Latest / This Week in Yellowstone National Park / This Week in Yellowstone: July 23rd to July 29th, 2026

Transcript

This Week in Yellowstone: July 23rd to July 29th, 2026 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park where a handful
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of people may be breaking rules, but the overwhelming
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majority of visitors are being awesome. This
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is that Scott guy you know and love with a brand
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new episode of This Week in Yellowstone. What's
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up everybody, this week in Yellowstone National
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Park from July 23rd to July 29th, 2026, I dive
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into the Hayden vs. Lamar debate, let you know
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why viewing the park's two main driving loops
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is somewhat flawed, and share with you the smelliest
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geyser basins. I'll also give you the complete
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weather forecast, a cool trail to hike, the wildlife
0:45
report, and everything else you need to have
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an incredible time this week in Yellowstone.
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Standard disclaimer, I'm going to miss a few
0:53
details here and there. That's just the nature
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of how this goes. I also mentioned park locations
0:58
very casually. So if you're unfamiliar with some
1:01
place I'm saying, a quick search can help. And
1:04
please know that this report is me doing my best.
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I have been mentioning to contact me via text.
1:12
I have forgotten to mention email. You can email
1:15
me at theoutdoorsocietyatgmail .com or you can
1:19
text me 406 -589 -1873. Also, please note that
1:25
this podcast is a passion project of mine. If
1:28
you enjoy it, I'd love a review or a quick email.
1:31
If you want to support my work more, you can
1:33
check out my hiking and wildlife watching guidebooks
1:36
or join me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's
1:39
backcountry. For more information on all that,
1:41
you can contact me directly at the email I just
1:43
mentioned or the phone number or you can go to
1:46
outdoor -society .com and that's about all you
1:50
have to do. Alright, let's dive into this week's
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podcast. This week's Yellowstone news, so there's
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a few things to discuss. The first is grizzly
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bear news. I'm going to be getting into this
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a lot more as the year goes on, but I just want
2:04
to give a quick update right now and then it
2:06
will make more sense in later weeks when I talk
2:08
about this more. So the debate over delisting
2:11
grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains has intensified
2:14
again, but right now bears have not been removed
2:18
from federal protection under the Endangered
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Species Act. However, on July 14th of this year,
2:24
the U .S. Department of Interior announced a
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revised proposal that would give states and tribes
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greater flexibility to manage conflicts with
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grizzly bears while maintaining the species'
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current threatened status. Interior Secretary
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Doug Burgum described the proposal as a step
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toward returning more wildlife management authority
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to western states, but emphasizes that it does
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not delist grizzlies or immediately change existing
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protections. The proposal follows a January 2025
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decision by the U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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to deny petitions from Montana and Wyoming seeking
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to delist grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone
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and Northern Continental Divide ecosystems. Instead,
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the agency proposed managing grizzlies as a single
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lower 48 state population while retaining federal
3:12
protections and allowing limited additional flexibility
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for responding to conflicts with livestock and
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human safety. A final decision has been delayed.
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The U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service extends its
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deadline for completing rulemaking until December
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2026, meaning that grizzly bears across the northern
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Rockies remain federally listed as threatened
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while the agency reviews public comments and
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evaluates its final approach. Supporters of the
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greater state management argue that grizzly populations
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around Yellowstone and Glacier have recovered
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biologically and should be managed by state wildlife
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agencies. However, conservation organizations
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counter that by saying that continued federal
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protection is necessary to promote long -term
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genetic connectivity between bear populations
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and ensure recovery across a broader portion
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of the species' historic range. Now, obviously
4:01
there's a lot going on here. I wanted to just
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mention it briefly to let everybody know, like,
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hey, there are some big things coming along that
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could really impact what grizzly bear populations
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look like in the region. As of right now, nothing
4:15
has been fully decided. However, it looks like
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the states are going to be able in the future
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to control grizzly bear hunts for the first time
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in many of our lifetimes and a lot of other regulations.
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Now, I bring that up because it's going to look
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very similar potentially to how the wolf hunts
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are done all around the region, which if you
4:39
pay attention, the wolf hunts are not Rooted
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much in science or healthy populations the Montana
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State Fish and Wildlife Pretty sure it was them
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might have been the Forest Service I should have
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written this down But one of these groups just
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admitted that they probably overestimated how
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many wolves there were So the state is actually
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killing too many or allowing hunters to kill
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too many wolves based on what the population
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is This probably will be an issue with the grizzly
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bears of a hunt is allowed to happen. So I'm
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going to keep my thumb on this and talk to everybody
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and get some good information for you in the
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future. Just wanted to mention it now to let
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you know what's going on. Long story short here
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they might allow hunting of grizzly bears which
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were and still are listed as an endangered species.
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Next little bit of news Osprey Falls is going
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to or the trail down to Osprey Falls is going
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to be closed the falls never closes the falls
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is always there. The Osprey Falls Trail will
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be temporarily closed for trail repair from July
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28th to August 4th. July 28th and 29th we'll
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see trail closures between 8 a .m. and 4 p .m.
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and then on July 30th and 31st all day so you're
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just not going to be able to get down there on
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those two days. Then August 1st through 4th once
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again those daily closures from 8 a .m. to 4
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p .m. The Bunsen Peak Road is going to remain
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open, Bunsen Peak is still open, and you can
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do all of that, but you can just not do Osprey
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Falls on those dates. So just wanted to give
6:14
you a heads up on that. That's also on the Backcountry
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Conditions page, which is linked in the show
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notes. I will mention that again later. Finally,
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There was a bit of news that just came out in
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the park where there were some people walking
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out on the flats at Grand Prismatic. Obviously,
6:32
it is terrible behavior to do that. It was filmed.
6:35
Hopefully they were reported. Hopefully they'll
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get caught and fined and maybe banned from the
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park. Sadly, this isn't something unique. I'm
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seeing a lot of posts online about how, like,
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I can't believe someone did this. People do this
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pretty much every year. In 2016, in May, there
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are these guys from Canada that were like early
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influencer bro brand high on life. They broke
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rules across many national parks all over, including
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just stepping off the boardwalk and walking to
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the edge of Grand Prismatic. They were caught.
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They received a multi -year ban from national
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parks. I think they went to jail for a few days.
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And, you know, there were punishments. So hopefully
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these two people that did this receive the same
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punishments. There is no excuse for this. But,
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as I mentioned at the intro of this episode,
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there's a few bad apples here. There, I mean,
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and you know, bad apples can rot everything,
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so that might not be a good analogy here. There's
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a few people who are misbehaving in the park.
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That is going to happen. We will never have perfect
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behavior in the park, and to think that we can
7:36
is just not realistic. However, those very few
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people in the park are not even close to 1 %
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of visitors. We're looking at like 99 .99 % of
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all visitors to the park are following rules
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and doing a very good job. Obviously, like I
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say before, if you see something, say something,
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right? Take pictures of the people doing it.
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If you can take pictures of the car with a license
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plate and turn in those pictures to a ranger
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or talk to a ranger and say, how do I report
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these people? Hopefully you can then help and
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keep people more in check about their decisions
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that are terrible. But please remember when you
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see things like this online, the overwhelming
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majority of visitors are doing such an amazing
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job in the park of following rules and all of
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that. Oh and for anybody that listened to all
8:26
of last week's episode and I asked like hey,
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do you want a kind of bison attack? Standalone
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episode and talk about some of these other issues
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going on in the park. I hear you I'm going to
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record it I just had a very busy week and wasn't
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able to do it so expect that in the next week
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or so I'm gonna hope hopefully be able to get
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to that this weekend, but you know things happen
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and it's summer and the weather's beautiful and
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I wouldn't be outside too and not just recording
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but I will get that out there and I promise I'll
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keep announcing it and if you don't hear from
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me about that hold me accountable I will get
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that done very soon also those of you that have
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texted and emailed I've tried to respond to all
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of you there's a few of you I haven't got back
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to yet if I don't I sincerely apologize also
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those of you that have told me just about your
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trips I love hearing that if you've been to Yellowstone
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and you want to share an experience with me just
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text me just email me Happy to hear it. I love
9:20
reading those. My experience of the week. Hayden
9:23
versus Lamar. One of my favorite questions to
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ask visitors is whether they prefer Hayden Valley
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or Lamar Valley. Few Yellowstone debates spark
9:33
stronger opinions. Almost everyone has a favorite,
9:36
even though there is no right answer. There's
9:39
also no wrong answer. Each valley offers something
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that the other cannot, and the best choice for
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you depends entirely on the kind of Yellowstone
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experience you're hoping to have. If wildlife
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is priority, both valleys deliver, just in different
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ways. Hayden Valley, between Canyon and Fishing
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Bridge, comes alive in mid -July as the bison
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ruck gets underway. Massive herds gather across
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the valley floor right where the road goes, while
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mature bulls bellow, wallow, spar, and compete
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for breeding opportunities. Elk can sometimes
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be seen here, coyotes will be out hunting, and
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both grizzly and black bears still make occasional
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appearances. They might be out in the distance.
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They might be close. But generally, you're going
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to see bears and things like that in the early
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morning hours and late in the evening. Hayden
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also features a highly visible wolf pack during
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the past few summers. So that's an exciting place
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to spend time if you want to see some wolves
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right now. I think they've had some pups this
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year, so there's even more opportunities to see
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them hunting. And they've really been putting
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on a good show for people to see. I mean, it's
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not really a show, right? We just use that word.
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They've just been really visible out there off
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and on like a week at a time and then gone for
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a couple weeks and then back for a week. So they're
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doing a good job being visible. Now Lamar Valley
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is a whole different wildlife story. It's known
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as America's Serengeti or as I like to refer
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to it, America's Lamar Valley. Lamar is famous
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for incredible variety of mammals. Bison, pronghorn,
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deer, elk, big horn sheep, coyotes, and even
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badgers are seen pretty regularly around here,
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if you count Little America as Lamar Valley.
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Lamar is also still considered Yellowstone's
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premier wolf watching destination. And while
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wolves are easier to spot here in the winter,
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if you're here in the summer, patient visitors
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with spotting scopes still have opportunities
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to watch the packs traveling around the valley
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up on ridges or going around their summer rendezvous
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sites by Slough Creek. If your dream is watching
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predators across a distant hillside, Lamar is
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hard to beat. You're down low looking up and
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in Hayden, you're sometimes up looking a little
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bit down. Guess Lamar has similar things. So
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that's you know, not quite the same but Lamar
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and Hayden are very different Now a lot of people
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are gonna say bison rut is the best in Hayden
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Valley But Lamar has been very impressive the
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last few years a couple of days ago There are
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over a thousand bison visible in the valley and
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many of them were participating rut behaviors
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I just heard yesterday that some are really starting
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to fight. So bison rut right now It's honestly
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neck -and -neck Now the scenery offers another
12:15
contrast. Hayden Valley feels like a classic
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Yellowstone view, right? You have your Yellowstone
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River winding through these wetlands. There's
12:24
forests and meadows. There's distant mountain
12:26
ranges framing the landscape. Steam from nearby
12:29
thermal features will be visible, reminding visitors
12:32
that, you know, you're in one of the world's
12:34
largest volcanic systems. At sunrise, the mist
12:38
sometimes covers the river or fog fills the entire
12:42
valley and it creates incredible opportunities
12:44
for landscape photography and sometimes some
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really cool wildlife photography as well. Lamar
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Valley feels bigger and wider. Sweeping grasslands
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stretch beneath rugged mountains with the Lamar
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River winding through the valley below. Colorful
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sagebrush benches and endless mountain backdrops
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explain why so many wildlife documentaries and
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Wildlife photography has happened here Even on
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quieter wildlife days the scenery alone in Lamar
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for me is worth it now Hayden Valley again Hayden
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Valley is also gorgeous But there is a different
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feel in a different aura to each of these so
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each one you go to will feel different The surrounding
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attractions are kind of what sets the valley
13:25
apart Hayden sits in the heart of Yellowstone's
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busiest sightseeing corridor. Within minutes
13:30
you can reach the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone,
13:33
Artist Point, Lookout Point, Upper and Lower
13:35
Falls, or swing down to Mud Volcano and see Dragon's
13:38
Mouth Spring, or go a little further and see
13:41
Yellowstone Lake. It's very easy to combine wildlife
13:45
viewing with many of the park's iconic destinations.
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Lamar rewards those willing to venture further
13:50
from the crowds. You have Tower Fall nearby along
13:54
with the Lamar Buffalo Ranch that you can kind
13:56
of glance at and look and see some history. But
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then you're just also close to that Northeast
14:01
entrance and Cook City and then the Beartooth
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Highway and the Chief Joseph Memorial Highway
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and just some very rugged remote landscapes.
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And that's what makes Lamar an exciting starting
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point for exploring Yellowstone's Northeast Corridor.
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Crowds are another consideration. Hayden's central
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location makes it one of the park's busiest wildlife
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viewing areas, and traffic jams are common when
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bears or wolves appear near the road. And during
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the bison rut, it's definitely a place to have
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way more of a traffic jam. Sometimes it can take
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you 30 -45 minutes just to go a couple miles
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with all the bison next to the road. Lamar certainly
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gets busy too. but it seems like the pullouts
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are larger and the more remote setting often
14:42
makes it feel less congested once you move beyond
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the main viewing areas. Timing matters in both
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valleys. Wildlife is most active during the first
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few hours after sunrise and again before sunset.
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Midday can still produce memorable sightings,
14:57
especially during the bison rut, but the cooler
14:59
temps are really going to bring out that activity.
15:03
Early mornings I love in both of these places
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because it's softer light for pictures less cars
15:08
and the sense of solitude But it's just beautiful
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like I think catching a sunrise in the park is
15:13
very underrated and I used to not be a morning
15:17
person now because of my dog. I'm a morning person
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He gets me up at like 5 a .m. Every day and while
15:22
it's less than ideal than waking up at 4 and
15:25
getting in the park at 6 Really isn't that hard?
15:28
So I've been doing that a lot more and honestly
15:31
mornings Mornings are where it's at. Cooler temps,
15:35
less bugs, less people, wildlife is active. There's
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something about just driving through either of
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these valleys and watching a bear just roam next
15:43
to the road with nobody else around. And it's
15:45
just it's awesome and tranquil. So which valley
15:51
wins right now? If you want the excitement of
15:53
the Bison Rat, Yellowstone's famous waterfalls
15:56
and easy to access thermal features, Hayden Valley
15:59
is where you go. If you'd rather search for wolves,
16:02
soak in expansive mountain scenery, and combine
16:04
your visit with Tower, Cook City, and the Beartooth
16:07
Highway, Lamar might be your favorite. The real
16:10
answer, though, is not choosing one over the
16:13
other. And that's why I like asking that question,
16:15
just so I can get to this point. Give each valley
16:19
a day on its own. Because together, Hayden and
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Lamar showcase two very different sides of Yellowstone,
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and experiencing both is one of the best ways
16:29
to appreciate what makes the park so extraordinary.
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My tip of the week. The problem with only planning
16:36
your trip around the loop drives. So if you've
16:39
started planning a Yellowstone vacation, you've
16:41
almost certainly come across the same advice.
16:44
Spend a day driving the lower loop and another
16:46
driving the upper loop. It sounds like a simple
16:49
foolproof plan. Since Yellowstone's roads kind
16:52
of form a figure eight, dividing the park into
16:55
two loops seems like the easiest way to see everything.
16:59
There's absolutely nothing wrong with this advice
17:01
for the most part, especially if you're visiting
17:03
for the first time or only have a couple of days.
17:06
This is a great starting point. The problem is
17:09
that a lot of visitors stop there thinking Yellowstone
17:11
is two loops instead of collection of remarkable
17:14
landscapes connected by one road system. This
17:18
small shift in perspective can completely change
17:21
your trip. I talk about this a lot, but one of
17:23
the biggest surprises for first -time visitors
17:25
is just how enormous Yellowstone really is. It's
17:29
2 .2 million acres and that's 3 ,500 square miles.
17:36
You're gonna read a lot of things that will say,
17:38
it's the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.
17:41
I live here, I don't know what that means. That
17:44
is the absolute worst thing to say. It's the
17:47
size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined. Rhode
17:49
Island is the smallest state. I don't know what
17:52
this means. As somebody who is West Coast born
17:54
and raised, this is not a relatable thing. So
17:57
instead of making this even less relatable, it's
18:00
about the same size as Puerto Rico. I mean, again,
18:04
it's hard to describe how big this is. Once you're
18:07
in the park, the distance becomes obvious. A
18:10
drive that looks short on a map can take hours
18:12
thanks to the winding roads, wildlife delays,
18:15
construction, and all those places you're going
18:17
to pass by that you want to stop. A drive that
18:19
looks like it'll be 2 hours at 35 or 45 miles
18:22
an hour can easily become 4 hours once you stop
18:25
for bison, a grizzly, a viewpoint, a short hike,
18:30
grab a snack, stop at a pit toilet to use it,
18:32
you know all of these things start adding up
18:34
in your time. So planning your day around completing
18:36
an entire loop often means spending more time
18:39
driving than experiencing the park. Now, driving
18:42
around the park, again, nothing wrong with that.
18:44
The first 10 years I came to the park, we only
18:47
really drove around. Didn't really hike. We did
18:49
the boardwalks and that was it. We just drove
18:51
and looked for animals. Nothing wrong with that.
18:54
I did that for a decade. Sometimes that's all
18:56
I do in the park when I come in. But if you want
18:59
more from the park, you're going to have to do
19:01
more than just drive. Now the real issue is that
19:05
Yellowstone isn't organized around its roads.
19:08
It kind of is, but... It's actually organized
19:11
around ecosystems, watersheds, geothermal basins,
19:14
mountain ranges, wildlife habitat, and historic
19:17
districts. The Grand Loop Road simply connects
19:19
these things. When your goal becomes finishing
19:22
a loop, it's easy to spend more time commuting
19:25
between destinations than enjoying them, right?
19:28
I talk about this a lot where I say one thing
19:31
not to do when you visit the park is make everything
19:32
a checklist. Obviously have a checklist, have
19:35
things you want to see, but make sure you're
19:38
enjoying those distances in between. Let's take
19:41
the upper loop as an example of this. If you
19:44
start in Mammoth, then you're going to drive
19:46
out, you're going to go to Roosevelt Junction,
19:50
and then you're probably going to go to Calcite
19:51
Springs or Tower Falls, and then drive over the
19:54
pass and hit Canyon, and then from Canyon you
19:57
drive to Norris, and then from Norris you drive
19:59
back up Swan Lake Flats to get back to Mammoth.
20:02
That's the upper loop. And if you view it that
20:05
way, then you say, okay, I'm going to go to Mammoth,
20:07
I'm gonna go to Tower, I'm gonna go to Canyon,
20:10
I'm gonna go to Norris, and then I'm gonna go
20:12
back to Mammoth. And that's a good day. But there's
20:15
so much more to miss. I didn't mention Lamar
20:17
Valley. Lamar Valley is a quote unquote side
20:20
road from this upper loop. A lot of people who
20:25
do the upper loop and lower loop when they view
20:27
it that way actually skip Lamar Valley because
20:30
they're going through Hayden. So why bother with
20:32
Lamar? And as I just said, You need to see both
20:34
of those. Lamar Valley is awesome and people
20:37
should do that. A lot of people drive the Southern
20:39
Loop. They're going to go in from West Yellowstone,
20:41
hit Madison, then they're going to drive down
20:43
to Old Faithful, go over the Continental Levisde
20:46
a couple times, get to West Thumb, drive to Fishing
20:49
Bridge, go up to Hayden and Canyon, Canyon to
20:51
Norris, then Norris back down to Madison and
20:53
back out to West. That skips over going beyond
20:57
that quick Fishing Bridge intersection. You would
21:01
go towards Sylvan Pass if you take that road.
21:04
That's where a lot of grizzly bears are at You're
21:05
also gonna have Yellowstone Lake along that way
21:08
and there's a beach you can hang out at there's
21:10
overlooks There's so much to see out there. So
21:13
if you keep planning by these loops, you might
21:15
miss some of these things Obviously time management
21:19
is an issue when you visit the park. It is huge
21:21
So trying to see it all is impossible even if
21:25
you're here all the time. I Live near the park,
21:29
I'm there all the time, even when I'm not working
21:31
in the park, and I still haven't seen everything.
21:34
And if I have seen a lot of things, I haven't
21:36
seen certain things during a thunderstorm or
21:39
early morning light or sunset. So there's always
21:43
different experiences to have. And if you just
21:45
say that you're going to drive the upper and
21:47
drive the lower, you might be missing these things.
21:50
So all I want to say here is instead of planning
21:54
by loops, consider planning by regions. Give
21:57
Hayden Valley the sunrise it deserves before
22:00
heading down to Mud Volcano and then up to the
22:02
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. If you can, dedicate
22:04
another day to the Geyser Basins. Go to each
22:07
of the Geyser Basins, not just checking off Old
22:09
Faithful and Grand Prismatic. Both are beautiful,
22:12
but there's more than just those two. Those are
22:14
just the popular ones right now. Popularity ebbs
22:18
and flows just like everything else. And you
22:21
might say, I love Old Faithful, but you know
22:23
what's really great? Daisy Geyser. or Grand Prismatic
22:26
is great but I really love going down to West
22:30
Thumb and seeing those deep pools next to the
22:32
lake. Take some time and just break it into areas.
22:37
Spend a day at Yellowstone Lake and Fishing Bridge
22:39
in the east entrance. Take some time and be at
22:42
Norris and then Mammoth and then the Golden Gate
22:44
area and then drive to Lamar that evening. You'll
22:49
spend less time rushing between destinations
22:51
by just viewing your park visit as locations
22:55
instead of loop drives. Planning by region also
22:58
makes Yellowstone's unpredictability much less
23:01
stressful. Wildlife as we know doesn't follow
23:03
an itinerary, neither do afternoon thunderstorms,
23:06
road construction, or the bison jam that lasts
23:08
45 minutes because a herd decides the pavement
23:11
is a perfect place just to hang out. When your
23:15
day focuses on one part of the park instead of
23:17
completing a loop, Those surprises stop feeling
23:20
like delays and become some of the best memories
23:23
of your trip. It also helps you appreciate that
23:26
Yellowstone's attractions aren't isolated destinations.
23:29
Taking your time in all of the geyser basins
23:32
tell the story of Yellowstone's volcano. Hayden
23:35
Valley reveals the importance of rivers, wetlands,
23:37
and wildlife. Yellowstone Lake showcases the
23:40
immense caldera area as well as just the beauty
23:43
of a giant high elevation lake. In Lamar Valley
23:47
It's one of the world's most intact, temperate,
23:50
wildlife -watching areas you're gonna find. Spending
23:54
meaningful time in each region helps those stories
23:56
come together. Grand Loop Road is one of America's
23:59
great scenic drives, and there's nothing wrong
24:01
with using it as a guide. Just don't let it become
24:04
your destination. Plan your experiences instead
24:07
of roads, and Yellowstone becomes much more than
24:10
a giant driving tour. One of those things you're
24:12
going to experience if you take your time is
24:15
my random Yellowstone fact of the week. The smelliest
24:18
thermal areas. One of the first things many visitors
24:21
notice when they step onto a Yellowstone boardwalk
24:23
isn't necessarily the scenery. It's the smell.
24:27
That unmistakable rotten egg odor that drifts
24:29
through parts of the park, sometimes faintly
24:32
and sometimes strong enough to make people hold
24:34
their noses, gag, maybe overreact, maybe underreact.
24:38
While it may not be the fragrance most people
24:41
hope to remember from the vacation, it's a sign
24:43
that Yellowstone's volcanic heart is hard at
24:45
work beneath your feet. Now very quickly, I love
24:49
the smell of Yellowstone. It is my favorite.
24:52
The smelliest thermal areas are my favorite places
24:55
to go. It amuses me. It makes me happy. And when
24:58
I smell rotten eggs and sulfur and things like
25:00
that, if I'm not in the park, the first thing
25:02
I think of is Yellowstone. When I was a kid,
25:05
I came to the park, smelled that, and for Here
25:09
until I die that is the connection when I smell
25:12
that and it's one of my I don't want to say favorite
25:15
smells one of the most distinct smells that I
25:18
don't hate Now the smell comes primarily from
25:21
hydrogen sulfide a naturally occurring volcanic
25:24
gas released by many of Yellowstone's hydrothermal
25:26
features as the gas rises from deep underground
25:30
Specialized microorganisms use it as an energy
25:33
source in acidic thermal areas They convert hydrogen
25:37
sulfide into sulfuric acid, which breaks down
25:39
surrounding rock into clay and creates Yellowstone's
25:42
bubbling mudpots. Hydrogen sulfide produces the
25:45
familiar rotten egg smell, while sulfuric acid
25:48
helps shape many of the park's colorful, ever
25:51
-changing thermal features. If one place consistently
25:55
earns the title of Yellowstone's Smelliest Front
25:57
Country destination, it's the mud volcano area
26:00
between Hayden and Yellowstone Lake. The National
26:03
Park Service describes this area as home to some
26:06
of the park's most acidic hydrothermal features.
26:09
Boiling mud pots, steaming vents, acidic pools
26:11
are constantly releasing sulfur -rich gases into
26:14
the air. The bubbling mud volcano is fascinating
26:17
to watch, while nearby Dragon's Mouth spring
26:19
roars like distant thunder as steam rushes through
26:22
an underground chamber. The combination of sound,
26:25
steam, and sulfur makes this one of Yellowstone's
26:28
most memorable stops. One of the areas that really
26:31
is good is the sulfur cauldron. Despite its name,
26:35
it's an intensely acidic hot spring rather than
26:38
a mud pot. With a pH between about one and two,
26:43
supposedly, this is what I read, its water arrivals
26:45
battery acid. Constant releases of hydrogen sulfide
26:49
give it one of the strongest sulfur odors in
26:51
the front country of the park, especially when
26:53
the wind shifts toward the boardwalk. Norris
26:56
Geyser Basin is another hot spot for these smells.
26:59
Yellowstone's hottest and most dynamic thermal
27:01
basin is filled with fumaroles, acidic pools,
27:03
steaming ground, and constantly changing hydrothermal
27:06
activity. Fumaroles or steam vents release volcanic
27:10
gases directly into the air, often creating really
27:13
strong odors. Walking through Norris on a cool
27:16
morning surrounded by thick clouds of steam can
27:18
feel like visiting another planet. Some of Yellowstone's
27:22
smelliest thermal areas require leaving the roadside
27:25
behind. My personal favorite is washburn hot
27:29
springs, and it's an excellent example of just
27:32
how much things can stink. With steaming vents,
27:36
bubbling mud pots, eye -burning acidic pools,
27:41
and fumaroles spread across a forested hillside,
27:44
this area is so strong smelling at times. With
27:48
few visitors and little breeze beneath the trees,
27:51
the smell of hydrogen sulfide can linger for
27:53
long distances. I've smelled it from nearly half
27:56
a mile away, and once at the springs, my eyes
28:00
were burning from just the smell, and members
28:04
of my hiking group that I was leading were gagging
28:07
from the odor. Great memorable day. Loved every
28:10
minute of it. I don't think they did, but you
28:12
know, I love that smell. Shoshone Geyser Basin
28:15
is another one of these places. It's one of the
28:17
world's largest backcountry geyser basins. It's
28:20
another soul -fulfilled landscape where dozens
28:22
of hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles constantly
28:25
release volcanic gases. Heart Lake Geyser Basin
28:28
offers a similar experience with hundreds of
28:30
thermal features, and both destinations require
28:33
considerably more effort than Yellowstone's roadside
28:36
attractions. But if you're a hiker, and you want
28:39
to be rewarded with some solitude, spectacular
28:41
geothermal scenery, and an up -close look at
28:44
volcanic forces still shaping the park, go here.
28:48
Back along the road, artist paint pots and fountain
28:50
paint pots are also worth visiting. Their colorful
28:53
bubbling mud pots owe their appearance and odor
28:55
to the acidic conditions and hydrogen sulfide.
28:59
While they are generally less pungent than mud
29:01
volcano, a shift in the wind or the right conditions
29:03
can bring a really strong wave of sulfur across
29:06
the boardwalk. Visitors are often surprised that
29:09
not every thermal area smells the same. Grand
29:12
Prismatic, Morning Glory, and many of Yellowstone's
29:14
famous blue hot springs produce little noticeable
29:17
odor despite their spectacular appearance. That's
29:20
because they are dominated by hot water rather
29:23
than the acidic sulfur -rich environments that
29:26
create mud pots and fumaroles. The chemistry
29:28
beneath each basin determines not only its colors
29:31
and activity, but how much gas reaches the surface.
29:34
The time of day matters, too. Early mornings
29:37
often seem smellier because of cool, calm air
29:40
being trapped by steam, and the volcanic grasses
29:42
are nearer to the ground. As temperatures rise
29:45
and breezes develop, those gases disperse more
29:48
quickly. Wind direction also plays a major role,
29:51
obviously. A board wreck that smells mild one
29:53
moment can become overwhelmingly smelly just
29:56
seconds later if the wind shifts. The smell of
29:59
sulfur may not be everyone's favorite. But it
30:02
is a reminder that Yellowstone remains one of
30:03
the most active hydrothermal landscapes on Earth.
30:07
More than 10 ,000 hydrothermal features dot the
30:09
park, each revealing another piece of the volcanic
30:12
system hidden beneath the surface. The next time
30:15
that familiar rotten egg smell fills the air,
30:18
remember how unique and special this is, and
30:21
if you don't like it, just keep walking, but
30:23
enjoy the smell for what it is for where you
30:26
are. The weather for the coming week. As always,
30:30
this is the best forecast for the week at the
30:32
time of the recording. The forecast can and probably
30:34
will change numerous times in a week, but this
30:37
should be good framework to plan by. Lamar Valley.
30:41
On Thursday, highest 78, low of 51, 24 % chance
30:45
of some rain. Friday, 85 and 52, 23 % chance
30:49
of rain. Saturday, 82 and 52. 51 % chance of
30:54
about a tenth of an inch of rain, probably will
30:56
be more than that. Sunday, 84 and 52, 24 % chance
31:00
of rain. Monday, 83 and 50, 17 % chance. Tuesday,
31:05
85 and 49, 16 % chance. And Wednesday, 84 and
31:10
49, 15 % chance. Gardner, Montana, Thursday,
31:15
high 84, low of 55, 24 % chance of rain. Friday
31:19
90 and 56 8 % chance of rain Saturday 88 and
31:24
55 with a 50 % chance of thunderstorms and heavy
31:27
rain Sunday 89 and 55 21 % chance of rain Monday
31:33
88 and 54 18 % chance of rain Tuesday 90 and
31:38
54 12 % chance of rain and Wednesday 88 and 54
31:42
15 % chance of rain West Yellowstone on Thursday
31:47
A high of 80, low of 51, 24 % chance of rain.
31:51
Friday, 86 and 53, with a 7 % chance of rain.
31:55
Saturday, 84 and 53, with a 50 % chance of some
31:59
thunderstorm and heavy rain. Sunday, 85 and 52,
32:03
16 % chance of rain. Monday, 84 and 51, 23 %
32:08
chance of rain. Tuesday, 86 and 50, 12 % chance.
32:12
And Wednesday, 85 and 50, with a 16 % chance.
32:17
Cody Wyoming on Thursday 85 and 66 with a 24
32:22
% chance of rain on Friday 96 and 68 Saturday
32:27
94 and 67 with a 44 % chance of some rain and
32:31
thunderstorms Sunday 95 and 67 with a high chance
32:35
of rain and thunderstorms Monday 91 and 64 with
32:39
a 24 % chance of rain Tuesday 92 and 64 with
32:43
a 15 % chance of rain and Wednesday 91 and 63
32:48
22 % chance of rain and finally cook City, Montana
32:51
on Thursday 74 and 52 got a 50 % chance of thunderstorms
32:56
and rain Friday 81 and 55 24 % chance of some
33:01
rain Saturday 79 and 54 53 % chance of some pretty
33:06
good thunderstorms and heavy rain Sunday 81 and
33:09
54 with a 35 % chance of thunderstorms and rain
33:13
Monday 80 and 53 with a 24 % chance of rain.
33:18
Tuesday 82 and 52, 18 % chance. And Wednesday,
33:22
81 and 51, 18 % chance of rain. Road conditions.
33:27
No main park roads are closed right now. There's
33:30
gonna be some construction spots here and there,
33:33
but delays are gonna be minimal. And while unlikely,
33:36
be aware that roads can close at any time due
33:38
to inclement weather. If those thunderstorms
33:40
are too severe, they might cause a little bit
33:41
of a landslide here and there, but I doubt it.
33:43
Maybe a couple rocks will come down, so watch
33:45
out for those. If you want up -to -date information
33:48
about the road conditions, you can call 307 -344
33:52
-2117 for recorded information, or you can sign
33:56
up to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your
33:58
cell phone by texting the number 82190 to the
34:02
number 8884. 777 Camping information every campground
34:09
that's gonna be open this year is currently open
34:11
So if you're camping enjoy might be some rain
34:14
storms But you know if you're camping you're
34:16
used to the rain also tent camping has really
34:19
decreased in popularity So most of the people
34:22
I know that are camping right now are in like
34:24
a camper van or an RV And if you're complaining
34:27
about the rain and that like you have no idea
34:29
I grew up camping and tent and sometimes like
34:32
you'd come in sideways because of the wind and
34:35
you can't really put a tarp over that. And this
34:37
was back in the day before they had really good
34:39
rain flies on tents or at least in the level
34:42
of tent that my family could afford or had. So
34:45
we would just get soaked. I remember one morning
34:48
we woke up and it had poured and the tent didn't
34:51
actually get wet. We just ended up putting the
34:55
tent where there was a major drainage and my
34:57
sister's sleeping bag was floating a little bit
35:00
because there was so much water in the tent.
35:01
So Enjoy that if you're camping and there's a
35:04
heavy thunderstorm that causes some flooding.
35:07
The wildlife watching update. So right now the
35:11
wildlife watching is pretty consistent. Your
35:13
best bets are going to be in three main areas
35:16
and then everything else is kind of just hit
35:19
and miss. So your first area... Northern Range
35:22
to Lamar Valley, you're gonna see some bears
35:25
probably around Floating Island Lake, Blacktail
35:28
Plateau, especially black bears. There might
35:30
be a moose nearby, but I haven't heard any sightings
35:33
about that moose by Floating Island Lake in a
35:35
while. Also, as you get closer to Tower, there
35:39
might be some bison, there might be some more
35:41
black bears. As you get out to Lamar, Little
35:45
America has been pretty good with pronghorn babies,
35:48
there's been some cool birds out there, there's
35:50
been some bears, and it's good. But your main
35:55
action right now, as of yesterday, is really
35:58
in Lamar proper. Lamar proper has had grizzly
36:01
bears off on ridgelines, the Junction Butte Pack
36:04
has been decently sighted here and there, so
36:08
early mornings again, there's tons of bison out
36:10
there too, like hundreds if not over a thousand
36:13
bison out there. As I mentioned earlier, they've
36:16
been fighting each other a bit more. You're going
36:18
to watch them roll in the distance and huge dust
36:20
clouds are there. You're going to hear them bellowing.
36:22
It's going to be awesome. Let's back up a little
36:25
bit. I did just realize I skipped one place.
36:28
As you get to the Forces of Nature trailhead
36:30
just beyond Mammoth and Blacktail Ponds, there
36:35
are some wolves people have been spotted miles
36:37
out from there. So if you want to stop there,
36:39
that's great. Obviously, seeing wolves is awesome.
36:41
Just know they're going to be very far away.
36:44
Second place that really can't go wrong Hayden
36:47
Valley right now. There have been some wolf sightings
36:50
here and there There's been a lot of bison out
36:52
there as well been some good grizzly sightings
36:55
I did hear somebody say they saw an otter up
36:59
near Allam Creek. So that's a LUM and You know,
37:04
you may see it. Maybe not otters are very hard
37:07
to spot Then I would also head out towards that
37:11
East entrance road where there could be some
37:13
grizzlies If you want a different experience
37:16
head up Beartooth Plateau lots of marmots and
37:19
wildflowers mountain goats are up there with
37:21
some babies and Then you might see a couple grizzlies
37:25
couple black bears It's just a good place to
37:27
kind of drive up to drive up to the top of Beartooth
37:30
and back and then head back through Lamar good
37:32
day Elsewhere in the park. You're just gonna
37:35
see what you're gonna see marmots are out where
37:37
the marmots are Sheep Eater cliffs up Yellowstone
37:39
River overlook trail places like that Pika's
37:44
are near the hell roaring area. I've heard them
37:47
there recently so otherwise if you want to know
37:51
where to see other animals in the park I highly
37:54
consider that you pick up my wildlife watching
37:57
guidebook to the region. It's available with
37:59
ebook and paperback formats. And I wrote it because
38:02
I want to take some of the guesswork out. I spent
38:05
a lot of years driving around the park looking
38:07
and hoping to see things and was always unsure
38:10
of where things were. And then once you kind
38:12
of know the rhythm and routine, it really helps.
38:14
You have a better chance of seeing animals. Obviously,
38:17
animals are predictable, but. they do have routines
38:21
and they do have seasonal predictability of certain
38:23
regions so that's what that book is all about
38:26
i also have a hiking book but you know i'm talking
38:29
about wildlife right now if you are still needing
38:32
some advice people have been taking me up on
38:34
this and i appreciate it and i try and get back
38:36
as fast as i can but reach out to me via text
38:39
or email and i will happily do my best to give
38:42
you timely responses on where you can see things
38:45
because i want to to make sure that you have
38:48
the best possible time in the park. Trail alerts
38:51
and updates. So before I tell you what I've been
38:55
telling you every week that the backcountry conditions
38:57
page is updated, there is a flood warning because
39:01
of these heavy thunderstorms. If you are doing
39:04
a hike where you're going to have to ford a creek
39:06
or a river, really check that weather forecast
39:09
that day and know what the creek is going to
39:12
be. The Backcountry Conditions page isn't updated
39:15
for creek crossings right now, and that's why
39:17
I want to mention that. It says, oh, you can
39:19
easily get across the Lamar River. A couple days
39:21
ago, Lamar River was waist deep and flowing super
39:24
fast, and it was super muddy and really unsafe.
39:28
So you're going to have to check these rivers
39:30
before you get there. and also talk to a backcountry
39:33
ranger, there's one in Mammoth, there's one in
39:35
Old Faithful, one in Canyon, and make sure that
39:38
conditions are good before you head out. And
39:41
these change every day, so if there's a heavy
39:43
rainstorm that night, before you hike, water
39:46
still may be high. Other than that, most of the
39:49
trails are updated with the Backcountry Conditions
39:51
page, so link in the show notes there. And, as
39:55
always, Carry your bear spray, have it readily
39:58
accessible, not in a backpack, know how to use
40:00
it, and know that wildlife will all run faster
40:03
than you can, so stay very far away. That brings
40:07
me to my Trek of the Week, the north and south
40:10
rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. There
40:13
are countless incredible hikes in Yellowstone
40:15
National Park, from high summits to remote geyser
40:18
basins, but there's one that captures nearly
40:21
everything that makes Yellowstone special. It's
40:24
combining the South Rim and North Rim trails
40:26
around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. In
40:28
a single outing, you're going to stand beside
40:30
two of the park's most famous waterfalls, see
40:32
another one that very few people know exists,
40:35
you're going to walk through fragrant lodgepole
40:36
pines, you're going to follow the Yellowstone
40:38
River and just see all of the cool geology, you're
40:42
going to cross a historic bridge, and then you're
40:44
going to enjoy some of the finest overlooks in
40:47
the national park system. Overall, this hike
40:50
covers about 10 miles and has roughly 1300 feet
40:53
of elevation gain. Most of this comes from the
40:57
two steep descents, the Brink of the Lower Falls
40:59
and Red Rock Point. The rest follows relatively
41:03
gentle terrain along the canyon rim. I mean,
41:05
there are some steep -ish areas, but they don't
41:08
last that long. And by doing the whole thing,
41:10
you create a rewarding full -day adventure, or
41:13
half -day adventure depending on your hiking
41:14
speed, that really doesn't feel too repetitive.
41:18
I always start this hike at the brink of the
41:20
upper falls and that's a nice place where the
41:23
Yellowstone River makes one final calm approach
41:26
in a smallish falls compared to the huge canyon,
41:30
the lower falls. And you stand there and you
41:32
get a good sense of the river and you just take
41:35
it all in and it's nice and relaxing. And then
41:39
head upstream. What you'll do is you'll walk
41:42
along an old road, you'll cross a little bridge
41:45
and then you'll hop on the trail on the South
41:46
Rim Trail. which is one of the park's most underrated
41:49
hikes. While many visitors stop at only the overlooks,
41:53
the trail between these overlooks reveals a quieter
41:56
side of the canyon. It winds through mature lodgepole
41:59
pine forests before repeatedly emerging into
42:02
amazing viewpoints of the Yellowstone River.
42:05
As you hike, the scenery constantly changes.
42:08
Some overlooks reveal sweeping views downstream,
42:11
others highlight the canyon's brilliant yellow,
42:14
orange, pink, and red walls. These colors were
42:16
created when hot, acidic water chemically altered
42:19
the canyon's volcanic rhyolite over thousands
42:22
of years, and this is why it's produced one of
42:25
North America's most distinctive landscapes.
42:28
Eventually you're going to reach Artist Point,
42:30
perhaps the most iconic overlook. The 308 foot
42:34
lower falls plunges into the colorful canyon
42:37
way in the distance, and this was made famous
42:39
by Thomas Moran's paintings and William Henry
42:41
Jackson's pictures. are what helped convince
42:45
Congress to establish Yellowstone as the world's
42:47
first national park. As you stand here, it's
42:50
easy to understand why these pictures made such
42:53
a big difference in convincing Congress to protect
42:56
these lands. After soaking in the view, you're
42:59
going to retrace your steps along the South Rim
43:01
Trail. The return hike, while it may sound repetitive,
43:05
actually offers a different perspective and the
43:07
changing light reveals details you may have missed
43:10
on the way out. Once again, you're gonna cross
43:12
the bridge you're gonna walk along the old closed
43:15
road back to the brink of the lower falls or
43:17
the upper falls and Then you're going to maybe
43:21
stop at your car and get another snack. There's
43:23
a restroom there There's just a nice kind of
43:26
break I'd like to just have a snack or a lunch
43:28
and then start hiking the North Rim Trail again
43:31
This first stretch of the North Rim Trail makes
43:34
you feel like you're just disappearing into nature
43:36
right away very few people hike from the Brink
43:40
of the Upper Falls to the Lower Falls and it's
43:42
fantastic and I love doing it. There's a hidden
43:44
waterfall out there. I'm not going to tell you
43:46
anything more. I just want you to see it and
43:48
that's a place where you really need to just
43:52
sit and enjoy because not a lot of people see
43:54
this because most people drive point to point
43:56
and it's not visible by any road. Once you pass
44:00
this other falls, you're going to get to the
44:01
brink of the Lower Falls. Go down there. It's
44:05
a series series of steep switchbacks that leads
44:08
to Probably one of the best waterfall overlooks
44:11
in the country. You're going to stand at the
44:13
very top of the waterfall and just enjoy the
44:16
Yellowstone River as it explodes into the empty
44:19
cavern beneath your feet. A lot of people will
44:22
go down there, spend 30 seconds and then leave,
44:26
spend five minutes. If you're hiking all this
44:28
way, take some time, really enjoy it. Then when
44:31
you've had enough, climb out of there. That's
44:33
going to be the probably the hardest part of
44:35
the hike all day. and then you're going to be
44:37
back on the North Rim Trail, head down to Lookout
44:39
Point, and then make sure from Lookout Point
44:44
that you go to Red Rock Point. Red Rock Point
44:47
is a short and slightly steep descent that leads
44:50
to what I consider one of the best viewpoints
44:52
in the canyon area. You're going to stand nearly
44:55
level with the lower falls, quite a ways away,
44:58
and then you're going to stare into the canyon
45:02
and it's going to be awesome. Few places better
45:04
capture the immense height of the falls and the
45:07
scale of the canyon than standing right in it.
45:10
Yes, there are some trees that kind of block
45:11
the view, but that's nature. Nature is not going
45:15
to always be clear. It's going to be imperfect.
45:17
It's going to need you to stand in just the right
45:20
area to get the best view. But you're going to
45:22
have that sound. You're going to have that sight.
45:24
You're going to have those smells from all around
45:26
you. And it's wonderful. By the time you complete
45:29
both rim trails, You're going to have experienced
45:31
the Grand Canyon Yellowstone the way that very
45:34
few people do. Rather than stopping here and
45:37
there for a very quick picture and jumping back
45:39
in the car, you've watched the Yellowstone River
45:41
transform from a calm mountain stream into one
45:44
of the American West's most powerful waterfalls.
45:49
You've walked through forests, crossed the historic
45:51
bridge, stood beside multiple waterfalls, and
45:53
visited viewpoints that have inspired artists
45:56
photographers, writers, explorers for more than
45:59
150 years. And you've done it on foot and you've
46:03
earned every bit of some sort of awesome snack
46:05
that you're going to drive to Canyon and get.
46:07
I absolutely love doing this hike from the brink
46:10
of the Upper Falls to Artist Point, back to the
46:13
brink, have a snack, go to the brink of the Lower
46:16
Falls, go to Red Rock Point and back. It is going
46:19
to be a day that you're going to remember for
46:20
a long time. Next week! In next week's episode,
46:25
I'm going to return with all the information
46:27
you need to have a good week in the park, including
46:29
the wildlife update, the weather, trail that
46:33
I want you to hike, and this coming week is going
46:35
to be a trail outside of the park, so enjoy that.
46:39
Otherwise, thank you so much for listening. Consider
46:42
picking up a guidebook of mine. Please recommend
46:44
this podcast to anybody you know that's interested
46:46
in the park. Reach out to me if you have any
46:49
questions, The Outdoor Society at gmail .com
46:51
or text me 406 -589 -1873 and know that most
46:56
of the people in the park are following the rules
46:58
and it's only a few bad people that are getting
47:01
way too much publicity. Until next week, again,
47:04
thank you for listening and happy trails. Abrupt
47:18
ending! This week in Yellowstone is brought to
47:20
you by The Outdoor Society. That's my company.
47:23
It's just me. I do this. It's a labor of love.
47:25
If you like it, tell your friends. Rate and review
47:28
it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening
47:31
and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright
47:34
2026, baby!