Latest / This Week in Yellowstone National Park / This Week in Yellowstone: September 3rd to September 9th, 2026

Transcript

This Week in Yellowstone: September 3rd to September 9th, 2026 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

0:00
From Yellowstone National Park where low temperatures
0:03
are starting to drop into the 30s, this is that
0:06
Scott guy you know and love with a brand new
0:08
episode of This Week in Yellowstone. What's up
0:21
everybody this week in Yellowstone National Park
0:23
from September 3rd to September 9th 2026 I'm
0:27
gonna be talking a lot about elk because that's
0:29
what's going on this week I'm gonna talk to you
0:31
about the elk rut tell you where you can best
0:34
see the elk during mating season briefly share
0:37
about the king elk of Mammoth hot springs and
0:40
Share a favorite hike of mine for this time of
0:42
the year that actually doesn't have anything
0:44
to do with elk I'll also give you the complete
0:46
weather forecast, the wildlife report, and everything
0:49
else you need to have an incredible time this
0:51
week in Yellowstone. Also, please know that this
1:15
podcast is a passion project of mine. If you
1:19
enjoy it, I'd love a review or a quick email.
1:21
I'm not paid. I'm not sponsored for this. I do
1:23
this. It's a labor of love. If you want to support
1:26
my work more, you can check out my hiking and
1:28
wildlife watching guidebooks, or you can join
1:31
me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's
1:33
backcountry next time you visit. I'm pretty booked
1:35
out for the rest of this year, but shoot me a
1:37
message. We might be able to make something happen.
1:40
For more information on those books or tours,
1:42
you can visit outdoor dash. This week's Yellowstone
1:56
news. Honestly there's not a lot of news going
1:59
on in the park right now. I'm happy with that.
2:01
Everyone should be happy with that. There's been
2:03
some... Talk about the wolf hunt out in Wyoming,
2:07
especially regarding the Molly pack, which is
2:09
the oldest pack in the park. And they're currently
2:13
outside the park. They didn't outside the park
2:15
and people are going to be hunting them. I'm
2:17
going to talk about that more in probably like
2:19
two weeks. I want there to be actual news either
2:23
way and not just a lot of the speculation that
2:25
I'm seeing online. So I'll keep track of that
2:27
and we'll. go from there. We'll also be getting
2:30
visitation statistics in a couple of weeks from
2:32
the park for August, and that should be interesting.
2:35
Currently we are below where we were last year
2:38
visitation wise, but only a little. So that's
2:41
really all I have for news. Like I said, there's
2:43
no news this week, but I'll talk about more things
2:46
as they happen. And until then, I'm just going
2:49
to jump right into the experience of the week.
2:51
As I said right off the bat, this is the elk
2:54
episode. I think I mentioned it last week too.
2:56
But this week's experience is the start of the
2:59
elk rut. So the elk rut is the annual breeding
3:02
season for elk and it generally begins in late
3:04
August, early September and goes into early October.
3:08
During this period bull elk become focused on
3:10
finding and defending breeding opportunities
3:13
with cow elk. Their behavior changes dramatically
3:16
from the rest of the year. Most of the year they're
3:18
chill, they're calm, they just wander around
3:21
and grow antlers, and then mating season hits,
3:25
testosterone skyrockets, they start bugling,
3:28
they start charging, they get very aggressive,
3:31
and they're very, very aggressive toward competing
3:34
bulls, and much more so when there are active
3:37
groups of females around. For visitors, this
3:41
creates some of the most interesting wildlife
3:43
viewing Yellowstone has to offer, but it also
3:45
creates a situation that needs to be taken seriously.
3:48
The situation that needs to be taken seriously
3:50
is safety, and there's a warning that every Yellowstone
3:53
visitor should understand during the elk rut.
3:56
elk can be dangerous especially during breeding
3:59
season bulls are extremely large powerful animals
4:02
equipped with a set of antlers that can cause
4:04
serious injuries and they can move much faster
4:07
than people realize they can run 30 plus miles
4:10
an hour you can't they've attacked people in
4:13
vehicles in Yellowstone and they are very aggressive
4:17
and territorial and they will run through the
4:19
parking lot they may be a hundred yards away
4:21
and they might run right at you so Just know
4:24
that just because there's an elk in the distance
4:26
doesn't mean that you're safe. Always have an
4:29
exit plan and always be close to your car. I
4:32
know that sounds a lot like hyperbole and like,
4:35
oh yeah, animals are dangerous. Of course, during
4:37
the rut, we know animals are more dangerous and
4:41
elk, especially a lot of times if you're going
4:43
to see the elk rat, you're going to be in mammoth
4:45
hot springs. I'll talk about why that's so good
4:47
later, but in mammoth. You're out of your car,
4:50
you're going to visitor's center, you might go
4:51
to the post office, you might be eating, you
4:53
might go to the gift shop, and you might walk
4:55
out and there's an elk across the way, and they
4:57
are running around like crazy. You could be in
5:00
a group of people and you all have to run as
5:01
fast as you can. There's rangers out there trying
5:04
to control the crowd, but elk are uncontrollable,
5:07
and so you always need to be aware. Always pay
5:10
close attention whenever you're around elk, including
5:13
when you're getting out of your vehicle or walking
5:15
around in a developed area. An elk can be on
5:17
the other side of a building or behind vegetation
5:20
and completely out of view. You could walk around
5:22
a corner and suddenly find yourself much closer
5:24
to a bull than you intended. The same applies
5:27
when leaving restaurants, visitor facilities,
5:28
and other buildings in areas where elk are active.
5:31
Take a moment to look around before stepping
5:33
outside and never assume that an animal that
5:36
you think is calm is going to remain calm. Now,
5:40
the National Park Service recommends staying
5:41
at least 25 yards from elk, but during the rut,
5:45
I don't think 25 yards is comfortable viewing.
5:48
50, 75, probably 100. Give yourself considerably
5:51
more room whenever possible. Rangers and other
5:55
park employees may direct visitors to move farther
5:57
away, change where they're standing, or relocate
6:00
their vehicles based on what the elk are doing.
6:02
This is a very serious thing. We think of the
6:05
bison rut out in Lamar and Hayden and we watch
6:07
that and it's like, oh, sometimes they might
6:09
run into a car. They're always going to be running
6:11
at cars or between cars or anything. The rangers
6:14
and volunteers out there are looking out for
6:17
your best interests. Always listen to them. Always,
6:20
always, always. Once you are in a safe place,
6:24
The rut is fascinating to watch. Bull elk have
6:27
spent the spring and summer growing their antlers,
6:30
which are among the most obvious signs of a mature
6:32
male. By fall the antlers are fully developed
6:34
and ready for the competition that comes with
6:36
breeding season. Bulls use these antlers when
6:39
challenging one another, but the antlers are
6:42
only part of the elaborate display that takes
6:44
place during the rut. It's easy to think, oh,
6:46
they're gonna battle with antlers, and the females
6:47
are gonna see the antlers and say, ooh, those
6:49
are big antlers. But bulls also rely heavily
6:53
on sound and scent. The bugle is the most recognizable
6:56
part of the elk rut, and it serves several purposes,
6:59
including advertising a bull's presence and condition,
7:02
attracting females, and warning or challenging
7:05
other males. The call can begin with a lower
7:08
grunt before rising into the high, piercing sound
7:11
most people associate with rutting elk and ending
7:14
with several deeper notes. Because the sound
7:17
travels so well, it can make a single bowl seem
7:20
much closer than it actually is. It also carries
7:23
well so then every bowl within hearing distance
7:25
knows that there's a big bowl around. Scent is
7:29
another important part of the breeding season.
7:31
Bulls will urinate on themselves, including their
7:33
heads and antlers, creating the strong odor associated
7:36
with rutting elk. It may seem strange for people
7:39
to watch, but the scent provides information
7:42
to other elk and is part of the complicated communication
7:44
that takes place during the breeding season.
7:48
If there is another bull around, the competition
7:50
between bulls can range from displays and posturing
7:53
to actual fights. Two bulls may approach each
7:56
other with their heads raised and antlers prominently
7:59
displayed trying to determine whether one will
8:01
back down. If neither does, they can lock antlers
8:04
and push against one another. These contests
8:06
can be intense and although many end without
8:09
serious injury when one animal establishes dominance
8:11
and decides to leave, sometimes serious fights
8:14
do happen and broken antlers or other injuries
8:17
are possible. One time in Mammoth I watched a
8:20
bull fight and they were fighting between like
8:24
there's a fence between them and they were fighting
8:26
on either side of the fence and they broke the
8:27
fence in Mammoth. It was really fun to watch.
8:30
The reward for winning these contests is access
8:33
to females. A dominant bull may gather a group
8:35
of cows, often referred to as a harem, and spend
8:38
much of his time keeping other bulls away. He's
8:41
constantly moving, watching the cows, and responding
8:43
to potential rivals. Younger or less dominant
8:46
bulls are going to remain nearby looking for
8:49
opportunities to challenge the dominant male
8:51
or take advantage of a distracted bull and breed
8:54
with as many of the elk as they can. The effort
8:57
involved in the rut is substantial. Bulls spend
9:00
less time feeding and devote enormous amounts
9:02
of energy to calling, moving, guarding females,
9:06
mating, and competing with other males. As the
9:09
breeding season progresses, many bulls lose considerable
9:12
body weight and can look noticeably thinner and
9:15
more exhausted by the time the rut ends. For
9:17
the animals, it's an intense period that ultimately
9:20
determines which bulls reproduce and pass their
9:22
genes to the next generation. It's survival of
9:25
the fittest, and the biggest, baddest bull is
9:27
going to breed more than these smaller bulls.
9:31
So it's really fun to watch. Also know that,
9:34
you know, if you want to watch it well, binoculars
9:37
are one of the best things you can bring with
9:38
you. Obviously, a telephoto lens is really useful
9:41
to take pictures of. I do want to mention this.
9:45
I got an email recently about it, but I've written
9:47
this before. Do not try to attract a bull by
9:50
imitating its bugle. Don't bring any scents with
9:53
you like elk scents and never approach an elk
9:56
simply because it appears unconcerned about your
9:58
presence. If an animal changes its behavior because
10:01
of you, you are already too close. Every year
10:05
people get way too close to elk in Yellowstone
10:08
and have to run from a charging bull elk. Even
10:11
if you have experience around elk, which a lot
10:14
of people say, and then they do very stupid things,
10:16
the rules still apply to you. So go watch the
10:21
elk rut, enjoy it, but be safe and know that
10:24
this time of the year, the elk are absolutely
10:26
crazy, especially the bull elk. They are just
10:29
out of their minds wanting to mate. My tip of
10:34
the week, where to best see the elk rut. So there
10:38
are a lot of things online about where to see
10:41
the elk red You're gonna see a lot of the same
10:43
information that I may say because the elk red
10:45
is really Situated in a few areas. There are
10:49
some backcountry places where you might catch
10:51
a glimpse of elk But generally the elk red takes
10:55
place in mammoth out along the Madison River
10:59
between West Yellowstone and Madison and also
11:03
down along the lake There are elk all over the
11:07
place, but those are generally the best areas
11:09
and most dependable to see it. My favorite place
11:11
to see the elk rut is Mammoth. Hands down, this
11:14
is the best place to see it. Obviously, you have
11:17
the infrastructure of the park there. So if you
11:21
take pictures or videos, they're running around
11:23
buildings. You always have some sort of human
11:25
infrastructure visible in your pictures or videos.
11:28
So if you're looking for a more natural environment,
11:31
Mammoth really isn't going to be it. However,
11:34
Mammoth is great for a lot of reasons. The main
11:37
reason I love Mammoth for the elk rut is dependability.
11:42
Year in and year out and pretty much daily, this
11:44
is the place to go. There's almost always elk
11:47
this time of the year, and if they're not there,
11:49
they're nearby and they'll be there later in
11:52
the afternoon. They move around a lot. In the
11:54
afternoon, early morning, you can hear elk bugling
11:57
all around Mammoth, and it's a fantastic place
12:00
to see them and to see the rut behavior. Generally,
12:04
the best place to see them is going to be on
12:06
the loop. You pass the post office. You drive
12:09
to where you can turn down at the campground
12:11
and then you drive back up past like the the
12:14
jail and courthouse and then you go up to the
12:17
visitor center. They're usually hanging out there
12:19
and that's where the Rangers are most likely
12:22
going to patrol. They will be in the parade grounds,
12:24
which are the areas. south of the I had to think
12:28
about which direction south of the visitor center
12:30
and going toward the hot springs themselves and
12:34
the terraces. They're all in that area. They'll
12:36
be between the old Fort buildings. It's just
12:39
a really good area. What I suggest doing if they're
12:42
out is try and find a parking place and park
12:45
and watch from your car. If they're far away,
12:48
they're probably going to move closer to you.
12:51
Eventually, the El Carat. Is always moving and
12:55
shifting because there's always going to be another
12:57
elk there another bull elk trying to pick off
13:01
a few of the female elk and It creates this really
13:05
fluid situation. So staying by your car is a
13:08
great idea If you're not by your car and you're
13:10
the visitor center, then you may watch them from
13:12
the porch up there You will probably if you spend
13:15
enough time there Watch a bunch of people walking
13:18
and then a ranger will make them jump upon a
13:20
porch somewhere and protect them This is common
13:23
elk rut behavior in mammoth. It is sometimes
13:27
very chaotic sometimes absolutely crazy But there
13:31
are more than likely going to be some Rangers
13:33
there for most of the daylight hours if they
13:36
have bull horns, which most of them do Listen
13:38
to what they say. Do not park your car anywhere.
13:43
That is not a parking place. You will get fined,
13:46
ticketed, yelled at, publicly ridiculed. I don't
13:49
know. You will get yelled at for sure by the
13:51
Rangers or the volunteers that are there. So
13:54
when you're in Mammoth, know that you're probably
13:57
going to be seeing elk for the next few weeks
13:59
there. And it will be a very, very active site,
14:04
mostly active in the daylight and evening after
14:08
late afternoon hours, but even during the day,
14:11
it may just pop off for no reason at all. If
14:14
you are already in Mammoth, you may want to take
14:17
a drive out of the park, go up to Gardner and
14:20
then drive Old Yellowstone Road. That's another
14:23
really good area for the Alcarette where you
14:26
may not have as much infrastructure for photography
14:30
or something like that. You may have some irrigation
14:32
pipes and things like that out there because
14:34
there are homes outside of the park, but there
14:38
are some large herds out there. It is a very
14:40
popular spot for them to be mating and bugling
14:44
and everything. So that's kind of my spot. If
14:46
I don't feel like going all the way to Gardner
14:49
or all the way to Mammoth, I just hang out in
14:51
Gardner. I go down to Gardner, then drive Old
14:53
Yellowstone. And there's usually elk out there.
14:56
Know that in a few weeks. The elk hunting season
15:00
will be happening too, so elk may be getting
15:02
pushed back into the park. But right now, I know
15:06
there's a big herd north of the park along the
15:08
Yellowstone Road that's been hanging out. They've
15:10
also been hanging out on Highway 89 near the
15:12
airport, which they always do, and even by that
15:15
Sinclair station. So if you want to see elk,
15:18
that northern range, that north section from
15:20
Yellowstone Hot Springs down to Mammoth, both
15:23
all the roads out there, that's going to be a
15:25
great place to go. If you're not near this area,
15:29
then the Madison River between West Yellowstone
15:32
and Madison Junction are really good, too. It's
15:36
not as consistent, but it's more natural. And
15:40
you're going to get out there and you might be
15:41
able to go to a pullout in the fog in the morning
15:44
and you're going to hear a bugle and then watch
15:46
a big bull elk walk out and then see the cows
15:49
all around, too. It's a beautiful scene and it's
15:52
much more wild. However, it's not as dependable
15:55
as mammoth. But that doesn't make it any less
15:58
special. I love going down there too, even if
16:00
it is a longer drive for me. Seeing elk along
16:03
the Madison River is a truly magical experience
16:05
and like I said in the morning sometimes it's
16:07
foggy and so visibility isn't the best but you
16:10
just see these shadows and shapes and it's so
16:13
cool. During the day, this section is going to
16:16
be very crowded with people because they're going
16:18
to see elk, they're going to see a bull elk,
16:20
and it's going to get really crowded, pullouts
16:22
and things like that. And even in the evening,
16:24
it's still pretty popular. So know if you do
16:26
this, you're not necessarily going to be alone.
16:28
You're not going to be alone at Mammoth either.
16:30
You might be more alone on old Yellowstone Road,
16:33
but it's the elk rut. It's what people want to
16:36
see in September. So there's going to be people
16:38
around. As always, Just stay close to your car.
16:42
Don't get near the elk. You know, I've talked
16:44
about that enough. I am going to tell you another
16:46
place to go for elk. That's not, you know, Lamar
16:49
or Hayden, which you might see elk out there,
16:51
but it's along the lake. And it's if you drive
16:54
from West Thumb to Fishing Bridge and back, there's
16:59
some elk that hang out there. There's one big
17:02
elk that is named Elliot that I saw out the other
17:05
day. And apparently he is in a mood already.
17:10
The Ranger was trying to scare him away, and
17:12
he just stood up and walked toward the Ranger
17:14
calmly instead of taking the cue to leave that
17:19
the Ranger was trying to give him. So keep your
17:22
distance there, but that's a really fun place
17:24
to see Elk 2. It is a little more remote. It
17:26
is even less dependable than seeing them out
17:29
Madison, but it's a fun place to go. Looking
17:34
for the elk that's what you want. You want a
17:36
unique area to watch the elk mating season unfold
17:39
Other than that there are elk in Hayden and Lamar
17:43
valleys. There's elk all over the place But it's
17:47
not as consistent to see them There is the three
17:49
places four places. I just mentioned if you really
17:52
want to see elk Really really want to see elk
17:55
go to mammoth and go out the north entrance That
17:57
will be where you go. If you don't do that and
18:00
you don't see elk It's because it's not as consistent.
18:03
This will be a place now, especially to see elk.
18:07
You'll see a lot of things online that if you
18:10
visited during the summer, it's like you'll always
18:12
see elk and mammoth. That's not true. But right
18:14
now, you'll almost always see elk. It is the
18:17
most dependable place to see it is in mammoth.
18:19
So go there if you need more places. or more
18:24
unique areas to go, reach out to me, happy to
18:26
help. But if you go to the places I mentioned,
18:28
you should be set. If you go to all of them in
18:31
a couple of days and don't see an elk, then Yellowstone
18:34
didn't want you to see an elk. That's just bad
18:37
luck, I guess. But you'll still see something
18:39
cool. So don't worry about it. My random Yellowstone
18:43
fact of the week. Talking about elk. So I'm going
18:46
to talk about bull elk number 24. If you know
18:49
me and listen to the podcast enough, you know,
18:51
I really don't like names of animals. I don't
18:54
like the identification and the stocking of animals
18:56
of people having to see a certain animal when
19:00
like, you know, seeing an elk, seeing seeing
19:03
a bull elk, seeing a bear, a grizzly or a black
19:05
bear or seeing a wolf is cool enough. You don't
19:08
need to, in my opinion, you don't need to see
19:11
a specific one because it's a cool sighting that
19:15
one should be happy about. Anyway, I'm always
19:17
happy to see it, but there's also Bullwalk number
19:21
24, which is really kind of special. I have seen
19:25
bull elk number 24 for years now I ran into in
19:28
the backcountry once in the early summer when
19:31
he was just growing his antlers and it was really
19:34
fun because there's these little velvety things
19:36
and he was walking the trail and I had to jump
19:37
way off the trail and he just looked at me and
19:39
kept walking and then I saw him a few months
19:41
later and he had this beautiful rack of antlers
19:44
and it was so cool and I was like I saw you earlier
19:47
when you were growing those and they were tiny
19:49
but bull elk number 24 is one of those Yellowstone
19:53
animals that's developed a following He's a big
19:56
mature bull that has become a familiar sighting
19:59
around mammoth hot springs, especially during
20:01
the fall red Wildlife photographer is known by
20:04
the number on his identification tag that hangs
20:07
from his ear He has a orangish red tag that hangs
20:11
from his ear. It reads number 24 Because he's
20:14
there and is tagged and because he is just so
20:18
massive he's be come known as the King of Mammoth.
20:23
There is some folklore about Number 24, but there's
20:26
also a pretty good reason why people remember
20:27
him. He's probably one of the most impressive
20:30
bulls you're going to dependably see in Yellowstone,
20:33
and he's developed a reputation for being really
20:36
dominant and aggressive during the rut. His reputation
20:40
is not entirely based on his antlers or the way
20:44
he carries himself. In 2025, a former judge was
20:48
giving an interview and recalled an encounter
20:51
with the bull and referred to him as the infamous
20:54
notorious 24. In the interview, he recalled sitting
20:58
with his wife on a front porch of officers row
21:01
when number 24 approached and became aggressive
21:05
toward them while they were seated on their porch.
21:08
For anyone that's been in Mammoth during the
21:10
elk rut, this is not a unique experience, but
21:12
it is always a memorable one. Number 24 also
21:16
likes to hang outside the post office and kind
21:18
of block people from going in and out of there.
21:21
There's a church in Mammoth and he will lay in
21:24
front of the front doors and everybody has to
21:26
come and go from the back door. It's really kind
21:29
of fun to see him around. If you search online
21:32
for Bull Elk number 24, it's kind of hard to
21:36
figure out what's true and what's not. There's
21:38
a lot of rumors going around around about him,
21:40
but there's also a lot of facts. So. Yellowstone
21:43
does have extensive information about elk behavior
21:46
and the dangers around rutting bulls, but there's
21:49
not a publicly available official record documenting
21:53
number 24's life. His age, birth year, family
21:57
history, complete movement history are obviously
22:00
not established. Claims that he is the oldest
22:03
or largest bull in Yellowstone should therefore
22:05
be treated as stories rather than established
22:08
fact. The same goes for some of the accounts
22:10
about injuries, including the claim that he lost
22:12
an antler during a fight or that he's broken
22:15
cameras or popped tires. Those stories appear
22:18
to come from retold stories rather than an official
22:21
account. Doesn't mean that they're not true,
22:23
but approach them with skepticism. But it doesn't
22:26
matter. Number 24 is a giant bull and he is awesome.
22:31
He's not the first Bull Elk in Mammoth to be
22:34
the main character for Elk. Before him, Number
22:38
Six developed his own reputation around the area
22:40
and became well known to visitors and people
22:43
who worked in Yellowstone and Mammoth. He died
22:46
in 2009, but in that sense, Number 24 has then
22:50
just taken his place and become that next Bull
22:53
Elk that everybody knows. When Number 24 is gone,
22:56
another Elk is going to be there and I'm sure
22:58
he's going to be massive as well. 24 may be recognizable
23:03
to people who see him every year, but it's important
23:05
to remember that he's not tame or used to people,
23:08
and he certainly does not understand that he's
23:10
become a local celebrity. An elk standing on
23:13
a lawn beside a historic building is still a
23:15
wild elk, and during the rut, this mature bull
23:18
is focused on cows, beating rivals, and maintaining
23:22
his status. If he decides a person, vehicle,
23:25
or other animal is a threat, the fact that he's
23:27
been around people for years is not going to
23:29
make much difference. He will charge. Number
23:32
24 is a very interesting animal in Yellowstone,
23:37
and he's like a lot of the other animals in Yellowstone.
23:40
He's not famous because Yellowstone made him
23:43
the mascot or because the park treats him differently
23:45
from any other elk. He's become famous because
23:48
he is a wild animal that has repeatedly spent
23:52
a lot of time in one of the busiest and most
23:54
human -dominated parts of the park. Thousands
23:56
of people every year have had the opportunity
23:59
to watch him doing exactly what a wild bull elk
24:01
does during the rut. And if you're there and
24:05
see him, there's no need to make number 24 larger
24:08
than life, and the park really hasn't and I'm
24:10
happy about that. The animal was interesting
24:12
enough just doing what he's doing as an elk.
24:15
He is a mature bull that's huge, that's been
24:18
successful, and because he has an ear tag, is
24:21
really recognizable and repeatedly observed for
24:23
mammoth. He also appears to have a reputation
24:26
for being one of the bulls visitors should take
24:29
especially seriously. If you're lucky enough
24:31
to see that bull elk with number 24, enjoy the
24:36
sighting, take a picture, and watch what he does.
24:39
Just remember that he has no idea that he's famous.
24:42
He does not care that he's famous. All he wants
24:45
to do this time of year is mate and will take
24:49
care of anything that gets in the way of that.
24:52
The weather for the coming week. As always, this
24:55
is the best forecast for the week at the time
24:57
of recording. It is 2 20 p .m. on Wednesday,
25:00
September 2nd. This forecast can change numerous
25:03
times in a week. But it should be within the
25:05
ballpark of what you'll experience when visiting
25:07
the park in the next 7 days. It does fall apart
25:10
the longer the week goes on, but you can only
25:12
predict the weather so much, and I'm not a weather
25:14
person. So let's start with Lamar Valley. On
25:17
Thursday, a high of 67, a low of 43. Friday,
25:22
73 and 44. Saturday, 75 and 44. Sunday, 75 and
25:28
46, with a 67 % chance of rain developing in
25:31
the afternoon or evening. Monday 59 and 37 with
25:35
a 50 % chance of rain about a tenth of an inch
25:39
Tuesday 64 and 37 19 % chance of rain mostly
25:43
in the morning and Wednesday 69 and 40 with a
25:46
9 % chance of rain Gardner, Montana Thursday
25:50
71 and 47 Friday 76 and 47 Saturday 77 and 46
25:57
Sunday 78 and 48 70 % chance of rain 2 tenths
26:02
of an inch starting in late morning early afternoon
26:04
Monday 63 and 40 rain throughout the day 52 %
26:08
chance of that tenth of an inch Tuesday 68 and
26:12
40 14 % chance of rain and Wednesday 73 and 43
26:16
7 % chance of rain West Yellowstone, Montana
26:20
Thursday 64 and 41 Friday 69 and 40 Saturday
26:25
71 and 41 Sunday 72 and 43 with an 81 % chance
26:30
of rain about a third of an inch starting in
26:33
the late morning Monday 57 and 33 65 % chance
26:38
of rain throughout the day 2 tenths of an inch
26:42
maybe Tuesday 62 and 36 18 % chance of rain and
26:46
Wednesday 67 and 37 7 % chance of rain Cody Wyoming
26:51
on Thursday 81 and 52 Friday 88 and 55 Saturday
26:57
85 and 56 Sunday 79 and 58 with a 23 % chance
27:02
of rain Monday 75 and 51 with a 24 % chance of
27:06
rain Tuesday 77 and 49 and Wednesday 77 and 53
27:12
and As always we end with Cook City Cook City
27:16
on Thursday 63 and 44 Friday 70 and 46 Saturday
27:21
71 and 45 Sunday 71 and 46 with a 55 % chance
27:27
of two tenths of an inch of rain Late morning
27:30
is when it's going to start Monday 57 and 38
27:33
60 % chance of two tenths of an inch of rain
27:35
Tuesday 61 and 38 15 % chance of rain and Wednesday
27:40
65 and 40 with a 9 % chance of rain Road conditions
27:44
there are no major park roads closed right now.
27:48
I don't expect any of them to be closed Doesn't
27:51
look like it's gonna snow there's gonna be some
27:52
construction here and there but that should be
27:55
minimal I do want to say that Probably this weekend
27:58
when all that rain is gonna start falling Beartooth
28:01
Highway will more than likely see some snow It
28:04
saw snow last weekend and it should see snow
28:06
again this weekend I don't think it's gonna get
28:09
cold enough in the park to really have any snow,
28:11
but it could And because of that, while unlikely,
28:16
be aware that roads can close at any time due
28:18
to inclement weather. If you need up -to -date
28:20
information, there is a radio station you can
28:23
tune to. It is in your flyer that you get when
28:25
you enter the park. You can also call 307 -344
28:29
-2117 for recorded information, or you can sign
28:32
up to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your
28:35
cell phone by texting the number 82190 to 888
28:40
-777. Camping information. Everything is open,
28:44
but things are going to start closing soon. I'll
28:46
talk about that more in the next few weeks. I
28:48
will have a link to the list of opening and closing
28:52
dates for all the areas in the show notes if
28:54
you need that. Or you can also reach out to me
28:57
or you can search opening or operating dates
29:00
Yellowstone National Park 2026 and you'll see
29:03
the link for those if you need to. The wildlife
29:07
watching update. Obviously, elk are the main
29:11
story. I already talked about that quite a lot,
29:14
so I'm not going to mention elk in this anymore.
29:17
But right now, it's a weird time of the year
29:20
for wildlife watching. You might see a lot, you
29:22
might not. There's bison that are everywhere
29:25
in Lamar and Hayden. They'll be moving around.
29:28
There's a few lone bull bison that are done mating
29:31
or didn't get into the rut at all this year or
29:33
spread out throughout the park. There's also...
29:36
reports of great gray owls down by Fishing Bridge
29:40
and the Lake Hotel area. There's been some great
29:44
horned owls around Floating Island Lake. If you
29:47
are heading in the northern range, there's also
29:50
been some good wolf action between Mammoth and
29:54
Tower Junction. And then also like Hayden Valley
29:58
has apparently had good wolf sightings randomly
30:00
throughout the day. Last week somebody had a
30:02
white wolf, which was really a wolf, not a coyote,
30:05
walking right next to the river, middle of the
30:07
day. So definitely put in the work and drive
30:10
back and forth. There's moose that are still
30:12
out. Floating Island Lake has had off and on
30:15
moose sightings all year, so definitely go by
30:18
there. But also go up to Cook City. And if the
30:22
weather is good, go up the Beartooth Highway.
30:23
There's a lot of marmots there. Good chance for
30:25
grizzlies out there. Last weekend I was in the
30:28
park and I was looking for grizzly bears. I saw
30:30
none. I heard of a lot of people seeing black
30:32
bears up on Dunraven Pass. I heard the bighorn
30:36
sheep are being spotted more if you go up to
30:39
Yellowstone Hot Springs north of the park of
30:41
Gardner. And then... There's just going to be
30:45
pronghorn gathering sandhill cranes are starting
30:48
to get together i've been seeing some osprey
30:51
kind of expand their zones some eagles and generally
30:54
it's a good time it's we're building up to the
30:58
Necessity time of the year where if you do see
31:01
wildlife they're going to be mostly eating or
31:04
if they're elk or moose or deer pronghorn mating
31:08
and that's what you're going to be seeing right
31:10
now, so Know that this is a weird time of the
31:14
year if you need wildlife tips I can try and
31:17
tell you more places to go But really my recommendation
31:20
is this right now because it is so hit -and -miss
31:23
if you drive between Mammoth and Norris, you're
31:27
probably not gonna see a ton. You might see a
31:29
few things here and there I Know there are grizzlies
31:32
on the backside of Bunsen the other day, but
31:35
that's you know hike not driving if you go between
31:39
Norris and Canyon there's not a lot there a couple
31:42
bison walking through if you go from Norris down
31:47
to Madison there's a few things here and there
31:51
and then the other roads in the park are going
31:55
to be better except for that south entrance road
31:56
I never really see too many animals down there
31:58
until you get really close to that south gate
32:01
where then there might be some bears or moose
32:03
or something like that But unless you're headed
32:05
that way, I wouldn't necessarily drive all the
32:07
way down there for the chances. If you want to
32:09
see bears and moose, I would head out of Cook
32:12
City and do the Beartooth Highway with Chief
32:14
Joseph. That's going to be a better better bet.
32:17
Also go out the east entrance. It's good. But
32:19
really, the long winded way of what I was just
32:22
going to say is Lamar Hayden drive from wherever
32:26
you're staying to them early morning, evening.
32:28
Hit the pass if you can do both of those that's
32:31
great do Lamar in the morning Hayden in the evening
32:34
or the other way around That's probably going
32:36
to be your best bet Especially if you can throw
32:37
in done Raven pass on that in late morning early
32:41
evening You might have a good chance of seeing
32:42
some bears. Otherwise, it's still really pretty
32:44
things are starting to turn like color wise It's
32:48
gorgeous animal activity is starting to pick
32:50
up but it's just not super dependable I know
32:54
that the goal right now is bears and wolves and
32:57
it's just a hard time, but it will pick up. If
32:59
I hear anything, check my social media. I may
33:02
try and post it there. If I hear any like, oh,
33:05
the bear activity is really picking up again
33:07
or the wolves are doing something. I try not
33:09
to talk too much about the wolves online because
33:10
I don't want everybody going there and wolf hunting
33:13
season starts soon and I don't necessarily want
33:15
everybody to know where they're traveling to
33:17
and from. So, you know, other than that, reach
33:20
out to me. I do have a wildlife watching guidebook.
33:22
It gives a lot of good tips, breaks the park
33:24
down. by section and tells you what you really
33:27
should there and what season. That's available
33:29
on my website, Outdoor -Society .com. I also
33:32
have a hiking book. I always mention my books.
33:35
Everybody loves my Wildlife Watching Guidebook.
33:37
Do very well selling those every week. Thank
33:39
you so much for your support on that by buying
33:41
one of the ebooks Especially it's a nice way
33:43
for me to know that like what i'm doing is appreciated
33:46
But my hiking guidebook is really good. So don't
33:49
sleep on that one If you're a hiker at all this
33:51
like everything I do is a labor of love and it
33:54
is legitimately my favorite hikes in the park
33:57
and north of the park and West of the park, so
34:01
pick that up Otherwise, let's go to the next
34:04
section of this podcast and know that if you
34:06
are in the park watching wildlife You should
34:09
see some really cool things Just put in the work
34:12
early mornings evenings Trail alerts and updates
34:17
backcountry conditions page is updated Go to
34:21
the link in the show notes. That's the best way
34:22
to do it because they change it every day Do
34:25
you always want to mention carry your bear spray
34:27
have it readily accessible and not in your backpack
34:29
and know how to use it? My Trek of the Week.
34:34
My Trek of the Week this week is Slough Creek
34:36
to Second Meadow. I often talk about Slough Creek
34:39
and say just go to the First Meadow. And that
34:41
First Meadow is around, you know, four or five
34:43
miles round trip. It's really pretty. You can
34:45
get up on a nice butte out there, scan for wildlife.
34:48
It's fantastic. And if you just want an easier
34:51
hike, go to First Meadow. But this week, I really
34:55
suggest going out to Second Meadow and taking
34:58
a left to the 2S1 campsite. If you've been to
35:03
Slough Creek you know that this is a gorgeous
35:05
area to hike. It's relatively flat and I put
35:09
an asterisk by that because to get to the first
35:11
meadow you have to hike up a decent size hill
35:13
and then you drop down. To get to second meadow
35:16
you have to go up a kind of gentle grade of a
35:21
hill and then drop back down. You will get over
35:24
a thousand feet of elevation more than likely
35:26
while you do this, but it doesn't feel that way
35:28
and you're walking along an old road that is
35:31
still used by wagons and stuff, so it's really
35:34
not that bad. The reason I say to go to 2S1 is
35:38
twofold. One, getting out to Second Meadow in
35:41
Slough Creek is what you need to really understand
35:45
why people love Slough Creek. First Meadow is
35:47
gorgeous. But First Meadow is also popular. It's
35:51
not quite the same feel that it was decades ago
35:55
when everybody fell in love with Slough Creek.
35:57
Now that's Second Meadow. Eventually you're going
36:00
to have to go to Third Meadow, right? But that's
36:02
fine. It's a fun hike. Well, you could just hike
36:05
to Second Meadow and stay on the trail. The reason
36:08
I'm recommending going down to 2S1 is because
36:12
there are some really cool sites there and you're
36:15
right along the creek. If you stay on the trail,
36:17
you're not along the creek. if you go down to
36:19
that campsite you ride along the creek you can
36:21
walk through some gorgeous sage to get down to
36:25
little beaches you can see antlers and skulls
36:28
out there and you get this amazing views of the
36:32
mountains off in the distance it's one of my
36:34
favorite backcountry places to go and that's
36:38
why i want to recommend it it's a day hike obviously
36:40
if there's people camping there give them space
36:42
don't walk right through their campsite ask you
36:45
know if they're camping ask if you can just take
36:48
a few pictures or hang out nearby more than likely
36:50
they'll let you but always be polite to those
36:52
people because they had to reserve that a while
36:54
ago and to reserve a campsite means that you
36:58
expect to have it to yourself so if you have
37:00
to share it with people then it kind of may take
37:04
away from it but most people that are backpacking
37:06
are very cool and will say yeah hang out for
37:08
a little bit you know just don't come into my
37:10
camp and don't go into their camp even if they
37:12
don't say that Another reason to head to second
37:15
meadow is first meadow is popular and you might
37:17
see a black bear eating berries You might see
37:20
some bison. You might see some elk things like
37:22
that in first meadow or along the way But second
37:25
meadow gets more wild and there's a higher chance
37:27
you're going to see things because not as many
37:29
people go there It's a really cool experience
37:32
cannot recommend it enough and that's why I'm
37:34
recommending it on this podcast I think if you
37:37
love hiking and you want an easy introduction
37:40
and again easy with an asterisk because to get
37:43
to the second meadow campground that i'm talking
37:45
about i just pulled it up it's roughly 10 miles
37:48
and around 1200 feet of elevation gain it's not
37:51
the easiest day but you are walking mostly on
37:54
a road or a good graded trail and so you're going
37:57
to be able to do more miles and with the cooler
37:59
temperatures it should be a lot more fun I also
38:02
think this is a great one on a rainy day. You're
38:05
going to have some puddles on that road trail
38:07
that you're going to be walking. But to see the
38:10
clouds hanging on the trees, to hear the rain
38:13
through the trees or watch it raining on Slough
38:16
Creek itself, see the wildlife not be affected
38:19
by the rain and the cold is a wonderful experience
38:22
that I love. And I think you are, too. If you
38:25
are hiking this, expect bears, even if you don't
38:28
see one. and there could be wolves out there,
38:31
so really be on your highest level of alert for
38:34
wildlife. Talk a lot, make a lot of noise, try
38:38
and scare things off as best you can. You don't
38:40
want to sneak up on animals. Also, said it before,
38:44
I'll say it again, I'll say it forever, carry
38:47
bear spray, have it readily accessible, know
38:50
how to use it before you get on the trail, and
38:52
never ever bury it in your bag. If you need any
38:56
more details about this hike or any other hike
38:58
in Yellowstone, reach out to me. Like I said,
39:00
my guidebook for hiking in this region, I really
39:03
like. I wrote it because I hiked everything and
39:05
wanted to share it with people of like -minded
39:07
hiking skills and love for nature. So pick that
39:12
up, but don't hesitate to reach out if you want
39:14
to know more about Second Meadow or what happens
39:16
if you go to Third Meadow or beyond. Slough Creek
39:19
is a great area. I think you'll love it the deeper
39:23
you go. I know a lot of people hike First Meadow
39:25
and say I don't really get it, but go further.
39:29
Go to the backcountry campsites. Take in those
39:32
views and let your imagination and this appreciation
39:35
for being in the wilds of Yellowstone really
39:38
take over. It's easy to be jaded because not
39:41
everything is as jaw -dropping as, you know,
39:44
the most popular trails everywhere. But there's
39:47
a reason why these trails are loved by so many
39:49
people, and there's an opportunity to connect
39:51
with nature at a whole different level if we
39:54
allow ourselves to be open to that experience.
39:57
I feel that going to that campsite in Slough
39:59
Creek Second Meadow is an opportunity to open
40:02
that up for you and to really let you know what's
40:05
waiting for you in the backcountry of Yellowstone
40:07
and what happens when you go beyond the boardwalks
40:09
of the park. Now that is it for this week. In
40:12
the next episode for next week, I am going to
40:15
be talking about bears bears and uh indigenous
40:20
history in the park so bears and hyperphasia
40:22
be an ethical bear watcher the nez pers trail
40:25
and the flight of chief joseph and the nez pers
40:28
through yellowstone so Enjoy that when it drops
40:31
next week until then thank you so much for listening.
40:34
I greatly appreciate you all all of your messages
40:36
You've sent me all of your emails all the texts.
40:39
I am still behind I was out of service for multiple
40:42
days last week So I'm just getting to some of
40:45
those texts now By the time this drops I may
40:48
have responded to you if I haven't reach out
40:50
to me again if you want to hear from me It's
40:51
not because I don't want to talk to you. It's
40:53
just because I'm a little spacey sometimes and
40:55
I get backlogged Again, thank you so much for
40:58
listening. You're all the best and I will talk
41:02
at you all next week. Happy trails. This week
41:17
in Yellowstone is brought to you by the Outdoor
41:19
Society. That's my company. It's just me. I do
41:22
this. It's a labor of love. If you like it, tell
41:25
your friends, rate and review it. Shoot me a
41:27
message. Otherwise, keep listening, and I hope
41:30
to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright 2026, baby.