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This Week in Yellowstone: October 9th to October 15th, 2025 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park where there's
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only about three more weeks until the roads are
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closing in the interior This is that Scott guy,
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you know in 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 October
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9th through October 15th 2025 I give you tips
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on how to manage the lack of amenities in the
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park this time of year Remind you that time is
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running out for driving in some cool areas of
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the park Give you the name of an app for wildlife
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watching and share a perfect trail for this time
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of year I'll also give you the complete weather
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forecast, the wildlife report, the news, and
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everything else you need to have an incredible
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time this week in Yellowstone. Standard Disclaimer
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Probably going to miss a few details here and
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there. Also, I mentioned park locations very
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casually. So if you're unfamiliar, a quick search
1:01
can help or you can just reach out to me and
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say, Hey, what were you talking about? But be
1:05
specific because a lot of people ask me, what
1:08
are you talking about? So I need specifics. Um,
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also this podcast is a passion project. I'm not
1:14
paid or sponsored. So if you enjoy it, I'd love
1:16
a review, a quick email, or if you really want
1:19
to support my work, check out my guidebooks on
1:22
hiking and wildlife watching. They're available
1:24
in both paperback and ebook format, so if you
1:27
just want to quick support me, ebooks are just
1:29
$10. If you really want to support me and you're
1:32
headed out this way, join me for a guided Yellowstone
1:34
hiking tour. They're private tours. I cater to
1:37
what you want on the trails. For details on that
1:39
and my guidebooks, visit outdoor -society .com
1:42
or reach out to me directly. Apologies for the
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low audio. I think I just fixed that, but I don't
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feel like recording the whole intro again, so
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its new audio level should be maintained the
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rest of the time. Sorry about that. So this week's
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Yellowstone news. This week, there's growing
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concern for grizzlies around Yellowstone. 2025
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is shaping up to be one of the deadliest years
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on record for grizzly bears across the Greater
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Yellowstone ecosystem. According to National
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Parks Traveler, federal biologists have confirmed
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at least 63 grizzly deaths so far this year in
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the area, already surpassing last year's record
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pace for the first nine months. Wildlife managers
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say that many of those deaths are tied to hunter
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conflicts during Wyoming's fall elk season when
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bears move into lower elevations looking for
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food. And with drought conditions and a poor
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berry crop this summer, the grizzlies are hungrier
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and more likely to cross paths with people. So
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don't be surprised if in the news you see some
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bear attacks from hunters. So September alone
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saw 17 new mortalities added to the list, and
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many more are still unconfirmed. In one recent
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case, Wyoming Game and Fish had to capture and
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relocate two orphan cubs that kept wandering
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onto private property after their mother disappeared.
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All of this is happening as political pressure
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mounts to remove Yellowstone Grizzlies from federal
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endangered species protection. Legislation to
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delist the grizzly population is a hot button
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issue here in Montana and Wyoming and Idaho,
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with those for the killing of bears arguing that
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the bears have recovered. But conservationists
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counter that rising deaths, climate stress, and
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human conflicts show the species still needs
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protection. For now, wildlife experts are urging
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hunters, residents, and visitors to stay bear
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aware and recognize that every individual loss
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affects the fragile balance of the Yellowstone
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ecosystem. Alright, next up in news, as of right
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now, there are no updates on the government shutdown
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or what it means for Yellowstone. So with interior
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gates closing on October 31st and visitation
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numbers dropping every week, I expect the park
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to remain open until the end of the month because
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that's just when everything is going to close
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down unless something drastic happens. If there's
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poaching incidents, if there's some really bad
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vandalism, something like that, then it might
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close. But other than that, it's probably going
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to be open until the end of the month when the
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roads close. And once the roads close at the
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end of the month, only the northern range from
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Gardner Cook City will be open. And that's just
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the norm. so I expect that to be what's happening.
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Beyond that, that northern section will probably
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remain open. November visitation is the lowest
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visitation month, so we kind of have a good buffer
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window once we get through this month. My experience
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of the week. One last trip on Yellowstone's hidden
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side roads. While most visitors stick to the
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Grand Loop, which connects the park's big -named
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features. Some of Yellowstone's most peaceful
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and beautiful places lie just off to the side.
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These short detours, which are the park's side
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roads, lead to waterfalls, wildlife -filled valleys,
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and incredible overlooks. In the summer they're
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perfect for slowing down, escaping the crowds,
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and discovering a quieter side of Yellowstone
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that many people miss. In October, these seasonally
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open roads are nearly empty, giving you a perfect
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place to find serenity and calm, as well as one
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last chance to experience driving in Yellowstones
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off the beaten paths. Near Norris Junction, the
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Virginia Cascades Drive is a hidden gem. The
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scenic 2 .5 mile one -way road follows the Given
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River through a shaded canyon. The highlight
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is Virginia Cascades, a 60 foot waterfall. It's
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a cascade, not a waterfall, but like it's described
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as a waterfall. Drive it. You'll see what I mean.
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And that tumbles over volcanic rock. It's an
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especially great spot in the morning light and
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sunsets and a great place for a picnic or just
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a photo stop. The road is narrow and closed in
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the winter, but when it's open, it's a refreshing
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escape into the woods. It's a great place. I
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don't see a ton of wildlife there, but that doesn't
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mean it's not there. Heading south toward Madison
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Junction, the Firehole Canyon Drive offers a
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completely different experience. Just two miles
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long, this one -way road winds through a narrow
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canyon carved by the Firehole River. You'll pass
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Firehole Falls, a thundering 40 -foot waterfall
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framed by dark lava walls, and the road itself
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is a short detour that feels worlds away, with
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a scent of pine in the air, especially like right
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now when the smells are so good, and the sound
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of rushing water. rushing water echoing through
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the canyon. Also, there is kind of a cool osprey
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nest to check out, and the osprey probably aren't
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going to be there, but it's still a cool osprey
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nest to go see. Up north, between Mammoth Hot
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Springs and Tower Roosevelt, the Blacktail Plateau
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Drive is a must for wildlife lovers. The six
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-mile unpaved road meanders through meadows,
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forests, and rolling hills. It's like that perfect
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backdrop you want for spotting elk, pronghorn,
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bison, and even bears. I drove it the other day
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before the snow and saw a bear out there. There
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was like, it was so easy to see the bear. It
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was kind of funny. Um, the time before that I
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saw two bears out there. I talked to some other
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people. They drove it about a month ago. They
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saw no bears. So you never know. So just know
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that this road can be bumpy. So it's, um, best
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for cars with decent clearance. Also, there's
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no RVs allowed on this. So if you're driving
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an RV, you know, can't take it. Also camper vans.
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See, I guess you can. You can take them because
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they're technically not RVs, but like, you know,
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it's it's not gonna be great for them. One thing
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to do on that road, it's tempting just to kind
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of rush through it, but enjoy the slow pace.
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There's a rock within like the first one or two
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miles that looks like a bear. Try and find it.
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This road is one of those places where you might
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not see another car. You might just enjoy endless
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sky and open Yellowstone country. Now, for breathtaking
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views, nothing beats the North and South Rim
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drives at Canyon Village. And sure, these roads
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are more well -known than the ones I mentioned,
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but they're still worth your time, and plus you'd
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be surprised how many people visit the park,
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even this time of year, and never go to the Canyon
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area. It blows me away that people just skip
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Canyon. If you drive these roads, they're two
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short paved spurs that showcase two different
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perspectives of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
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Along the North Rim stops like Brink the Lower
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Falls, Grand Viewpoint and Inspiration Point
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offer these jaw -dropping looks into the canyon's
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golden depths. Across the river, the South Rim
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leads to Artist Point, one of the park's most
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famous viewpoints. And that's where the Lower
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Falls plunge dramatically between the sunlit
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canyon walls off in the distance. It's a sight
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that never fails to awe no matter how many times
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you've seen it. If you're after some better wildlife
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watching, head east to Slough Creek Road. It's
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only about a two and a half, two mile gravel
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spur branching from the main road by Lamar Valley,
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but this quiet stretch of, you know, the dirt
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and gravel leads to the Slough Creek campground,
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you know. campgrounds close, but close enough,
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and a trailhead that goes out to Slough Creek.
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This is a favorite place for anglers, hikers,
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and wildlife enthusiasts. Bison offer wander
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right down the road, and it's not uncommon to
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spot wolves or bears around this area. It's a
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peaceful place to experience Yellowstone's wilder
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side, especially at sunrise or sunset when animals
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are most active and the valley just kind of glows.
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Outside the park, starting in Gardner, Montana,
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the old Yellowstone Road offers a glimpse of
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the area's early history. Stretching about seven
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miles to Yellowstone Hot Springs, this gravel
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road follows part of the original stagecoach
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route into the park. It winds down the Yellowstone
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River with sweeping views of the Gardner Basin,
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Devil's Slide, and the surrounding mountains.
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Pronghorn and elk graze along the hillsides,
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while eagles soar overhead. Sometimes you'll
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see bears out here... You may. I don't want to
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say you won't. You may also see some bighorn
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sheep as you get near the end of it, which is
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by a bridge over the Yellowstone River that leads
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to Yellowstone Hot Springs. If you have time
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and it's open, swing by there. It's a relaxing
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spot to soak in natural mineral pools while enjoying
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this panorama of the mountains and the river.
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And if you're up for an adventure and you're
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driving over the pass between tower and canyon,
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don't skip Chittenden Road. which branches off
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Dunraven Pass between Canyon and Tower. This
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steep five -mile gravel road climbs toward Mount
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Washburn, offering breathtaking views at every
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turn. At the top, the Chittenden parking area
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marks the start of the Mount Washburn Trail,
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one of the park's most scenic hikes. On clear
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days, you can see for miles across the Yellowstone's
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rugged peaks and valleys. It's not good for RVs,
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so don't even take your RV there, but everyone
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else that's in a decent car, head up there. Now,
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know that this road may not be open. Any of these
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roads may close at any time. I'm speaking from
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what is typically open right now. If something's
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closed, it's closed. That's just the brakes.
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But each of these drives that I mentioned captures
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a different side of Yellowstone from roaring
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waterfalls to wide open plateaus and quiet stretches
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where bison graze undisturbed. They remind you
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that Yellowstone's beauty isn't confined to its
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famous landmarks. It lives. in the sound of a
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river echoing through a canyon the sight of elk
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just walking on a windswept hill or the stillness
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of a gravel road where time just slows down so
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before you head home from this trip take one
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last detour wander down a side road you might
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find a favorite Yellowstone memory here at the
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very least you're going to have an experience
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that is going to stick with you for a long time
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because The paved roads are great, but the more
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you can experience Yellowstone, be it the side
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roads or start getting in trails, you're going
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to start realizing that Yellowstone is more than
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just these sites and more than just a checklist
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of been there, done that. These roads help open
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up a bigger, wilder park. My tip of the week.
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How to be ready for a lack of amenities in the
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park. Now if you're heading into Yellowstone
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this week and planning to find a place to grab
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a bite to eat or stock up on drinks when driving
11:59
around, you need to plan ahead. Food options
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inside the park are extremely limited this time
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of year. Granted, this year is better than previous
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years because the institutions that operate inside
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the park are doing a fantastic job of staying
12:14
open and really helping visitors have a better
12:17
time. Now, during the summer, visitors can choose
12:20
from several restaurants, cafes, and snack bars
12:22
scattered around the park's main attractions.
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However, in October, nearly all of those options
12:27
close for the season. Currently, there are only
12:30
a handful of dining spots that have remained
12:32
open, and they are concentrated in three areas,
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Old Faithful, Canyon, and Mammoth. Your food
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options inside the park, starting with the Old
12:41
Faithful area, are the Old Faithful Snow Lodge,
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and that's open until the end of the month, serving
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breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. the bare
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pot deli which is open through october 13th typically
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from 7 a .m to 5 p .m and the obsidian dining
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room the snow lodge serving breakfast lunch and
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dinner and also open through the 13th now these
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hours and days may not be fully accurate um just
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doing the best i can i should have reached out
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to somebody for this but i'm very slammed right
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now so apologies if you need specific hours reach
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out to me i'll get you those hours i'll also
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probably have those on the website at the end
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of this week so on friday the whatever this friday
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is i'm recording this on the seventh now the
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canyon area in canyon the eatery falls cafe and
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m66 lounge are open through october 26th most
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of those operate from 11 to 8 pm the washburn
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lookout in the canyon area is open until october
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25th and that offers grab and go food and coffee
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and it's from what i found says 7 a .m to 3 p
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.m the mammoth hot springs area the mammoth dining
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room inside the mammoth hot springs hotel remains
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open year -round serving breakfast lunch and
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dinner the terrace grill is only open until the
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13th of october after which it closes for the
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season Now please know that most gift shops throughout
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the park have now closed for the year. Due to
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the ongoing government shutdown, museums, visitor
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centers, and ranger stations are closed, and
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the bathrooms located in those buildings are
14:15
locked up. However, pit toilets remain open throughout
14:18
the park, and restrooms inside the lodges are
14:21
available to the public. Know that the lodges
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that are open have bathrooms that are open to
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the public. Now, there are a few self -service
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gas stations inside the park that are still operating,
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but fuel here may be limited. I wouldn't rely
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on it. I have never personally had an issue getting
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gas inside the park if I need to for an emergency,
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but it's best practice to fill your tank before
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entering the park and then when you leave it
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again. And you can get gas outside the park in
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West Yellowstone, Gardner, Cook City. The gas
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outside of the park is going to be slightly less
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expensive and I can guarantee you that there'll
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be gas there. Stock up before you enter the park.
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Since dining options inside Yellowstone are few
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and far between right now, the best way to make
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sure you have food and drinks for the day is
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to stock up before entering the park. If you're
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staying outside the park, like most visitors
15:14
this time of the year, you'll likely be based
15:16
in West Yellowstone Garden or Cook City. Both
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West Yellowstone and Gardner have grocery stores
15:21
and several restaurants that remain open year
15:23
-round. In West Yellowstone, you have the Marketplace,
15:27
located on Dunraven Street, and that's a full
15:29
-service grocery store, open daily, offering
15:32
deli items, fresh produce, snacks and beverages.
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There's also the Food Roundup Supermarket on
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Yellowstone Avenue. That's another excellent
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option with groceries, pre -made sandwiches and
15:42
drinks. In Gardner, there's the Gardner Market
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on Main Street. This is the town's main grocery
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store open daily from 7 a .m. To 8 p .m. Offering
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fresh produce deli items and grab -and -go meals.
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There's also a Conoco station right in Gardner
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That's open in the morning like morning through
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evening where you can pick up snacks things like
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that It's a good stop right in town There's also
16:07
a great Sinclair station just north of Gardner
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that has even more snacks more drinks everything
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like that It's a very good stop. I stop there
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every time I drive down into the park because
16:18
one I get guests there and the other is I love
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the snacks. Sometimes there's a coffee stand
16:23
open there as well. It may sound simple but the
16:25
best approach right now is to pack food and drinks
16:28
for your full day in the park. This allows you
16:31
to picnic anywhere, stay flexible with your plans,
16:34
and make the most of your time watching wildlife,
16:36
hiking, or exploring without that nagging feeling
16:38
of knowing that you have to leave a beautiful
16:40
area just to find a meal. I've mentioned it before
16:45
earlier in the year, but there are 52 designated
16:47
picnic areas throughout Yellowstone. All are
16:49
equipped with some sort of dining area. You know,
16:53
might be a picnic table, might just be a cool
16:55
spot to park your car. Some of them have pit
16:57
toilets. So with proper planning, you're going
16:59
to be ready for a full day of adventure without
17:01
having to worry about where to find lunch. Every
17:05
year around this time, visitors are surprised
17:07
by how few dining options remain open. So expect
17:10
that there may be no food service available anywhere.
17:13
And when you do happen to find a meal at Old
17:15
Faithful Canyon or Mammoth, you'll be pleasantly
17:17
surprised and it's like an extra treat. My random
17:20
Yellowstone tidbit of the week. If you spend
17:23
any time in Yellowstone, especially hanging around
17:25
places like Lamar Valley or Hayden, you've probably
17:28
heard people tossing around names or pullouts
17:30
and landmarks that don't show up on any official
17:33
park map. That's where the Yellowstone Spotter
17:36
app Short for Sites and Panoramas Observed Traveling
17:41
Roads, supposedly. This is what I found researching
17:43
this. That's where this app comes in. It's the
17:46
Yellowstone SPOTR, Yellowstone Spotter. It's
17:50
basically your insider's guide to the park's
17:53
best roadside wildlife watching spots, as well
17:55
as just getting those names to a location. The
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app maps out tons of popular pullouts across
18:02
Yellowstone, places like the Northern Range,
18:04
Dunraven Pass, Hayden Valley, and Yellowstone
18:06
Lake. You can tap on a pullout, and it shows
18:09
you what you can see from there, complete with
18:11
photos, panoramic views, and even notes about
18:14
which mountains, valleys, and other features
18:16
you're looking at. It's the kind of information
18:18
that usually takes years of visiting the park
18:20
and then eavesdropping on people like me to learn.
18:24
One feature I love about this app is it does
18:26
work offline, so that's really nice. Once you've
18:29
downloaded the content, you don't need cell service,
18:31
which, if you know Yellowstone, pretty much nonexistent.
18:35
You can open the map, hit a spot me button to
18:38
see where you are, and then scroll through pullouts
18:40
nearby. You can search by name or coordinates
18:43
if you're trying to track down a particular viewpoint
18:45
you heard someone mention. Spotter also connects
18:48
with another app called Yellowstone Wolves. Haven't
18:51
used that one, can't tell you if it's any good,
18:53
but the Yellowstone Wolves one supposedly helps
18:55
you figure out which wolf packs are visible from
18:57
certain areas. That's if you're looking for the
19:00
Junction Butte or Rescue Creek packs, and it's
19:02
pretty awesome to have in your pocket. Again,
19:04
I haven't used that one, can't speak to it. but
19:08
as I was researching this, I found that out and
19:10
wanted to share it with you. There are a few
19:12
other things to keep in mind when you're using
19:14
that Yellowstone Spotter app. A lot of the names
19:17
used in the app aren't official. They're part
19:19
of a local lingo that long -time watchers use,
19:22
so you're not going to find these places on any
19:24
maps or signs. The app also focuses on certain
19:27
areas known for wildlife, so it doesn't cover
19:29
every road or trail in the park. And if it's
19:32
your first time using it, the sheer number of
19:35
pullouts the pullouts and site names can be a
19:37
little overwhelming. But if you play around with
19:40
it, especially when you're in the park and you're
19:42
just waiting for things to show up, it starts
19:44
to make a lot more sense. So the Ellison Spotter
19:47
app is a good tool to use if you start eavesdropping
19:51
on the quote unquote serious wildlife watchers
19:54
and are curious about what they're talking about.
19:57
Whether you're hoping to see wolves, grizzlies,
19:58
or just want to know what everyone's staring
20:00
at through their spotting scopes, this app really
20:03
gives you Good baseline of knowledge that is
20:08
way beyond what you're gonna get it's kind of
20:10
like having a local guide in your pocket But
20:12
you know minus all of the other knowledge that
20:15
us guides have in the park I do want to make
20:19
this clear. I am not getting paid. I am not sponsored
20:22
by Yellowstone Spotter. It's just an app I've
20:24
been using. And as my parents are visiting this
20:27
week, I was telling them kind of like, oh, out
20:30
by trash can or out by Dorothy's, there's been
20:32
some wolves and they don't know what that is.
20:35
They've been coming to the park their whole lives,
20:38
basically older, longer than me. They took me
20:41
to the park for the first time in the 80s and
20:43
come. every single year to the park. So when
20:47
they don't know those names, you know that these
20:50
are really like insider names. This is a free
20:53
app. Again, I'm not sponsored or paid for it.
20:56
If it's terrible and we find out that I shouldn't
20:58
have recommended it, I'm sorry. But it's a useful
21:02
thing when you're eavesdropping and you hear
21:03
people talk about certain areas. It gives you
21:06
a better idea. Plus, there's some cool pictures
21:08
of the pullout so then you can start getting
21:11
to know the angles of the park a little better.
21:13
So check it out Yellowstone spotter Yellowstone
21:17
S P O T R The weather for the coming week Alright,
21:24
I am recording this a day earlier So normally
21:28
I record this on a little behind the scenes here
21:30
normally record this Wednesday afternoon or evening
21:33
after the Latest weather forecast is dropped
21:36
today. I'm recording this Tuesday evening and
21:40
so The weather forecast should be decent, especially
21:44
through the weekend, but after that I can't guarantee
21:48
its accuracy. If you need anything, reach out
21:50
to me. Happy to share weather forecasts. So on
21:53
Thursday, look for Lamar Valley. High of 68,
21:56
low of 38, 2 % chance of rain. Friday, high of
21:59
64, low of 42, 42 % chance of rain. Saturday,
22:04
high of 55, low of 29, 66 % chance of snow showers.
22:09
Sunday? Cold. High of 37, low of 24, 56 % chance
22:15
of snow, but that could be up to about an inch.
22:19
Currently. Monday, high of 44, low of 27, 21
22:23
% chance of rain. Tuesday, high of 49, low of
22:26
29, 45 % chance of rain or snow showers. Wednesday,
22:30
high of 47, low of 28, 43 % chance of rain or
22:34
snow showers. Gardener, Montana. Thursday, high
22:38
of 72, low of 40, 2 % chance of rain. Friday,
22:42
high of 67, low of 44, 54 % chance of rain, largely
22:46
in the evening. Saturday, high of 58, low of
22:50
31, 61 % chance of rain. Could be over a quarter
22:54
of an inch. Sunday, high of 41, low of 25, 56
22:58
% chance of snow showers right now. Monday, high
23:02
of 46, low of 29, 32 % chance of snow showers.
23:07
Tuesday, high of 51, low of 30, 41 % chance of
23:11
rain or snow. And Wednesday, high of 50, low
23:14
of 30, 35 % chance of rain or snow. West Yellowstone,
23:18
Montana. Thursday, high of 68, low of 36, 4 %
23:22
chance of rain. Friday, high of 64, low of 41,
23:27
68 % chance of rain. Saturday, high of 52, low
23:32
of 26, There's a 68 % chance of precipitation,
23:35
and currently it says 1 inch of snow. On Sunday,
23:39
a high of 38, a low of 22, a 63 % chance of snow.
23:45
Monday, high of 45, low of 26, 42 % chance of
23:49
rain or snow. Tuesday, high of 48, low of 26,
23:53
44 % chance of rain or snow. And Wednesday, high
23:56
of 48, low of 25, 43 % chance of rain or snow.
24:01
For those few of you that are coming from Cody,
24:04
Thursday high of 73, low of 46 in Cody. Friday
24:08
high of 70, low of 51. Saturday high of 71, low
24:12
of 42 with a 40 % chance of rain. Sunday high
24:15
of 51, low of 33 with a 15 % chance of rain.
24:19
Monday high of 46, low of 34, 4 % chance of rain.
24:24
Tuesday high of 52, low of 38, 22 % chance of
24:27
rain. And Wednesday high of 55, Low of 39, 14
24:31
% chance of rain. And because it's that time
24:34
of the year, the weather for Cook City, Montana.
24:37
Thursday, high of 63, low of 41. Friday, high
24:41
of 61, low of 43, 43 % chance of rain. Saturday,
24:47
high of 53, low of 28, 71 % chance of rain. Sunday,
24:52
high of 34, low of 23, 73 % chance of two inches
24:57
of snow. Monday, high of 40, low of 28, 21 %
25:02
chance of rain. Tuesday, high of 46, low of 30,
25:06
45 % chance of rain or snow. And Wednesday, high
25:10
of 45, low of 29, 44 % chance of rain or snow.
25:15
The road conditions. Right now, all major roads
25:19
and most side roads are open right now in and
25:21
around Yellowstone National Park. This includes
25:23
Dunraven Pass. However, at the time of this recording,
25:27
the Beartooth Highway is still currently closed
25:29
because it got a foot of snow over the weekend.
25:33
With snowfall this coming weekend and coming
25:35
week, this is going to cause more road closures
25:38
more than likely and with limited staff to potentially
25:41
clear roads. If it's needed to be cleared, they
25:45
may remain closed for a few days, similar to
25:47
last week. We kind of just don't know. So. expect
25:52
closed roads if it's going to be snowing. If
25:56
it's not snowing, then it's not going to be closed
25:58
roads, right? Simple. However, that can be very
26:01
complicated. So the best way to get up -to -date
26:04
information for the roads is to call 307 -344
26:09
-2117 for recorded information, or you can sign
26:13
up to receive Yellowstone road alerts on your
26:15
cell phone by texting 82190 to the number 888
26:23
-777. This is something I highly recommend doing.
26:27
Sign up for those text alerts. I get text alerts
26:29
all the time. Each time a road is closed for
26:32
an accident or for snowstorms or for anything,
26:35
I get an alert on my phone immediately when it's
26:37
announced. Visiting the park right now and not
26:40
having that level of communication when you're
26:42
staying outside the park is not a smart idea.
26:46
Sign up for these text alerts or call that number
26:48
every day to know what the road conditions are
26:51
so that way your plans can be made correctly.
26:56
Camping Information By the end of the week, the
26:59
only campgrounds in the park that will be open
27:01
are Madison, which closes on the 19th, and Mammoth,
27:04
which is open year round. Fishing Bridge RV Park
27:07
is closing on the 12th, and Slough Creek closes
27:10
on the 13th, as does Lewis Lake. The Wildlife
27:14
Watching Update Alright, so this week, if you're
27:19
headed into the park, very similar to last week.
27:21
The snow and rain showers will really reduce
27:25
a lot of people visiting the park, but that doesn't
27:27
make the wildlife any less active. In fact, it
27:30
will potentially kick most of the animals into
27:33
high gear to really find food. This week... Bear
27:37
sightings have been good in Hayden. Bear sightings
27:39
have been good out of the east entrance. I've
27:43
heard of people seeing a bear recently, like
27:45
a week and a half ago, out by Grand Prismatic
27:48
Hot Springs. I saw multiple bears last time I
27:52
was in the park, as I always do. I have gotten
27:56
reports about bears basically on multiple corners
28:01
from Mammoth all the way to Cook City. I will
28:05
I will say that just look for bears, especially
28:07
early in the morning in the evening. But again,
28:10
if there's a food source, those bears are just
28:12
chowing down all day. If you also head up to
28:15
Tom Miner, probably going to see some there.
28:18
Moose are starting to be seen more towards Cook
28:20
City. I've heard of numerous moose being seen
28:23
out, especially from like Soda Butte Creek. To
28:27
cook city itself. There's been some moose out
28:29
there. There have been some foxes out that way
28:32
Haven't really heard about any moose down in
28:34
the interior too much. There's a lot of elk down
28:37
by fishing bridge area I've heard there's a lot
28:40
of elk by mammoth. There's a lot especially by
28:44
Gardner and out on that drive to Old deal the
28:48
Yellowstone Road that I mentioned and they're
28:50
spread out throughout bison really congregating
28:52
well in Lamar last time I was in Hayden saw like
28:57
three bison so they're not really there they're
29:01
probably in that middle ground between the geyser
29:04
basin and out by Hayden so if you drive each
29:09
of those roads You'll probably see some bison
29:11
that way elk are also along the Madison right
29:13
now that elk rut is still happening Kind of winding
29:16
down though. It's kind of getting more quiet.
29:19
So especially because hunting season starting
29:22
That means the elk rut is basically over so know
29:26
that wolves few wolves have been spotted out
29:30
by between mammoth and And the tower junction
29:35
There is like an a nature trail area out there
29:40
right as soon as you go up a big s curve from
29:42
mammoth You go past, you know Blacktail ponds
29:46
and then you drive through and you'd go as big
29:49
s curve to get to the blacktail Plateau Road
29:52
right before the blacktail Plateau Road There's
29:54
a pull -off people been seeing wolves out that
29:56
way way off in the distance Also wolves have
29:58
been pretty active out in Lamar Slough Creek
30:00
area Haven't heard much about Hayden for wolf
30:04
sightings. So, you know, they might be there.
30:07
Just no one's talking about it. It's a little
30:09
harder to get information right now. But if you
30:12
really want to see wildlife again, you just have
30:14
to really put in the miles and look for cars.
30:17
Next week, I'm going to be talking about what
30:18
to do when there's no cars around and how to
30:20
spot wildlife that way. Right now, there's enough
30:22
people in the park that if there's something
30:24
there should be able to see it again. You know,
30:28
it's it's a crapshoot this time of the year.
30:30
If you are lucky, you're lucky. If you're not,
30:33
you're just not. But it's still a day in Yellowstone.
30:36
I will be recommending a few other wildlife resources
30:40
later in the winter for people to start signing
30:44
up for. But until then, I highly suggest picking
30:47
up a Wildlife Watching Guidebook that I've written.
30:50
You can get an ebook copy for $10. It's a great
30:52
way to say, hey, I like your podcast and also
30:54
fantastic way to kind of know historic locations
30:57
of the best places to see each of the animals
30:59
you want to see. Again, to summarize, your best
31:02
wildlife watching is going to be from Mammoth
31:04
out to Cook City, then Cook City back to Tower
31:07
Junction, and then kind of just drive down through
31:10
Hayden and out the east entrance. That, if you
31:13
did that, I would be surprised if you didn't
31:15
see at least a bear, and if you're out in the
31:18
Slough Creek, Lamar Valley area. could potentially
31:20
see some wolves just know that wolf sightings
31:23
are still pretty popular there's still tour groups
31:25
going out and those pullouts get very crowded
31:28
if there's good wolf sightings so get there early
31:31
and good luck trail alerts and updates the turbid
31:37
lake trail as of time of recording is still closed
31:40
and for those of you hoping to do the yellowstone
31:42
river overlook i said it last week but just know
31:44
the yellowstone river picnic area and the specimen
31:46
ridge west trailhead are closed You're more than
31:49
happy to hike it. Just park at a further along
31:52
pullout and then walk to the trail. All the information
31:56
on trail conditions can usually be found on the
31:58
backcountry conditions page of Yellowstone National
32:00
Park. However, with the government shutdown,
32:02
this is no longer updated. But you can still
32:06
check it and kind of see what was going on and
32:09
have an idea. That leads us to the trail of the
32:13
week. This week I am once again suggesting you
32:16
take the time to hike the Grand Prismatic Overlook,
32:19
Fairy Falls, and Imperial Geyser route. I recommended
32:21
this hike at the end of May and I'm doing so
32:24
again because you only have a few more weeks
32:25
to do it before the interior of the park is closed
32:28
and Honestly, this is a great time. That early
32:32
morning freeze has ice crystals and horror frost
32:35
everywhere. It's so pretty. Like I cannot stress
32:39
this enough. Get there super early in the morning
32:41
and hike this because all of that steam freezes
32:44
and it's so cool. So know that there is a much
32:48
longer route than the one I'm going to be describing.
32:50
That's 13 miles long and takes you to even more
32:53
remote corners of the region. But Right now I'm
32:55
talking about the shorter trek. If you do want
32:57
information on that long one, shoot me a message.
33:00
Or better yet, book a hiking tour or pick up
33:02
my guidebook. So the classic hike I'm talking
33:05
about this week crosses the Firehole River Bridge
33:08
and follows the historic Fountain Freight Road,
33:11
which was once known as National Park Avenue,
33:13
which traces the southern end of Midway Geyser
33:15
Basin. Almost immediately, if you take a look
33:18
to your right, one of Yellowstone's crown jewels
33:21
is sitting there, Grand Prismatic Hot Springs.
33:24
Now before I jump into the description of the
33:26
hike, I want to say a few things. This time of
33:29
the year, I suggest hiking straight to Imperial
33:31
Geyser Basin, then taking in the sights on the
33:34
way back. Doing so, especially on a cold morning,
33:38
can have you walking through those icy wonderland
33:41
places that I was talking about, and it's truly
33:46
stunning and worth waking up. Like I've said
33:48
this twice, so I'm serious. Also, please know
33:51
that despite the popularity of this trail, Wildlife
33:53
sightings are very common. Just last week, a
33:56
grizzly ran in front of dozens of people near
33:58
the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail. Now with
34:00
that knowledge, jumping into the trail description.
34:03
At around the one mile mark from crossing that
34:06
bridge, the trail veers left off of the old road
34:08
and onto a really nice maintained trail. This
34:12
area is a place that tells a dramatic story of
34:16
renewal. The area was ravaged. by the 1988 fires,
34:21
which transformed the dense aging lodgepole pine
34:24
into a rejuvenated landscape. The fire opened
34:27
up the canopy and allowed sunlight to revive
34:29
grasses, wildflowers, and a burst of new life.
34:33
As you stroll, keep an ear out for the rustle
34:36
of animals. I have seen moose here, I've seen
34:39
obviously squirrels and little things like that,
34:40
but also bear. So be alert. As you continue on
34:45
the trail, at about 2 .5 miles from the trailhead,
34:48
you're going to start hearing the sound of tumbling
34:50
water, and that is Fairy Falls. And that's water
34:53
from Fairy Creek, which is cascading nearly 200
34:56
feet off the Madison Plateau into this beautiful
34:59
pool down below. It was named in the 1871 Hayden
35:02
Survey, if you really want to know, and it's
35:04
kind of that picture -perfect spot to enjoy some
35:07
fall colors, see a waterfall. but as I said enjoy
35:10
it on your way back especially if it's cold out
35:13
try and get to imperial geyser basin because
35:16
it's just a half mile further and to reach this
35:19
you just follow sometimes swampy sometimes muddy
35:21
trail away from the falls and creek this trail
35:25
leads to imperial falls and in the 1920s it's
35:29
powerful 80 foot eruptions from a hundred foot
35:31
crater captivated visitors even inspiring a naming
35:34
contest although imperial geyser now simmers
35:39
and just kind of spurts constantly. It also still
35:43
shoots water six feet up in the air. So, you
35:45
know, it's not just amazing, but it's still really
35:49
cool. For those feeling adventurous, really consider
35:52
hiking the steep trail that ascends from the
35:54
base of Imperial Geyser. And although the climb
35:57
can be challenging, that footing is pretty rotten,
36:00
very loose dirt. You are rewarded with a spectacular
36:03
bird's eye view of Imperial. and if you continue
36:07
on a breathtaking overlook of fairy falls and
36:09
the entire geyser basin it is stunning well worth
36:13
it check it out there's also a modest lake that
36:17
comes into view and it's fine um you know it's
36:20
very pretty but like compared to the other things
36:22
you see the little lake is is fine Once you've
36:26
gotten everything from maybe that higher overlook,
36:28
or maybe just hanging out on a log next to Imperial
36:32
Geyser, head back the way you came, enjoy the
36:35
falls, and then hike up to the Grand Prismatic
36:36
Overlook for the final stop on your trek. The
36:39
hike offers everything you need. You get a front
36:41
row seat to Yellowstone's dramatic contrast from
36:44
the boiling colorful springs and steaming overlooks,
36:47
to a fire -forged forest reborn with life, and
36:50
a great waterfall. Every twist and turn of this
36:54
trail reveals another chapter in the landscape
36:57
of the park and it is really this like wedding
37:01
your appetite to pursue further adventures in
37:04
the park. I like this because it's not very hard
37:08
but it's hard enough and then you really start
37:11
to get a taste and hopefully a desire to go further
37:15
and hopefully more to do so with a guide. Not
37:18
to plug my own business, but I have some openings
37:21
coming up, so feel free to reach out. Love to
37:23
take you out. Total distance on the trail I just
37:26
described, it's about seven, seven and a half
37:28
miles, with about 400 feet of elevation gain,
37:31
unless you climb up that big hill and then you're
37:32
looking about 600 feet. All right, that is my
37:36
episode for the week. In next week's episode,
37:39
I'm obviously returning with all the information
37:41
you get every week during this. That's wildlife,
37:45
weather, trail updates, anything else I can possibly
37:48
think of. Now I do want to say for those of you
37:51
who have been listening the whole time if you
37:53
have a question you want answered on the podcast
37:55
message me. I really want to answer some questions
37:58
from you all and I appreciate the emails but
38:01
you know if you have something that you're like
38:02
hey this would be really cool for everybody to
38:04
know about reach out to me happy to share. Until
38:07
next week take care of yourself enjoy the park
38:10
and happy trails. This week in Yellowstone is
38:23
brought to you by the Outdoor Society because
38:25
that's my company and that's where this is hosted.
38:28
There are no sponsors. This is a labor of love,
38:31
so thank you all for listening. Copyright 2025,
38:35
baby!