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

Transcript

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

0:00
From Yellowstone National Park where last week
0:03
the Wappity Pack of Wolves put on a show right
0:06
next to the road, this is that Scott guy you
0:08
know and love with a brand new episode of This
0:11
Week in Yellowstone. What's up everybody, this
0:24
week at Yellowstone National Park from April
0:27
23rd to April 29th, 2026. I'll let you know about
0:31
the return of the Red Dogs, give some advice
0:34
about trying to do all of the open sections of
0:36
the park in a day, share a birthday celebration
0:39
of sorts for an iconic park location, and hope
0:43
to convince you to trek in a geyser basin. I'll
0:46
also give you the complete weather forecast,
0:48
the snowpack update, the wildlife report, and
0:51
everything else you need to have an incredible
0:53
time this week in Yellowstone. Standard disclaimer,
0:58
I may miss a few details here and there, I'm
1:00
not perfect on this. If there's anything you
1:03
need answered, any questions, reach out to me,
1:06
happy to help. I also mention park locations
1:08
very casually, so if you're unfamiliar, a quick
1:12
search online can help, or again, just reach
1:14
out to me. Also, please know that this report
1:17
only covers the drivable areas of the park. Finally
1:21
in this intro, this podcast is a passion project
1:24
of mine. If you enjoy it, I'd love a review or
1:28
a quick email. If you want to support my work,
1:30
check out my hiking and wildlife watching guidebooks,
1:33
or join me for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's
1:36
backcountry. For more information, visit outdoor
1:39
-society .com or contact me directly. Seriously
1:43
though, book a trail tour with me. This week's
1:46
Yellowstone news There's really no news right
1:50
now. Um, it's gonna be an interesting weather
1:53
week So I'll talk about that in the weather report.
1:55
Wildlife watching has been really good. I'm gonna
1:57
talk about that in the wildlife report The only
2:00
thing that really should be mentioned is there's
2:03
some construction projects going on, so pay attention
2:06
to that. You'll hear about those probably in
2:09
the road reports, if I remember, but generally
2:13
you're going to have some construction here and
2:16
there throughout the park. It's just going to
2:18
be that way. Delays aren't going to be long at
2:21
all, so don't worry. Alright, that's it for the
2:24
news. Let's get to something more interesting.
2:27
My experience of the week. The return of red
2:30
dogs. Every spring in Yellowstone National Park,
2:34
there's a moment that people are waiting for.
2:37
It's not tied to a specific road opening or even
2:40
the weather. It's when the first red dogs show
2:43
up, those bright orange -red baby bison that
2:46
seem to glow against the landscape that still
2:48
could look like winter. What catches a lot of
2:51
people off guard, though, is how slowly this
2:54
starts. As of last week, There are only a handful
2:58
of visible newborn bison in the park, but each
3:01
day and every week those numbers are going to
3:03
increase. By late April, you might expect to
3:07
see calves everywhere, but that's usually not
3:10
the case. Bison follow a pretty consistent biological
3:13
timeline. After breeding in mid to late summer,
3:17
cows carry their calves for about nine to nine
3:20
and a half months, which lines up birds with
3:22
spring. Most calves are born in late April and
3:25
May, but that doesn't mean they all arrive at
3:28
once. In fact, the season tends to increase gradually.
3:32
Early on, like right now, it's often just a few
3:35
scattered calves. You might spot one in a place
3:38
like Lamar Valley or Little America, maybe even
3:41
by Norris or the thermal areas, and when you
3:44
see one, it's going to be tucked close to its
3:46
mother while the rest of the herd looks unchanged.
3:49
While many come to the park this time of year
3:51
hoping to see the prairies full of frolicking
3:53
red dogs, late April is really just the front
3:57
edge of the season. These first calves stand
3:59
out in a big way. Their reddish coats, which
4:02
give them the nickname red dogs, are completely
4:04
different from the dark brown coats of adults.
4:07
That color doesn't last long. Within a couple
4:10
of months, by the end of summer usually, they
4:12
start to blend in. But right now, they're impossible
4:16
to miss. Even more impressive, They're up and
4:19
moving within a few hours of being born, sticking
4:22
close to their mothers and keeping pace with
4:24
the herd almost immediately. They also grow fast.
4:29
Really fast. Within the first few months, calves
4:33
can gain a couple of pounds per day, quickly
4:35
building the strength they'll need to handle
4:37
that first winter. By the time fall rolls around,
4:41
they already look much more like small versions
4:44
of adults. Over the next couple of years, they
4:46
continue filling out, with females typically
4:49
reaching maturity around age two to three, and
4:52
males taking a bit longer. In the wild, bison
4:55
and Yellowstone generally live around 12 to 15
4:59
years, which is wild to think about. Like, 12
5:02
to 15 years for a bison to live is incredibly
5:06
long, and some can live longer under the right
5:09
conditions. Now of course, life isn't easy for
5:12
these early calves, or any of the calves. One
5:15
of the biggest risks they face comes from predators,
5:19
especially grizzly bears. Spring is when grizzlies
5:22
are emerging from their dens, often having lost
5:24
significant body weight over the winter, and
5:28
they're actively searching for high -calorie
5:30
food. Newborn bison are vulnerable, particularly
5:33
in these first few days of life. Bears will target
5:37
calves when opportunities arise, especially if
5:39
they can isolate one from the herd. Wolves and
5:42
other predators also pose a threat, but grizzlies
5:44
are a major factor in the early season of calf
5:47
survival. That risk shapes behavior. Mother bison
5:52
are extremely protective, and herds often group
5:55
tightly when calves are present. Like, in the
5:59
summer, late summer, they're all spread out,
6:01
but when these calves are being born, they're
6:04
much more tight. and that's really a protection
6:07
method they will protect their young and you
6:11
know they will kick anything that tries to attack
6:13
them or charge at them there's also another risk
6:17
that these calves are facing and that's just
6:20
the weather in late April which is still very
6:23
unpredictable snowstorms are common night time
6:27
temperatures drop well below freezing and new
6:29
grass is just starting to emerge Calves born
6:33
too early face tougher odds, which is another
6:36
reason most birds are a bit later. As the weeks
6:39
go on, things change quickly. What starts as
6:42
one or two calves turns into dozens. Herds take
6:45
on completely different energy, with young calves
6:47
running, resting, and bunching together while
6:50
their mothers graze. By mid -May, it becomes
6:53
one of the most visible wildlife events in the
6:55
park. But late April has its own feel. It's quieter.
6:59
You might spend a long time scanning before you
7:01
find a single calf. And when you do, it feels
7:04
earned. It's not a crowded roadside scene. It's
7:07
a small fleeting moment. A newborn bison standing
7:10
in a landscape that's still caught between winter
7:13
and spring. That's how calving season really
7:16
begins in Yellowstone. Not all at once, but slowly.
7:19
There's a few red dogs at a time, scattered across
7:22
the valleys, signaling that something bigger
7:25
is just around the corner. My tip of the week.
7:29
Even in April, Yellowstone is bigger than you
7:32
expect. Yellowstone National Park is deceptively
7:36
big. It doesn't always feel that way when you're
7:38
looking at a map or planning a quick trip, but
7:41
once you're inside the park, the scale becomes
7:43
very, very real very quickly. A lot of the first
7:48
time visitors assume they can see everything
7:50
in a day, especially in April when the roads
7:53
aren't fully open. That mindset is one of the
7:56
fastest ways to end up frustrated, rushed, and
8:00
walking away feeling like you missed something.
8:04
Take a common early season route this week. If
8:06
you start in West Yellowstone, drive down to
8:09
Old Faithful, head back up through Madison Junction,
8:13
continue north to Mammoth Hot Springs, then out
8:16
toward Lamar Valley, and then return to West
8:18
Yellowstone, you're looking at roughly 200 miles
8:22
of driving. On paper, that might not sound like
8:26
that much. In Yellowstone, that's about six hours
8:29
of driving with no stops. And that's the key
8:33
part, no stops. Add in even a handful of stops,
8:38
a walk through a geyser basin, or time spent
8:40
watching wildlife, and that six hour drive can
8:43
easily turn into a 10 or 12 hour day. Now this
8:47
original route that I've just mentioned, also
8:49
skips one of the park's biggest highlights, the
8:52
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Adding that
8:55
means heading east from Norris, which tackes
8:58
on at least another hour to an hour and a half,
9:01
and that's still not factoring time walking around
9:05
at the viewpoints or watching the waterfalls.
9:07
So you're adding an hour and hour and a half
9:09
round trip to go to the waterfalls. Now, some
9:13
will also look at mileage on a map and not factor
9:15
in the speed limit in the park. Average travel
9:18
speeds in Yellowstone fluctuate between 25 and
9:21
45 miles an hour. The fastest you can legally
9:25
drive in the park is 45. Now some of you may
9:28
think you can push this to 50 or 55, and honestly
9:32
no, this is wrong on so many levels. Winding
9:36
roads, wildlife on or near the road, and frequent
9:39
stops in slow vehicles will hinder you. Plus,
9:42
This is pretty blunt of me to say, but I feel
9:44
that it's true. Speeding in a national park is
9:47
selfish, idiotic, and dangerous. One of these
9:51
weeks I'm going to talk about exactly why when
9:54
I talk about how many animals die from getting
9:56
hit by cars in the park. It is a lot more than
9:59
you think. Now last week at Madison Junction,
10:02
I ended up talking with a family visiting Yellowstone
10:05
for the first time. They had two days, Friday
10:08
and Saturday. and were taking it easy on their
10:10
first day, planning to see Grand Prismatic Springs
10:13
and some of the mudpots. Their second day, though,
10:16
was ambitious. They wanted to wake up early,
10:18
drive from West to Lamar Valley, come back and
10:21
hike Norris Geyser Basin, and finish the day
10:24
at Old Faithful. They asked me if it was too
10:26
much. My honest answer was this. It's not too
10:30
much. It's just going to be a lot, and it's going
10:33
to take a minimum of six to eight hours. They
10:37
looked at me a little shocked. But I hope they
10:40
did everything and if you only have a day you
10:43
make do and do everything you can in a day Now
10:46
it's hard to accept based on how we all live
10:48
our lives That Yellowstone doesn't run on our
10:51
schedule nor can we control the pace of the park
10:55
But that's what makes it special Yeah, you know
10:59
it makes planning tricky but You know, a quick
11:03
stop at a geyser basin can turn into an hour
11:05
without you realizing it. A wildlife sighting
11:08
can bring traffic to a complete stop and then
11:10
you have a herd of bison walking by, which is
11:13
a bison jam, and those can delay traffic for
11:16
20 minutes or longer, so herds just move down
11:18
the road and everybody stops and takes a picture.
11:21
And if you happen to come across a bear or wolf
11:23
sighting, you're probably not just going to drive
11:26
right past it, right? All of these moments that
11:29
are amazing that you should experience, stack
11:31
up. Yellowstone National Park actually recommends
11:35
planning multiple days to explore Yellowstone
11:37
at a comfortable place, precisely because of
11:41
these variables. Trying to see everything in
11:43
one or two days isn't impossible, but it does
11:46
mean long hours, a lot of time in the car, and
11:49
less time actually experiencing the places you
11:51
came to see. Again, if you only have one or two
11:54
days, awesome. Do it all. Have those long days.
11:58
Be exhausted. It's worth it. If you only have
12:02
a short window, go for it. Drive the miles, see
12:05
as much as you can. Just go into it with realistic
12:08
expectations. Understand that it's going to be
12:11
a long day, that plans may shift, and that you
12:14
may not see everything you want on this first
12:16
trip. That just means you have to come back,
12:19
right? Oh no, you have to come back to Yellowstone.
12:22
Now, if you do only have a day or two, and you
12:26
really are like I need something I need to make
12:30
sure I don't miss the highlights you can find
12:32
a lot of those resources online or like I say
12:34
at the top of this show every week reach out
12:37
to me I am happy to help I am going to be adding
12:41
some park consulting so I can help people plan
12:44
trips. I do currently have my guides and I'm
12:47
going to be phasing those out and instead replacing
12:49
those with these consulting hours. So that way
12:52
I can answer emails, I can do everything you
12:55
need to make sure that no matter how much time,
12:58
be it an afternoon or a week, I can help you
13:01
plan that trip. If you're interested in that,
13:04
before I officially launch it, reach out to me.
13:07
Happy to tell you the details. My random Yellowstone
13:11
fact of the week Roosevelt arch dedication day
13:14
on the 24th of April if You've ever entered Yellowstone
13:18
National Park through the North Gate at Gardiner
13:20
You've probably stopped or passed under one of
13:23
the park's most recognizable landmarks the Roosevelt
13:26
arch It's such a familiar sight that it's easy
13:30
to overlook the story behind it, especially the
13:32
significance of April 24th 1903 on that day Theodore
13:38
Roosevelt happened to be vacationing in the park
13:40
during its construction and was asked to speak
13:43
at the dedication ceremony. The arch was not
13:46
originally intended to honor Roosevelt, but was
13:49
named because the president was there. For him,
13:52
it was a chance to emphasize something he strongly
13:54
believed in, the protection of public lands.
13:57
Yellowstone was already the country's first national
13:59
park, but the idea of conservation was still
14:03
gaining traction. Roosevelt's presence helped
14:06
reinforce that these landscapes were meant to
14:08
be preserved and enjoyed by everyone, not just
14:11
a few. At the time, the north entrance was the
14:15
primary way into the park. The Northern Pacific
14:17
Railroad had reached Gardner in 1883, well, just
14:20
outside of Gardner, bringing visitors directly
14:24
to Yellowstone's doorstep. From there, they would
14:27
continue by stagecoach into the park. As visitation
14:30
increased, there was a push to create a more
14:32
formal entrance, something that reflected the
14:35
importance of the place people were about to
14:37
experience. The result was the Roosevelt Arch.
14:41
To construct the arch, hundreds of tons of native
14:44
columnar basalt were hauled from a quarry in
14:46
the area. The structure stands about 50 feet
14:49
tall and is about 30 feet wide. It cost around
14:53
$10 ,000 to construct, which was a significant
14:56
investment at the time. It was completed in just
14:59
a few months in 1903 after Roosevelt laid the
15:03
cornerstone. The design is simple but powerful
15:05
and the inscription across the top for the benefit
15:08
and enjoyment of the people comes directly from
15:11
the 1872 act that established Yellowstone. A
15:15
fun fact about the arch is that the initial design
15:18
called for two ponds and a waterfall right by
15:22
the arch, but this plan proved impossible due
15:25
to Gardner's dry climate. Now on the arch, on
15:29
the inside of the arch, so if you drive through
15:31
it, it's going to be on the south side, so the
15:34
electric peak side, not the garden or town side.
15:37
There's a cornerstone that has this date etched
15:40
in it. There's a few details here that go unnoticed,
15:44
and that's why I just want you to know where
15:45
it is. So this cornerstone was placed by Roosevelt,
15:48
and it includes a time capsule with documents
15:51
and items from the area. Who knows what's in
15:56
there? I think there is some documentation of
15:58
what's in there, but I didn't feel like looking
16:00
it up and reading it. I could probably spend
16:03
all day talking about the arch, so instead I
16:06
just wanted to give this brief overview. Now,
16:10
the arch itself was built while the park was
16:13
still managed by the U .S. Army. And that was
16:16
before the creation of the National Park Service,
16:18
which was in 1916. There were soldiers stationed
16:21
at nearby Fort Yellowstone and they played a
16:24
major role in overseeing construction and maintaining
16:27
the park during this period. For decades, every
16:30
visitor entering Yellowstone from the north passed
16:33
directly beneath this arch. Whether arriving
16:35
by train, stagecoach, or later automobile, this
16:38
was the official gateway. Even after cars were
16:41
allowed in the park in 1915, the arch has remained
16:44
a central part of that arrival experience. Today
16:47
you don't have to drive under it. but I highly
16:49
recommend that you do. What makes the April 24th
16:54
ceremony so meaningful is how it connects to
16:56
this bigger picture. Roosevelt wasn't just dedicating
17:00
a structure, he was reinforcing a vision. During
17:03
his presidency, he would go on to protect millions
17:06
of acres of land, establish national forests,
17:09
and expand conservation efforts across the country.
17:11
Today, the Roosevelt Lodge still stands much
17:13
as it did over a century ago, in a small town
17:16
that people are stopping by quickly before they
17:20
go into the park. The arch no longer serves as
17:23
the only entrance, but it remains one of the
17:26
park's most iconic features. People stop for
17:28
pictures, walk beneath it, and often pass through
17:31
without realizing they're stepping into a piece
17:33
of history. Every year on April 24th, that history
17:38
is quietly remembered by a handful of park visitors
17:41
and locals. When we sit and remember what a president
17:45
stood for for conservation and what a president
17:49
did to help protect Yellowstone. When Roosevelt
17:52
visited, made a speech, and laid that cornerstone,
17:56
it helped set the foundation, both literally
17:58
and symbolically, for one of Yellowstone's most
18:01
enduring man -made landmarks. Alright, the weather
18:06
for the coming week. It's going to be a weird
18:08
one, so let's jump in with Lamar Valley. On Thursday,
18:12
there's going to be a high of 39, a low of 21,
18:15
and about an inch of snow. On Friday, mostly
18:19
cloudy, high of 32, low of 12, 24 % chance of
18:23
precipitation. Saturday looks pretty good, high
18:26
of 42, low of 22, not much chance of precipitation.
18:31
On Sunday, high of 40, low of 24, an inch of
18:35
snow developing in the afternoon. On Monday,
18:38
high of 42, low of 25, an inch of snow throughout
18:41
the day. On Tuesday, a high of 45, a low of 25,
18:45
and that could be rain or snow. Then Wednesday,
18:49
partly cloudy, high of 49, low of 24. Gardner,
18:54
Montana's weather for the week on Thursday a
18:57
high of 43 a low of 24 65 percent chance of snow
19:01
But currently the forecast is calling for a tenth
19:05
of an inch on Friday partly sunny high of 37
19:09
low of 16 24 percent chance of precipitation
19:13
on Saturday high of 45 low of 24 no real precipitation
19:18
Sunday High of 42, low of 25, 53 % chance of
19:23
at least an inch of snow. On Monday, high of
19:26
46, low of 28, 51 % chance of snow. On Tuesday,
19:32
high of 50, low of 28, 37 % chance of some snow.
19:37
And on Wednesday, high of 53, low of 29, 24 %
19:41
chance of snow. And that brings us to West Yellowstone.
19:46
Now West Yellowstone is going to be a little
19:48
colder than elsewhere and this also will apply
19:50
to temperatures in Old Faithful So on Thursday
19:53
high of 39 low of 18 80 percent chance of some
19:57
snow on Friday 34 and 10 22 percent chance some
20:03
precipitation on Saturday 42 and 19 just partly
20:08
cloudy on Sunday High of 41, low of 20, 60 %
20:13
chance of an inch of snow. On Monday, high of
20:16
42, low of 21, 54 % chance of an inch of snow.
20:20
On Tuesday, 46 and 21, with a 20 % chance of
20:24
some rain or snow. And on Wednesday, high of
20:27
49, low of 22, and an 18 % chance of some rain
20:32
or snow, but should be a pretty nice day. All
20:35
right, Cook City, Montana. On Thursday, High
20:39
of 35, low of 17, 2 inches of snow. Friday, 28
20:45
and 9, 54 % chance of about an inch of snow.
20:49
On Saturday, 37 and 20, 21 % chance of some precipitation
20:54
in the afternoon. Sunday, 37 and 22, with about
20:58
2 inches of snow. Monday, 38 and 24, with about
21:02
an inch of snow. Tuesday 48 and 24 with a 33
21:07
% chance of some snow and Wednesday 45 and 25
21:11
with currently a 40 % chance of some rain So
21:14
if you're heading to the park this week, it's
21:17
gonna be cold It's gonna be wet and it's probably
21:19
gonna snow so be prepared for that Speaking of
21:23
snow the snowpack update. So right now the snowpack
21:27
in the park is it's okay The eastern side is
21:32
at 85 % of normal. The western side is about
21:35
63 % of normal. Now, it obviously could be better.
21:40
I don't think this snowstorm is really going
21:42
to make that big of a difference. So don't expect
21:45
those numbers to climb. And if you're curious,
21:48
last year at this time, park wide, the snowpack
21:51
was about 93 % of normal. All right road conditions
21:55
So the road between West Yellowstone and Old
21:58
Faithful all the way up to Mammoth and out to
22:00
Canyon is open The road from Gardner, Montana
22:03
to Cook City Montana is also open So basically
22:05
you can drive from West to Canyon down to Old
22:08
Faithful up to Mammoth and Gardner and all the
22:11
way out to Cook City Closures due to weather
22:14
could happen this week. So in order to stay on
22:17
top of this best There's two things you can do
22:20
you can well three things you can check the park
22:22
website you can call 307 -344 -2117 for recorded
22:28
information or you can do what most everyone
22:31
else does and sign up for Yellowstone road alerts
22:34
on your cell phone by texting the number 82190
22:38
to the number 888 -777 camping information There's
22:45
only one campground open in the park right now,
22:47
and that's the Mammoth Campground, which is open
22:49
year round. The Wildlife Watching Report. So
22:54
with this weather, obviously, wildlife watching
22:56
is going to be a little hit and miss. But to
22:59
be honest, this is kind of my favorite weather
23:01
for things because one, not everybody is out,
23:05
and two, animals are still active despite the
23:07
weather. Visibility just might be less than ideal.
23:11
Also, roads might close, you know, so stay on
23:13
top of that. So here's what's been going on this
23:16
last week over the weekend I mentioned this at
23:19
the very top of the episode the Wapiti pack was
23:22
right by The road at Fountain Flats Drive. They
23:26
put on a show. They were very close to the road
23:29
crossing the road back and forth I was lucky
23:33
enough to drive by and Had a wolf next to the
23:36
car and then I stopped and you know with everybody
23:39
else at the pullouts and just watch the wolves
23:41
for Far too long or not long enough depending
23:45
my dog that was in the car because he wanted
23:49
a trip to the park and had to stay in the car
23:52
the whole time he got to see wolves and I was
23:55
trying to tell him, you know how he is a very
23:59
lucky dog that he saw three wolves within like
24:02
50 feet and he sat there and was quiet and awesome
24:05
now I'm gonna talk about dogs in Yellowstone
24:09
in the coming weeks But I have talked about that
24:12
in the past and there's plenty of stuff out there.
24:14
If you're bringing a dog to the park, please
24:16
know the rules and regulations, especially when
24:19
watching wildlife. There was somebody with a
24:22
husky in their car that was barking and yipping,
24:25
and that was less than ideal because that is
24:28
disturbing the natural habitat. Now, that's a
24:31
thing. Again, a conversation for a later day.
24:33
Back to real wildlife report. If you go into
24:36
the interior and you drive from west down to
24:39
the geyser basins There's a chance you might
24:42
see some bison. You're gonna see some pronghorn.
24:44
Maybe you're definitely gonna see some sandhill
24:47
cranes you're gonna see some osprey and It'll
24:51
be nice but The wildlife watching there is not
24:56
going to be as good as the Northern Range right
24:59
now. If you want the best chance to see wolves,
25:02
the best chance to see bears, the best chance
25:04
to see baby bison, go to the Northern Range.
25:08
That is from Mammoth through Lamar Valley out
25:12
to Cook City and back. I say all the way out
25:16
to Cook City because there's been some foxes
25:18
out in Cook City, out by Baronet Peak, there's
25:21
been multiple moose wandering around, and then
25:24
as you get back toward Lamar Valley, there's
25:26
been lots more bear sightings. As you get to
25:28
Little America, there's more bear sightings.
25:30
As you get to, like, Floating Island Lake and
25:33
all of these other places, there's more bears.
25:36
Out towards Hell Roaring, there's been wolves
25:37
through Creek, Lamar Valley, there's been Wolf
25:39
Lake. This is where you want to go. The Northern
25:43
Range is still and will be for a while the most
25:46
active wildlife watching place in the park. If
25:50
you want to see wildlife, go there. I can't stress
25:53
this enough. Every time I tell people this, they're
25:56
like, well, yeah, but you can see things elsewhere.
25:58
You can, but you may not. The wolves that I saw
26:04
this last weekend were Very rare this has never
26:08
happened to me down there and it's happened once
26:11
in my entire lifetime of visiting The amount
26:14
of times I see wolves in the northern range almost
26:16
every time I go Now they might be three miles
26:20
away, but you can see wolves If you want I'm
26:24
just gonna stress this again if you want wildlife
26:26
watching that is amazing Go to the northern range.
26:30
I can't promise you that it's gonna be Full of
26:34
animals everywhere, but that's going to give
26:36
you the highest likelihood. All right. I think
26:38
I've kind of beaten that point Again, though
26:42
drive from mammoth all the way out toward Cook
26:44
City and back try and do it in the morning or
26:47
evening But with this colder weather animals
26:49
are gonna be active in the middle of the day.
26:51
So Don't stress it. Just go and look you never
26:54
know what you're gonna see the wolves I saw down
26:57
By the geyser basin. I saw it 11 a .m So don't
27:01
fall into that trap of animals are only active
27:04
before 8 a .m. Or after 6 p .m. You're going
27:07
to see what you're gonna see if it wants to be
27:09
seen so hang in there put in the miles Stop where
27:13
when you see people looking at things and if
27:15
you see something that looks interesting Use
27:17
a pair of binoculars and look at it Good luck,
27:20
and I hope to hear stories of success Via text
27:24
or email if you go into the park this week trail
27:27
alerts and updates there's bears on the trails
27:29
everyone carry bear spray know how to use it
27:33
have it very quickly accessible and if you see
27:36
prints and things like that and don't feel safe
27:38
turn around go back don't push it be it if there's
27:42
a bear on a trail a bison pronghorn any wildlife
27:46
if something is blocking the trail on the way
27:48
out turn around don't try and hurt it away now
27:51
if you're hiking back and there's something blocking
27:53
the trail Walk all the way around it stay 25
27:57
yards from bison and all ungulates and a hundred
28:00
yards from wolves and bears If you want any other
28:04
trail alerts and updates either reach out to
28:05
me and say hey, I'm gonna hike here What's it
28:08
like? I'll let you know or check out the backcountry
28:10
conditions page on Yellowstone National Park's
28:13
website and That leads me to the trek of the
28:16
week Now this time of the year, especially this
28:19
week. It's not really ideal for hiking for everyone
28:23
Well, I'd love to recommend things like Bunsen
28:26
Peak, which people are doing right now, and it's
28:28
awesome, or Osprey Falls, which is a great trail,
28:30
or Mystic Falls, or even Blacktail Deer Creek.
28:33
The level of mud, standing water, and lingering
28:36
snow really limits how fun those adventures will
28:39
be for the average hiker. If you're more experienced
28:42
and looking for something just kind of gnarly
28:44
and, you know, that next level of fun, do the
28:47
ones I just mentioned. But if you're not, instead
28:51
of sending you to a potential slog that's going
28:53
to be less than ideal, I'm proposing you take
28:56
a trek around Old Faithful. Now I know, hiking,
29:00
if you think about hiking, most people are like,
29:02
well, I don't want to hike the boardwalks or
29:03
a paved path at Old Faithful. I get that. I completely
29:07
understand. However, right now, Old Faithful
29:10
is pretty empty and that includes the trails,
29:14
making it perfect for this coming week. Well,
29:17
there's no wrong choice of where to wander as
29:19
long as you stay on the designated trails around
29:21
Old Faithful. there are a few solid choices that
29:24
I think you're going to love. Again, I understand
29:28
kind of that hesitation to say I'm going to spend
29:30
all day hiking around Old Faithful, but chances
29:32
are if you do it this week, you're going to find
29:35
a gem that is truly spectacular and you're going
29:38
to witness something with no one else there more
29:40
than likely. So the first adventure I have is
29:45
up to observation point. Now that will be slightly
29:50
more popular I mean it's it's closer so it's
29:54
and it's a good view of old faithful when it
29:56
erupts so know that there might be more people
29:58
there if it's open with this inclement weather
30:01
it might not be so just ask at the visitor center
30:04
if it's not sorry to recommend it now if you
30:07
do this it's a little over a mile and a half
30:09
round trip from the old faithful like viewing
30:13
area with all the benches and there's a few hundred
30:16
feet of elevation gain At the top of this trail,
30:18
there's a stunning view of Old Faithful, so obviously
30:21
the goal is to time it with an eruption. There
30:24
are some logs to sit on and it makes for a perfect
30:26
outing. Once you're done with watching an eruption
30:29
at an observation point, continue along the boardwalk
30:32
paths on the upper geyser basin trail. This will
30:34
lead you to even more thermal features, most
30:37
of which are unseen by the masses who visit the
30:40
region. Walk this all the way to morning glory
30:43
pool, which many consider to be the best hot
30:45
spring pool in all of Yellowstone Once you're
30:48
done there start heading back on the main path,
30:51
but make sure to swing out and watch daisy geyser
30:54
erupt It's like a mini old faithful and it's
30:56
a personal favorite of mine In total going up
31:00
to observation point out to morning glory and
31:03
back to old faithful with that daisy geyser detour
31:05
It's gonna be about four and a half to five miles.
31:08
It's not Difficult in terms of elevation gain,
31:12
aside from that observation point. But it's going
31:14
to take you longer than you might expect. Not
31:16
because of the mileage, but because of everything
31:18
you're going to stop for. Geyser eruptions, thermal
31:21
features, wildlife, and just the sheer amount
31:24
of things to see. I know it may sound simple,
31:27
but this loop adventure is truly spectacular,
31:30
made even better this time of year due to lack
31:33
of crowds along the way. If you come in June
31:35
or July, doing this is going to be a whole different
31:38
experience. You do it now, you might have the
31:41
majority of the route to yourself. All right,
31:44
that does it for me in this episode. In next
31:47
episode, I'm going to return with all the information
31:49
you need to have a good week in the park, including
31:52
wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until then...
31:55
Book a trail tour with me, pick up a guidebook
31:58
of mine, and happy trails. Oh, and if you're
32:01
listening all the way through here, let me know
32:04
if you could hear my dog snoring in the background.
32:07
He just started snoozing about halfway through,
32:09
so let me know. Bye! This week in Yellowstone
32:25
is brought to you by the Outdoor Society. That's
32:27
my company. It's just me. I do this. It's a labor
32:30
of love. If you like it, tell your friends, rate
32:33
and review it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise,
32:36
keep listening and I hope to see you in Yellowstone.
32:39
Copyright 2026, baby.