Latest / This Week in Yellowstone National Park / This Week in Yellowstone: May 28th to June 3rd, 2026

Transcript

This Week in Yellowstone: May 28th to June 3rd, 2026 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park where it seems
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like once -in -a -lifetime wildlife experiences
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are happening every day, this is that Scott guy
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you know and love with a brand new episode of
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This Week in Yellowstone. What's up everybody
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this week in Yellowstone National Park from May
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28th to June 3rd, 2026. I'll share with you why
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this week is so good for wildlife watching, talk
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about how to ensure you're being an ethical visitor
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while in the park, and let you know about off
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-trail travel in Yellowstone. I'll also give
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you the complete weather forecast, a cool trail
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to hike, the snowpack update, the wildlife report,
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and everything else you need to have an incredible
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time this week in Yellowstone. My standard disclaimer,
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I may miss a few details here and there, so if
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there's something you want more clarification
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on, just reach out to me with any questions.
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I also mention park locations very casually,
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so if you're unfamiliar with some place I'm talking
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about, a quick search can help, or again, just
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reach out. Also, this podcast is a passion project
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of mine. I'm not paid, I'm not sponsored, I do
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this out of love. So if you enjoy it, I'd love
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a review or a quick email, or better yet, Reach
1:19
out on any social media that you have and recommend
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this to other people. The more we grow, the better
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this podcast will be. If you want to support
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my work, you can check out my hiking and wildlife
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watching guidebooks or join me for a guided hiking
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tour in Yellowstone's back country. For more
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information, visit outdoor -society .com or contact
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me directly 406 -589 -1873. Currently booked
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up through all of the rest of May and pretty
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busy in June but reach out I may be able to squeeze
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you into my calendar if you want to book a trail
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tour with me. All right this week's Yellowstone
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news. So the main news right now in the park
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is pretty simple. West Yellowstone is going to
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have a long line pretty much every day from here
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on out. A lot of people have been asking me why
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West Yellowstone has a line and the answer is
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very simple. West Yellowstone has more amenities
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they do a better job marketing and they get traffic
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coming from like Island Park area in Idaho or
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Big Sky and all of that. So everybody congregates
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in West Yellowstone. West Yellowstone will more
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than likely have a line of some sort every day
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from 830 until 11. Those hours may be longer
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or shorter, but expect a line at the entrance
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station. Now one thing when I have shared pictures
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of these lines recently, people are telling me
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that these lines are due to the budget cuts of
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the federal government. The lines at the entrance
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station have nothing to do with that. West Yellowstone
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has had lines in terrain for the last 10 to 15
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maybe even 20 years I started looking to the
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webcams pretty much daily about 15 years ago
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So it's a common problem It is because so many
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people come in through that gate West Yellowstone
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has positioned itself as the like gateway to
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the park especially the thermal areas and it
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also has Occasionally cheaper amenities and a
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lot more campgrounds and things like that that
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are well known and publicized so if you're staying
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in West know that you need to get to the entrance
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station before 8 or After 10 30 or 11 to kind
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of avoid those lines also know that everybody
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that enters the park is then driving the same
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Road to get to Madison and then if they're going
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to the geyser basin They're driving the same
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road to old faithful. So all of those cars generally
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head in the same direction If you're visiting
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the park, know that the first bison people see,
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they're going to stop at. And traffic can take
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you for that, you know, 13, 14 miles from West
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Yellowstone to Madison Junction. That can take
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you half hour, 45 minutes, even an hour on a
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good day. So just expect that and know earlier
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you get there, the better it is. Also, everyone
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leaves around the same time, around five or six.
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So there's usually a backup going the other way.
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So just plan your day around that. That's really
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the biggest news. It's not news per se, but like
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I want to tell you if you're visiting that area
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to know that's what's going to happen. All right.
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My experience of the week. Babies are everywhere.
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Not human babies. Well, maybe, but like they're
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not roaming around Yellowstone talking about
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animal babies. So with all the roads open in
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the park, including the Beartooth Highway, this
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week is a truly perfect time to be in Yellowstone.
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Warm days, cool evenings, and occasional thunderstorms
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all bring energy to the park, but that is nothing
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compared to the buzz created by all of the babies
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in the region. Right now, elk are calving, the
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last of the baby bison are being born for the
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season, newborn birds are walking and flying,
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bear cubs are scampering around trees and through
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the prairie, and almost everywhere you look,
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there is something going on. If you're lucky
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enough to be visiting the park right now, Congratulations
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on being here for what I consider to be the best
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wildlife watching time of the year. Yeah, I know
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fall is good, but nothing compares to late May
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and early June with the activity that's going
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on. One of the most iconic signs of spring in
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Yellowstone is the arrival of bison calves. A
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lot of people call them red dogs because they're
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bright reddish orange coats, and these calves
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are usually born between late April and early
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June. By late May, herds here at the park are
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full of newborns nursing, running, jumping around,
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having the zoomies, and just trying to keep up
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with adults during migration and grazing movements.
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They're also swimming across rivers and not every
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river crossing goes well. So if you do see some
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bison swimming across some of the swollen rivers
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right now, know there is a chance you might see
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something that is less than ideal. I'll leave
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it at that because I don't want to like really
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bum people out because it's a good time to be
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in the park. The park also just announced that
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elk calves are arriving in large numbers right
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now. It tends to happen late May or early June
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as well, and cow elk often leave the herd temporarily
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to give birth in quiet meadows or forest edges
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where the calves can remain hidden during their
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first days of life. Unlike bison calves, young
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elk spend much of their time lying motionless
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in vegetation while their mothers feed nearby.
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I bring this up because visitors sometimes mistakenly
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assume these calves have been abandoned. In reality
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the mother is usually close by and intentionally
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keeps her distance to avoid attracting predators.
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Park officials strongly warn visitors to never
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approach or touch young wildlife even if the
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animal appears alone. One reason why the female
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elk is going to not be near her baby is because
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grizzly bears love and even black bears love
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to hunt down and eat newborn elk. This is something
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you'll see a few years ago. I was at calcite
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springs with my mom at the end of may and we
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saw a black bear with two cubs and the cubs were
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up in the tree playing around and then the mom
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just kind of like ventured off and there was
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a crowd there the rangers are there the whole
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scene was taken care of and about five minutes
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after the bomb disappeared there is this screaming
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animal screaming noise and it was a female elk
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basically agony because the black bear sow had
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killed her calf the black bear mom came back
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blood all over her face rounded up the cubs and
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they went and ate the rest of the well the mom
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ate the rest of the calf and while the mom stood
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on the elk mom stood on a hillside just screaming
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and it was truly terrible and my mom said hey
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I want to go I don't want to be here anymore
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so that might happen Also, moose calves begin
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appearing this time of the year, especially in
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the wetter areas throughout the park and surrounding
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forests. Yellowstone's moose population is not
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great. You don't have a very good chance of seeing
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moose in Yellowstone. I'll be talking about that
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in the coming weeks, but really the best chance
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to see moose is going to be if you go up toward
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that northeast entrance. out that way is your
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best chance in the park to see moose. You might
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see them elsewhere, but that's your best chance.
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And so like elk, cow moose are highly protective
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mothers and become extremely aggressive if they
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feel threatened. And early summer is the best
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time to spot these moose feeding in ponds. But
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again, you're probably not going to be seeing
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them too much unless you go out toward Cook City
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and even then that's going to be rare. Black
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bears and grizzly bears also become far more
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visible during the late spring. Right now it
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is a bear extravaganza almost to a point of it
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being a problem. I'm going to talk about that
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a little later but bears are everywhere. Cubs
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were born during the winter and so now they're
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out like meandering around. Grizzly mothers with
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cubs are frequently spotted moving through open
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valleys searching for food after emerging from
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their dens and the bear cubs spend much of their
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time wrestling climbing and following their mothers
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closely while learning survival behavior. Black
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bears are similarly active throughout forested
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areas and lower elevations, especially in that
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Bermuda Triangle area I've talked about before
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by Tower, Roosevelt, Floating Island Lake, out
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to Little America Slew Creek. That's gonna be
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like a really good place to see some bears. Yellowstone's
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wolves are raising pups during the same time
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period right now, and though it is hard to see,
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There is a chance that if you go someplace like
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Slough Creek and you patiently wait and watch
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you may occasionally observe adults carrying
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food back to the den areas or Having the pups
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leave the den for the first time and chew on
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bones and antlers that are scattered about It's
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truly a special moment if there is a den Stay
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as far away as you can stay with everybody else.
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Do not approach any sort of baby animal in the
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park ever ever ever um again talk about that
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in a little bit probably so bird activity also
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explodes across the yellowstone during late may
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and early june san ho cranes can often be seen
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with their babies called colts in wet meadows
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while trumpeter swans guide young birds across
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ponds and then the bald eagles osprey and other
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raptors are actively feeding at their newborns
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at their nests during this period so if there's
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a visible nest you'll probably see the parents
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coming and going bringing fish and stuff like
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that Spring is absolutely beautiful in Yellowstone,
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but I also want to repeat that it's one of the
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most sensitive times for wildlife. Young animals
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are vulnerable and repeated human disturbance
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can create serious stress for mothers and offspring
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alike. Rangers constantly remind visitors to
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remain patient, stay at safe viewing distances,
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and avoid blocking wildlife movement near roads
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and trails. When animals are crossing the road
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or look to be crossing the road, this is the
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one time I say stop your car in the road. If
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a wolf or a bear or you know those large Predators
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are crossing the road. You need to set a good
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example and give them safety Bison whole different
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story, but we'll talk about that. You know, I've
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talked about that I think too much so Just know
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that if there are animals near the road Rangers
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will typically be there if they're not there
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yet Help out and just trying to help maintain
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the scene of keeping everybody away set a good
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example and stay away Don't approach them. I'm
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gonna talk about that in just a minute. So if
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you are here this week Drive around look for
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animals in the morning and the evening and you
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will see babies everywhere You're gonna see this
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energy of the park that will not exist come July
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This is a very special time in the park and it
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is not like this all the time So embrace it enjoy
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it and know that you're just some of the lucky
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people to be in Yellowstone at this time. My
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tip of the week. How to be an ethical photographer.
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Now I know a lot of these tips of the weeks and
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every every week recently I've been kind of like
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here's what you have to do here are the rules
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and regulations and the reason I'm doing that
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is because the park has asked people specifically
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guides to make sure that we're helping remind
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people of the rules and regulations because they
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can only do so much. As I talked about the lines
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at West Yellowstone not being impacted by the
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budgets of the National Park, the amount of staffing
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that operates inside of the park is directly
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impacted by those budget cuts. So there's a lot
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of volunteers helping out, there are rangers
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going around, but it's never enough. And so the
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more of us that can repeat this message, hopefully
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the more people will listen and the better behavior
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everyone will have. We all know Yellowstone National
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Park is one of the greatest wildlife viewing
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destinations in North America. Few places offer
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the chance to see grizzly bears, wolves, bison,
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elk, moose, foxes, great gray owls, and bald
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eagles all within the same ecosystem, sometimes
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within a couple miles of each other. That experience
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is what draws millions of visitors to the park
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every year, especially for photographers hoping
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to capture unforgettable wildlife moments. Now,
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I do want to clarify something here. Some of
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you may be listening and be like, I'm not a photographer,
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it's fine. When I say photographer, most people
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assume that I'm talking about DSLR cameras, super
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big lenses, all of those. But right now, I'm
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talking to everybody, be it iPhone, iPad, disposable
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camera, whatever. We have to make sure while
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taking pictures that we remain ethical to the
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wildlife in the park. Yellowstone's popularity
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has created growing problems caused by people
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getting too close to animals in pursuit of pictures
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and videos. Rangers on scene or the visitor centers
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are constantly reminding visitors about ethical
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wildlife watching and not just about like getting
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a shot but just being in the park in general.
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Yellowstone promotes the message give it room
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use a zoom as a reminder that wildlife should
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be photographed from a safe and respectful distance.
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If you need a closer image use binoculars spotting
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scopes or a zoom lens instead of walking closer
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to the animal. Sounds simple enough, right? Everybody
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that visits the park has handed something that
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says the park requires visitors to stay at least
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25 yards from bison, elk, deer, and most other
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wildlife and at least 100 yards from bears and
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wolves. These distances are minimum safety requirements,
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not targets for how close you can get. Every
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year, Visitors ignore these rules while attempting
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a picture. We've seen the videos, we've seen
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all the social media accounts, and most everybody
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knows that bison are responsible for more injuries
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in Yellowstone than any other animal because
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people constantly underestimate them. Despite
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their calm appearance, bison can run 30 to 35
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miles an hour and react instantly when they feel
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crowded or threatened. There's no real warning
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sign for a bison. It will be there grazing and
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then it will charge. Several visitors in recent
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years have been tossed or seriously injured after
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approaching bison too closely for photographs
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and it's more than likely going to happen again
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this year and I say that just because Statistically,
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it probably will happens almost every year and
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just last week I was in the park and I was at
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old faithful and there are people having lunch
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at a picnic table near the gas station and the
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gift shop Little away from the lodge and a bison
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walked up to them and they stayed at their picnic
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table The bison was three feet from them It was
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not great and the more that that happens the
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higher the likelihood something is going to happen
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again quick aside here There's a lot of people
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that will celebrate when people get attacked
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by animals. I am NOT one of those I don't follow
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any of those sites. I don't participate in that
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level of social media of trying to shame somebody
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It doesn't help this helps talking to people
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individually calmly politely and just reminding
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people because One of the most important things
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to know about Yellowstone is that it's really
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easy from afar to say I would never do that It's
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really easy to see an animal see a picture of
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an animal and see somebody standing too close
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and be like, oh they're idiots Why would they
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do that? Right? Like I would never do that Most
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people I know that come to the park end up getting
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closer to wildlife than they mean to Largely
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that is because once one person does it, then
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two more people join, then five people join,
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then ten people join, then all of a sudden you
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have a large crowd around an animal that's too
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close. Usually these are bear encounters, things
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like that. You're supposed to be a hundred yards
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away from a bear at all times at least when you're
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outside of your car. That is an entire football
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field. If you've been to the park, how many bear
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sightings have you been out of your car without
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having an entire football field separating you
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and the bear? Last week, I saw four bears. All
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four of those bears were way closer than a hundred
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yards, and there were people out there. There
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were even some rangers out there. If there's
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a ranger there, you can stand where the ranger
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tells you to. If there's not a ranger there,
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don't stand so close, right? I think there's
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a song about that. While bison are obviously
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an issue, wolves and bears present a different
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concern. Ethical wildlife watchers understand
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that repeatedly crowding predators can alter
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their behavior and increase dangerous interactions
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with people. Talked about that last week, so
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I'm not going to belabor that point. But I will
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say that this isn't even now regulated to bears,
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bison, and wolves. Just last week, a flock of
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photographers chased a great gray owl away from
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the road and into an area closed off to bear
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management. They ignored signs and continued
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to follow the bird to try and get the perfect
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picture. When they returned, a ranger was waiting
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for them and ticketed them. Now, some of these
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were part of actual tour groups. Some had super
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expensive camera setups. Some had iPhones. All
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of them were stalking wildlife and entering a
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closed zone. Again, it's really easy to say I
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would never do that, but being in the park has
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this way of making people kind of Forget about
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the dangers. It is safety in numbers. There's
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kind of like a wanderlust that takes over I am
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guilty of this I have been I am striving to never
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be again, but it happens to pretty much everyone
17:56
so just know that you do your best and You continue
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to do your best the number one thing this whole
18:03
rant is just to say the following responsible
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wildlife photography and being a responsible
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ethical visitor means allowing animals to behave
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naturally. Chasing wildlife from pullout to pullout,
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surrounding animals with crowds, blocking their
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movement, or entering the landscape to get closer
18:21
to them for better pictures creates unnecessary
18:24
stress on the animals and increases danger for
18:26
visitors. To be an ethical visitor in the park,
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it's very easy. Stay near your vehicles, use
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pullouts correctly, make sure that you respect
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rangers when they tell you something, Follow
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posted and written rules. It's it's again something
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that's a lot harder once you're there It's easy
18:44
to say this in the time now You will see something
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countless times in the park and that's when there's
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a wildlife jam You're gonna see people exit their
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vehicles to walk up to see what's going on or
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run up to get that picture of the bear Don't
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do this, please Some of the best wildlife viewing
19:00
experiences happen when people remain patient
19:02
and allow the animals to move naturally through
19:04
the landscape. By having people get out of the
19:06
cars and run up to see what's up there and take
19:08
pictures you're creating stress you are impacting
19:12
animals behaviors. Yellowstone remains one of
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the last truly wild ecosystems in lower 48 and
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ethical wildlife watching helps protect that
19:21
wilderness. Respecting distance regulations using
19:24
zoom lenses and putting animal welfare ahead
19:27
of Pictures ensures future visitors will continue
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experiencing these animals the way they're meant
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to be seen. Wild, free, and undisturbed. My random
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Yellowstone fact of the week. Hiking off trail
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in Yellowstone National Park. There's something
19:43
incredibly tempting about leaving the trail behind
19:45
in Yellowstone National Park. Beyond the crowded
19:48
boardwalks and scenic pullouts lies one of the
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largest intact wilderness ecosystems in North
19:53
America, full of remote valleys, dense forests,
19:57
stunning peaks, wildlife corridors, and hidden
19:59
geothermal features. While the park will never
20:02
talk about this, as they don't want to encourage
20:04
people going off trail, it is one of the things
20:07
I'm asked quite often while I lead tours in the
20:09
park. Off trail hiking is allowed in many parts
20:12
of Yellowstone, but it comes with serious responsibilities
20:15
and important regulations that every visitor
20:18
needs to understand before they go into the backcountry.
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Yellowstone is not an ordinary mountain park.
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The landscape is shaped by geothermal activity,
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active wildlife habitat, rapidly changing weather,
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and rugged terrain that can quickly become dangerous
20:32
for unprepared hikers. While some areas allow
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cross -country travel, others prohibit it. primarily
20:40
in thermal areas and bare management areas. The
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most important rule in Yellowstone involves the
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thermal terrain. In geothermal areas, visitors
20:48
are required to stay on designated boardwalks
20:51
and marked trails at all times. Beneath the surface,
20:54
thin crusts can conceal boiling water and unstable
20:57
ground. What appears solid may collapse without
21:00
warning. Walking off trails in thermal zones
21:03
is illegal and extremely dangerous. Now this
21:07
is where things get a little murky details -wise.
21:10
Some trails in Yellowstone's backcountry go directly
21:13
through thermal areas with no boardwalks. This
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is allowed as long as you're on the official
21:21
trail. But if you are ever unsure assume that
21:25
you shouldn't be allowed there and turn around.
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Another reason not just that you might break
21:31
through and die is that thermal areas are incredibly
21:34
fragile. One footstep can permanently damage
21:37
delicate geothermal features. So even remote
21:41
backcountry thermal areas have restrictions.
21:44
Hikers should never assume geothermal terrain
21:46
is safe to explore freely simply because it's
21:49
far from developed boardwalks. As I just said,
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stay on the trail and never ever venture elsewhere
21:56
in the backcountry thermal area that you're wandering,
21:58
even if you see bison tracks or other human tracks.
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Bison will break through the crust and die all
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the time. It is not something that is rare that
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lots of animals die from breaking and falling
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into thermal areas. Now the other thing in the
22:14
backcountry to be aware of is the wildlife regulations.
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Yellowstone sits at the center of one of the
22:18
most important grizzly bear ecosystems in the
22:21
lower 48 and the park uses numerous seasonal
22:24
bear management areas to reduce dangerous encounters
22:26
and protect habitat. These restrictions change
22:30
throughout the year depending on bear activity.
22:32
Some areas close completely during certain seasons
22:34
while others restrict visitors to designated
22:37
trails or daylight travel only. In some locations
22:40
off -trail hiking may be prohibited entirely
22:43
during peak bear activity. Pelican Valley is
22:47
one of the best known examples because of its
22:48
heavy grizzly use, but similar restrictions occur
22:51
throughout the park near Yellowstone Lake, the
22:54
Two Ocean Plateau region, and portions of the
22:56
Gallatin backcountry. These rules exist for a
22:59
reason. Yellowstone has a long history of dangerous
23:02
bear encounters, including fatal attacks. Off
23:05
-trail hikers face greater risk because they
23:07
often move through thick vegetation or remote
23:10
terrain where visibility is limited, increasing
23:13
the chance of surprising a bear at close range.
23:15
Bears are also really smart. They know where
23:17
people travel. A lot of the backcountry trails
23:19
also have horses that travel them. So they know
23:22
that these are thoroughfares for people and horses
23:26
and things like that. When you're not in one
23:28
of those areas, Bears don't expect you there,
23:30
so it's more of a surprise. And if you surprise
23:32
at a wild animal, it's gonna go one of two ways,
23:34
they're gonna run away, or they may charge you,
23:37
you know? Just know where bear management areas
23:40
are, and if you don't, I've talked about this
23:41
before, but also you can look at a bear management
23:44
backcountry map or go into visitor's center and
23:46
ask. Now, as I always say, anyone hiking in Yellowstone,
23:50
including boardwalks and simple trails, should
23:52
carry bear spray. in an easily accessible location,
23:56
not buried inside a backpack. You need to know
23:58
how to use it. You need to be confident with
24:00
it. Sometimes, if you're hiking, you might have
24:03
two seconds. That is two seconds to get your
24:06
bear spray out, take off the safety, and spray
24:08
it. You have to know how it works. The park obviously
24:12
also strongly recommends hiking in groups and
24:15
making regular noise when moving through dense
24:17
vegetation. Talking, clapping near blind corners,
24:20
and staying alert for tracks, scat, or carcasses
24:22
can help reduce the likelihood of sudden encounters.
24:26
I do also want to say here something about bear
24:28
bells. Bear bells, mostly ineffective, don't
24:32
even bother. I talked to a bear expert about
24:35
this and they said that bear bells mimic more
24:38
of a bird call than anything else, and bears
24:41
are not afraid of birds. And if a bear hears
24:46
a bird, it's not going to give it a second thought.
24:49
If it hears a human voice that associates with
24:52
human behavior, it's going to be more alert and
24:55
probably run away. So talk loudly, make sure
24:59
that you're safe, don't do things that will put
25:01
you at risk. So with off -trail travel, If there
25:05
isn't a sign where you're at, you can walk there.
25:08
However, I do recommend going to a visitor center
25:11
before you engage in off -trail hiking because
25:14
it really is one of those things that you have
25:17
to be smart and experienced to do. in order to
25:21
get experience you need to do it right but like
25:23
go with somebody else that knows what to do learn
25:25
the rules and regulations because off -trail
25:28
hiking here can be unforgettable for those who
25:30
prepare carefully those who understand the rules
25:32
and those who respect the environment but you
25:35
need to remember that in Yellowstone wilderness
25:37
will still set the terms and rules and regulations
25:41
exist for a reason Alright shake off all of that.
25:44
That was a lot of heavy stuff. So let's talk
25:46
about the weather. I love that transition every
25:49
week By the way in future weeks all of these
25:52
tips and things are going to be lighter and lighter
25:54
I just really want to hammer some of these things
25:57
now because this is a dangerous time to do a
26:00
lot of things in the backcountry Especially or
26:03
you know when you spot wildlife, there's a lot
26:05
of people in the park So I just wanted to reiterate
26:08
all of those things. I thank you all for listening
26:10
It's extremely important, and I know it can be
26:12
tedious, but the more of us that behave well
26:15
in the park, the better the park's going to be.
26:17
And one thing about bad behavior in the park,
26:20
99 .9 % of everyone who visits the park does
26:23
an amazing job. That other percent, not so much,
26:27
but you're never gonna have 100 % perfect behavior.
26:30
So, all right, weather for the week. Let's start
26:33
with Lamar Valley. On Thursday, high of 77, low
26:37
of 42. On Friday, high of 72, low of 42, maybe
26:42
a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Saturday, it's
26:45
gonna be rainy, rain's gonna start overnight.
26:47
It's gonna be 52, it was a high, 38 is a low,
26:50
50 % chance of a half inch of rain. On Sunday,
26:53
a high of 51 and a low of 34, 43 % chance of
26:57
about a quarter inch of rain. On Monday, it starts
26:59
to dry out, 61 and 34 with a 23 % chance of rain.
27:04
Tuesday 66 and 35 17 percent chance of rain and
27:08
Wednesday 69 and 38 with a 16 percent chance
27:11
of rain Gardner, Montana Thursday high of 82
27:16
low of 45 Friday high of 80 Low of 46, 19 % chance
27:22
of rain, maybe a thunderstorm in the afternoon.
27:25
Saturday, cools off and rain again. 57 and 42,
27:28
with a 92 % chance of 6 tenths of an inch of
27:32
rain. That's a lot of rain out here for a place
27:35
that gets like 14 inches of rain a year. Sunday,
27:38
high of 55, low of 36, 70 % chance of a quarter
27:42
inch of rain. Monday, just like Lamar, things
27:44
start to dry out. 65 and 37, 24 % chance of rain.
27:48
Tuesday 71 and 39 10 % chance of rain and Wednesday
27:53
74 and 42 20 % chance of rain West Yellowstone,
27:58
Montana Thursday high of 77 low of 37 Friday
28:02
high of 73 low of 38 About a 38 % chance of a
28:06
thunderstorm in that afternoon Saturday wet 49
28:11
low at 35 50 % chance over a half inch of rain.
28:15
Sunday, still wet, 51 and 29, 42 % chance of
28:20
about a quarter inch of rain. Monday, high of
28:22
60, low of 30. 18 % chance of some rain. Tuesday,
28:26
67 and 33, 9 % chance. And Wednesday, 70 and
28:30
35, 15 % chance of rain. Cody, Wyoming. Thursday,
28:35
high of 84, low of 54, maybe some afternoon thundershowers.
28:39
Friday, 83 and 57 10 % chance of some rain in
28:43
the middle of the day Saturday 64 and 49 with
28:47
a 41 % chance about 3 tenths of an inch of rain
28:50
Sunday 64 and 45 with a 24 % chance of rain Monday
28:55
71 and 46 17 % chance of rain Tuesday 75 and
29:01
48 17 % chance of rain and Wednesday 74 and 51
29:05
12 % chance of rain and finally for the weather
29:08
Cook City, Montana Thursday highest 70 low of
29:12
43 maybe rain shower in the evening Friday 66
29:15
and 41 with a chance of rain in the afternoon
29:19
Saturday 50 and 37 50 percent chance about a
29:23
half inch of rain Sunday 48 and 33 with a 45
29:27
percent chance about a quarter inch of rain Monday
29:30
57 and 35 with a 24 percent chance of rain Tuesday
29:34
60 and 36 with an 18 percent chance of rain and
29:38
Wednesday, 64 and 39 with an 18 % chance of rain.
29:42
As always, this is the best forecast for the
29:45
week at the time of recording, which is 1253
29:48
PM on Wednesday, May 27th. Forecasts can change
29:52
numerous times in a week, but this should be
29:54
within the ballpark of what you'll experience
29:56
when visiting Yellowstone. The snowpack update.
30:00
As of May 26th, the snowpack is around 52 % and
30:04
normal for this time of year. Eastern and northern
30:06
ranges of the park are about 61 percent of normal
30:09
while the western and southern sides are about
30:11
37 percent of normal. Last year on this date
30:14
we are averaging around 77 percent of our normal
30:17
level for the whole park. Obviously this is not
30:19
great for potential runoff. Rivers are going
30:23
to drop later in the year and get too hot and
30:24
fishing is going to be impacted but doesn't impact
30:26
anything right now. So if you're in the park
30:29
right now this snowpack doesn't mean much. Please
30:33
know though that with the rain Coming in, there
30:36
is a chance the Beartooth Highway will get some
30:39
snow on it. They may close it depending on how
30:41
much snow they get over the weekend. Be aware
30:44
of that. And that brings me to road conditions.
30:48
Currently there are no main park roads that are
30:50
closed. There is a chance, like I said this weekend,
30:54
some park roads could be closed due to inclement
30:57
weather. If you want to know this, get up to
31:00
date information one of two ways. You can call
31:03
307 3 4 4 2 1 1 7 for recorded information or
31:08
you can sign up to receive Yellowstone road alerts
31:10
on your cell phone by texting the number 8 2
31:13
1 9 0 to 8 8 8 7 7 7 camping information mammoth
31:20
is open madison is open fishing bridge is open
31:23
bridge bay is open tower is open and canyon opens
31:26
on the 29th the wildlife watching update So right
31:31
now, as I mentioned earlier, wildlife watching
31:33
is amazing right now. If you drive in the northern
31:36
range, very good chance you're going to see some
31:39
black bears, especially from like Floating Island
31:41
Lake to Tower Falls and then out to Slough Creek
31:45
area, that bear muted triangle. The other day
31:48
I was out there and within three miles I saw
31:51
four different black bears. So great, great bear
31:54
sightings there. Baby bison are all over the
31:56
place. So enjoy watching them. Honestly for bison
32:00
wise Little America has been the best place for
32:03
me. That is between Roosevelt and Lamar Valley
32:07
proper I talked about that last week and like
32:10
where is Lamar and how do you visit Lamar, right?
32:13
So give that a listen if you want to know where
32:15
that is. That's been the best place for baby
32:17
bison also some pronghorners starting to congregate
32:21
there and They're gonna have their babies soon
32:24
as well out near that same area. There are also
32:28
some bighorn sheep I've been seeing a lot. There's
32:31
also some sandhill cranes with some babies. There
32:34
are a lot of things going on that way. Slough
32:36
Creek is also very active right now for bears
32:39
and for wolves, as well as Lamar Valley. Hayden
32:42
Valley is still fine. You'll see some stuff there,
32:46
but it's not going to be as animal heavy. If
32:49
you head out the east entrance, bears, great
32:52
gray owls have been out there. and generally
32:54
it's been good for even some bighorn sheep up
32:56
by sylvan pass um again if you're going to the
32:59
park your best bets for wildlife watching are
33:02
going to be basically from blacktail plateau
33:06
drive that i think is still closed maybe they'll
33:08
open it this week currently it's still closed
33:10
as time of recording but if they open that from
33:13
there all the way to tower maybe even over dunraven
33:18
then down through Hayden a bit and then out the
33:22
east entrance also out to Lamar Valley. Those
33:24
are really like your constant corridors. I will
33:27
always and forever recommend the northern side
33:30
of the park for wildlife watching over anywhere
33:32
else just because of the density of animals there.
33:36
You might have better wildlife watching experiences
33:37
elsewhere. There are some grizzlies around the
33:39
Norris area that you might see but general predictability
33:43
and consistency. That northern range is where
33:46
I always recommend people go if they really want
33:49
to see wildlife next to the road If you are visiting
33:52
the park this coming week reach out to me happy
33:54
to help you uh know where to go to see wildlife
33:57
if you'd rather just You know get a wildlife
34:00
watching guidebook and support the podcast I
34:02
have a wildlife watching guidebook that is available
34:04
in both ebook and paperback formats I wrote it
34:07
out of love and to help people for specifically
34:10
this i've been visiting the park for so long
34:12
that I Want everybody to have the same good experiences
34:16
that I have I also have a hiking guidebook Definitely
34:19
check that out if you're interested in some trails
34:20
which leads me to the next section of trail alerts
34:24
and updates So the backcountry conditions page
34:27
is updated. I always have a link to it in the
34:30
show notes It is the easiest way to check the
34:33
status of a trail that you want to hike No matter
34:35
where you hike carry bear spray have it readily
34:38
accessible and not in a backpack Please know
34:41
how to use it ahead of time Alright my trek of
34:45
the week. I was gonna hold off on this but you
34:48
know, it's with the snowpack It's it's good to
34:51
go. So here we go. One of my favorites the Bunsen
34:54
Peak Trail The Bunsen Peak Trail is one of those
34:57
Yellowstone hikes that delivers far more than
34:59
people expect It's relatively short by park standards,
35:02
but don't let the mileage here fool you This
35:05
is not an easy walk for most visitors. The trail
35:08
begins at over 7 ,000 feet in elevation and the
35:11
climb gains roughly 1300 to 1600 feet in over
35:16
two miles depending on where you measure from.
35:19
The altitude alone catches many hikers off guard
35:21
especially visitors coming from lower elevations.
35:23
There's also not a ton of shade on this and you're
35:25
working up switchbacks through scree for a lot
35:27
of the trail. Located just south of Mammoth Hot
35:31
Springs near Swan Lake Flats Bunsen Peak rises
35:34
prominently above Yellowstone's northern range.
35:36
The peak itself is an extinct volcanic cone named
35:40
after German scientist Robert Bunsen best known
35:43
for the Bunsen burger I swear I said burner not
35:45
burger, but I'm not gonna edit it out and you
35:47
can tell me did I say Bunsen burger or bunsen
35:50
burner that first time Interestingly enough about
35:54
Robert Bunsen. He never actually visited Yellowstone.
35:57
The mountain was just named after him The standard
36:00
out and back route is roughly 4 .4 miles round
36:02
trip, though some hikers choose to extend the
36:05
adventure into a larger loop using the Bunsen
36:08
Peak Road Trail and Osprey Falls Trail. Most
36:11
people complete the main summit hike in about
36:14
3 -5 hours depending on pace, weather, and how
36:16
long they spend at the top. The climb begins
36:19
almost immediately from the trailhead. After
36:21
leaving the trailhead, the route works steadily
36:23
uphill through a series of switchbacks winding
36:26
through lodgepole pine forests. This is really
36:28
the most shady spot. There is nothing technical
36:31
about this trail itself, but the grade is consistent
36:34
enough that most hikers are going to feel it
36:36
quickly. This is one of those hikes where people
36:39
underestimate the effort required because the
36:41
distance looks shorter on paper. I've gone up
36:43
there and I've seen people not carrying anything
36:46
with them. No food, no water, no backpack, no
36:48
bear spray, nothing. This area has bears. I don't
36:51
care how many people hike it, it has bears. Years
36:54
ago, there was a person hiking and a black bear
36:56
ran through the forest knocked her down and kept
36:58
running. There's bears out here. I've seen grizzlies
37:01
on the backside of Bunsen numerous times middle
37:04
of summer. So always have bear spray, always
37:06
be prepared, and know that this is a serious
37:09
hike where you need to bring more than you think
37:11
you do. After the lodgepole pine, you're going
37:14
to start climbing higher. The forest begins to
37:16
thin and the views gradually open. Before long,
37:19
you're treated to sweeping views of Swan Lake
37:21
Flats, Golden Gate Canyon, and Mammoth Hot Springs.
37:24
With every switchback, the views get better and
37:26
better, so keep climbing. Higher on the mountain,
37:30
the landscape continues to open up. All the trees
37:32
really fade away to rocky slopes. You're then
37:35
going to get broad views across Yellowstone's
37:37
entire northern range. Electric Peak dominates
37:40
the skyline to the northeast and often becomes
37:42
the visual centerpiece of the hike. Please know
37:45
though that wind can become intense near the
37:47
summit ridge even during summer, so carrying
37:49
an extra layer is a smart idea. At 8 ,564 feet
37:54
above sea level, the summit of Bunsen Peak offers
37:56
one of the best panoramic views in northern Yellowstone.
37:59
From the top, hikers can see everything that
38:02
you would want. On especially clear days, visibility
38:06
reaches deep into the surrounding wilderness
38:08
including portions of Blacktail Plateau and Yellowstone's
38:11
northern valleys. This is a great place to sit
38:13
and scan as well. On the back side to the east,
38:17
if you look on some of the cliffs sometimes you
38:18
see mountain goats and stuff. It's really cool.
38:21
Wildlife sightings are common throughout the
38:23
area. Elk and mule deer are frequently seen near
38:26
the trail and both black bears and grizzly bears
38:28
inhabit the surrounding terrain. As I said before,
38:31
even though Bunsen Peak is considered a popular
38:33
day hike, hikers should still carry a bear spray
38:36
and remain alert, especially during quieter mornings
38:38
or evening hours. Summer also is going to start
38:41
bringing some cool wildflowers, so don't get
38:44
too distracted looking at wildflowers and still
38:46
look for animals because they're everywhere.
38:48
Also, regarding animals on this trail, there's
38:51
some chipmunks at the top. Do not feed them.
38:53
They are extremely aggressive. One day I was
38:56
sitting up there having lunch at the little Station
38:59
that's up there with the sign -in sheet and a
39:02
chipmunk jumped in the back in the hood of my
39:06
son shirt I was wearing and I had to like rip
39:09
that off of me as I had a sandwich in hand and
39:12
like my son shirt ran around on the ground because
39:15
the chipmunk was caught in it and There is a
39:17
camera up there that I asked if they had the
39:20
footage of and they told me I couldn't so I Still
39:22
want to see that if there is anybody in the park.
39:24
It was years ago I know you don't have anymore,
39:26
but just know don't feed any wildlife Alright,
39:29
one last thing for this, for hikers looking for
39:31
a bigger challenge, the route can be extended
39:34
beyond the summit. The trail continues along
39:36
the ridge before descending the backside of Bunsen
39:38
Peak that leads to the Bunsen Peak Road Trail
39:41
which eventually connects to Osprey Falls and
39:43
Sheep Eater Canyon. Adding these sections creates
39:46
a much longer and more demanding day with additional
39:49
elevation change, but also turns the half day
39:52
hike into a more rewarding loop. in Yellowstone's
39:56
northern range. So I love doing the whole loop,
39:59
but I also like, you know, love being tired after
40:01
a day of hiking. Bunsen Peak remains one of the
40:04
best choices in Yellowstone for hikers wanting
40:06
a true summit experience without committing to
40:09
a full backcountry expedition. It's close to
40:12
the road, accessible for many visitors, and delivers
40:15
some of the most impressive views in the Mammoth
40:16
area. Between the steady climb, expansive scenery,
40:20
volcanic history, and a constant reminder of
40:23
Yellowstone's scale, this trail manages to feel
40:25
like a real mountain adventure in just a few
40:28
miles. Alright, that is it for this week. I always
40:31
appreciate you all listening. If you felt like
40:35
these last couple episodes have been a downer,
40:36
I apologize. Just really trying to, like I said
40:39
before, make sure that I'm doing my part to try
40:42
and make the park as best as I can. All of you,
40:46
continue to be great stewards of land. Say hi
40:49
to me when you see me in the park, I love that.
40:51
Shoot me a message via text 406 -589 -1873. Send
40:56
an email, review, all of that, and I will see
41:00
you next week. Oh, next week's episode? Guess
41:03
what, I'm gonna return with all the information
41:05
you need to have a good week in the park, including
41:07
wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until then,
41:12
sincerely thank you for listening. Book a tour
41:14
with me, pick up a guidebook of mine, and happy
41:17
trails. This week in Yellowstone is brought to
41:38
you by the Outdoor Society. That's my company.
41:40
It's just me. I do this. It's a labor of love.
41:43
If you like it, tell your friends, rate and review
41:45
it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening,
41:49
and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright
41:52
2026, baby.