowstone
36:43
River is possibly the loop's most scenic section.
36:46
Trail wraps around the north side of Garnet Hill,
36:48
eventually providing elevated views of the River
36:50
Canyon, Buffalo Plateau, and Hell Roaring Mountain.
36:54
Several stretches follow high benches around
36:56
the river, offering dramatic perspectives of
36:58
the water winding through the canyon below. The
37:00
varied terrain of cliffs, forests, grasslands,
37:03
and river scenery makes this one of the most
37:05
diverse moderate hikes in Yellowstone's northern
37:07
range. The trail then starts to descend toward
37:10
Elk Creek and back to the Spur Trail to reach
37:12
the junction with Hell Roaring. Here, the character
37:15
of the hike changes dramatically. The sagebrush
37:17
gives way to groves of pine, rocky canyon walls,
37:20
and creekside vegetation, and then you hit the
37:23
Spur Trail. From there, hike up to Hell Roaring,
37:26
enjoy the switchbacks to get back to your car,
37:28
and basically you're done. Please know that wildlife
37:31
is very active on this hike. There's a chance
37:35
you will see everything that the park has along
37:38
this hike. Be prepared. carry bear spray, hike
37:41
in groups when possible, and remain alert especially
37:44
in those forested sections along Elk Creek where
37:47
visibility is limited. Also that sage section
37:49
through Pleasant Valley, the sage is really tall
37:52
and you would think you would easily see a grizzly
37:54
bear walking through there, you wouldn't, the
37:56
sage is almost as tall as a grizzly hump, so
37:58
really pay attention and constantly make noise.
38:00
I know I'm saying like wildlife is dangerous
38:02
here, wildlife is dangerous all over the park,
38:04
this is one of those trails where it just happens
38:06
to seem like it's more active and this trail
38:09
seems like it's It's just some place where things
38:11
could go wrong quickly. So be smart, be safe,
38:14
hike this by all means, but just know you are
38:17
hiking in heavy wildlife terrain. And now to
38:20
end on a high note. Overall, the Garnet Hill
38:23
Loop is an excellent choice for hikers seeking
38:24
a quieter Yellowstone experience. Rather than
38:27
focusing on geothermal features or crowded overlooks,
38:30
this trail showcases the park's northern range
38:32
ecosystem through a combination of wildlife -rich
38:34
meadows, river views, forested creek bottoms,
38:37
and expansive mountain scenery. The total distance
38:40
for this hike is around 9 miles with about 1
38:43
,500 feet of elevation gain. It's a serious hike.
38:46
It's awesome. I love it. I may be doing this
38:49
very soon too, so maybe I'll see you out there.
38:52
Alright, that is it for this week. In next week's
38:54
episode, I'll return with all the information
38:56
you need to have a good week in the park, including
38:59
wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until then,
39:02
book a tour with me, pick up a guidebook of mine,
39:04
recommend this podcast to a friend, family member,
39:07
or stranger, and happy trails. Abrupt ending!
39:21
This week in Yellowstone is brought to you by
39:23
The Outdoor Society. That's my company. It's
39:25
just me, I do this, it's a labor of love. If
39:28
you like it, tell your friends, rate and review
39:30
it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening
39:33
and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright
39:36
2026, baby!