Latest / This Week in Yellowstone National Park / This Week in Yellowstone: October 29th to November 4th, 2026

Transcript

This Week in Yellowstone: October 29th to November 4th, 2026 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park, where the only
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road open to drive starting on November 1st will
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be between the North and Northeast entrances.
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This is that Scott guy you know and love with
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a brand new episode of This Week in Yellowstone.
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What's up everybody? This Week in Yellowstone
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National Park from October 29th to November 4th,
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2026. We're already in November. This is crazy.
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I'll let you know about the road closures. give
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you some tips about how to enjoy the last open
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days of the interior of the park, and let you
0:40
know why the roads are closing in the park despite
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there being no snow. I'll also give you the complete
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weather forecast, a really cool trail to hike,
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the wildlife report, and everything else you
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need to have an incredible time this week in
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Yellowstone. Real quick, as always my disclaimer,
0:56
I'm going to miss a few details here and there,
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that's just the nature of this podcast. If you
1:01
have any more questions about something I'm talking
1:02
about or you notice a huge glare in the air,
1:05
reach out to me, happy to correct something in
1:07
later episodes. Also, please know that I mention
1:09
park locations very casually, so if you're unfamiliar
1:12
with some place I'm talking about, a quick search
1:15
online can help, or again, reach out to me directly,
1:17
very happy to help. You can email me at theoutdoorsocietyatgmail
1:21
.com or you can shoot me a text at 406... Also,
1:28
please know that this podcast is a passion project
1:30
of mine. I'm not paid. I'm not sponsored. I do
1:33
it out of love and I do it out of the hope that
1:36
this helps you have an amazing time when you're
1:38
visiting the park. If you enjoy this podcast,
1:41
I'd love a review on whatever app you listen
1:43
to it or just shoot me a quick email or a text
1:46
at the email or text I just mentioned. If you
1:49
want to support my work more you can pick up
1:50
a wildlife watching guidebook or a hiking guidebook
1:53
that I wrote or you can actually come to the
1:55
park and join me for a guided hiking tour in
1:57
Yellowstone's backcountry. I'll be offering those
2:00
all next year so book a tour for 2027 guaranteed
2:03
to have a time of hiking with me. I can't promise
2:07
anything else than that but generally we have
2:09
a great time you learn a lot about the park and
2:11
then I tell you everything you need to know to
2:13
continue to have an incredible visit. If you
2:16
like this podcast, I can almost guarantee that
2:18
you'll love hiking with me. So if you need more
2:20
information on that, you can go to outdoor -society
2:22
.com or you can contact me directly, text me
2:25
at 406 -589 -1873 or shoot me an email at theoutdoorsocietyatgmail
2:31
.com. This week's Yellowstone News. So the main
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news story this week is that Interior Roads are
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going to be closing on November 1st. You can
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drive the interior roads on the 31st, have a
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spooky Halloween in the interior of the park,
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and then November 1st, you cannot enter the interior
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of the park. That means you cannot get into the
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park from West Yellowstone, from Cody, or from
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Grand Teton, or anywhere like that unless you
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drive all the way around. I'm going to be talking
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about that a little more later, but that's the
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biggest news right now. Everything shuts down
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in the interior. Also know that A lot of the
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businesses in those towns that are not necessarily
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going to be Gardner, Cook City or Silvergate
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will also have dramatically reduced hours or
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be closed. Most businesses, restaurants, things
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like that shouldn't say most a lot. Also, even
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in Gardner, Cook City and Silvergate, there will
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be a lot closed right now. This is theoretically
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shoulder season. November is the least visited
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month in the park because it has the least amount
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of access. So. Don't expect a lot when you're
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visiting as far as amenities go but next week
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I'm going to tell you all about why November
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is one of my favorite months in the park so listen
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to that. I will talk about a little this week
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just in case you are you know going to be in
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the park and I want to have a benefit for you
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but interior roads are going to be closed on
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November 1st. The other bit of news is we had
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some snow in the park they closed some roads
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for a little bit the roads are back open. other
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than that you know enjoy and yeah let's jump
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into the experience of the week my experience
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of the week is a simple one it is to enjoy the
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last days of the interior i was going to write
4:17
something here and then i decided that i just
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wanted to talk about why i enjoy the interior
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of the park so much on those final days every
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year on either the 30th or the 31st, I drive
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down and I have my last interior day of the year
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in the park. And it's this magical time where
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I barely see anybody. I see animals sometimes.
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Sometimes I don't see anything, but I always
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get to wander these places and know that for
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the next little bit, nobody is going there. Sure,
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in the winter, people go to Old Faithful and
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go to Canyon and walk Norris, but for the most
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part people don't go to anywhere else in the
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winter there's all of these spots that when you're
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there on that last day you're the last person
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there until employees start coming back to get
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ready for work in the spring and then they go
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to all the places before the park opens which
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good for them that's awesome they need to have
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those experiences but there's something truly
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special about knowing that you get to enjoy this
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one last time before everything really transitions
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to winter I usually enter the park at this time
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through Gardiner, drop in through Mammoth, and
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then head straight down through Swan Lake Flats,
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over to Canyon, down through Hayden, out toward
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the east entrance, out by the lake a bit, back
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through Hayden, then over to Norris. Maybe I'll
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dip down to the geyser basins, usually not though,
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and then I'll just wander Norris and then come
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back. While one could drive all the way around,
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you know, around the lake, go to West Thumb,
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then head over Craig Pass and drop down to Old
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Faithful and go back that way. I like to come
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back through Hayden just because of the wildlife,
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and I like to end my day by walking through the
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Norris Geyser Basin. I'm going to talk about
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that a little later, but it honestly doesn't
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matter what you do. It just matters that you're
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out doing something. These last days that the
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interior is open are your last opportunity to
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see the really cool sites that are inaccessible
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the rest of the year. One thing I highly recommend
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doing, even if it's out of your way, drive to
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Canyon and go to like the brink of the lower
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falls. Go to Red Rock Point. You might be the
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last person to do that for the year. Those aren't
6:32
accessible in the winter. Those are only accessible
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once the snow melts. So you can walk down there
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and generally you're gonna have it to yourself.
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One thing that is absolutely spectacular is Aim
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for a spot this time of the year on the 31st
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if you're there in the interior. Catch the sunset
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and then know that you're the last person to
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see this in the daylight until the winter or
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the spring depending where you go. It's a special
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moment. It's very contemplative. It's kind of
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surreal because I've gone to Artist Point at
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the south rim of the canyon and you stand there
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and there's nobody there. There's no other car
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in the parking lot. You watch the sun go down
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in the distance. You might hear an elk bugle.
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On the way out you might see a bison or even
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a bear. And then you drive back in the darkness
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and you know that you just had a very full day.
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And then in the morning you wake up. The gates
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are closed. and what you did that day is no longer
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possible. It's a special and also sad moment.
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There are people that are going to show up on
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Saturday, have a great day, want to do that again
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on Sunday, on November 1st, and then not have
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that opportunity. If you're staying in West Yellowstone,
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you're going to struggle. I'm going to talk about
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that in a little bit, but that's Saturday, the
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Friday and Saturday coming up. These are the
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days where you can just make the most of the
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interior. All of those hiking trails, going to
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Ferry Falls, going to Imperial Geyser Basin,
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even walking the mud pots. Anything like that.
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Lone Star Geyser Basin. Anything like that. Go
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do it. Follow what calls to you on that day because
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it's the last time. Yes, if you haven't been
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to the park and those are your only days, go
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see the big things. but still allow a little
8:16
bit of that uniqueness of having everything closed
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take over your decision making even if it's for
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an hour. Obviously I mentioned that things will
8:25
be closing in the outside of the park a lot of
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things most things are closed inside the park
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don't expect to find any food available in the
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park except for in Mammoth and even then that
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is limited so if you're driving in and you're
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like I want to have lunch at Canyon or I want
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to have lunch at Fishing Bridge or someplace
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like that don't count on it Everything is closed
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or will be closing on the 31st. There's very
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little open right now. I will tell you what's
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open right now, actually. So everything is closed
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except for a lot of stuff in Mammoth. And then
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on the 31st, the Canyon gas station and store
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closes. The Canyon visitor education center closes.
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The West Yellowstone National Park Service desk
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closes. the old faithful snow lodge geyser grill
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closes the old faithful snow lodge gift shop
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is closing the old faithful visitor education
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center is closing and the old faithful park store
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is closing that's what closes on the 31st anything
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else in the interior that i didn't just mention
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is already closed so just know that you know
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get a lunch get breakfast even prepare a dinner
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and i know that's not what anybody really wants
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to hear but you may need to have sandwiches for
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dinner snacks for dinner if you miss your window
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of opportunity for these restaurants in the gateway
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towns not everything is open and then not everything
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is going to be open that late luckily sunrise
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and sunset isn't that late so you should be able
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to get back in time but always have a plan in
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case everything is closed it's happened to me
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i live here and i sometimes forget that's why
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i want to mention it With the last day being
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a Saturday, it is going to be a little more crowded
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than typical last days when they fall in the
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middle of the week. But if you've visited the
10:08
park in the summer and you know how busy it is,
10:10
or you're even here in September when September
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was busier than August, then you know like, oh
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things are very crowded. It's not going to be
10:17
that level of crowded. This is also a time when
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most locals will come to the park. It's a lot
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less tourists and probably more locals. You're
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going to see a lot more Montana, Idaho and Wyoming
10:27
plates than you do in the summer for sure. And
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that's generally because we all celebrate this
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last day as best we can. We all have our spots
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we love to go to. And that's why if you are visiting
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the park right now, find a special spot and enjoy
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it. I talk about it a lot if you're a frequent
10:44
listener of this, of finding picnic areas. Picnic
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areas are underrated in the park. There are some
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picnic areas that are fine, but there's also
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ones that are amazing. Even if you don't think
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they're great in the parking area, you can follow
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little boot paths and go see some really cool
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things, especially in that Norris to Mammoth
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section. Or if you just want to be along the
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Firehole River or the Given River or something
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like that, there's some really awesome spots.
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Really check out those picnic areas. I cannot
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stress that enough. That's a good moment to have.
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And sometimes you'll be there and you'll see
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wildlife that no one else gets to see. Wildlife
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wise, I will talk about wildlife a lot more in
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the wildlife report, but this is a good time
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to see some elk, bears at the very end of the
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year, and then also you're going to see your
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bison, you're going to see your pronghorn leaving,
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you might see some eagles, people have seen otters.
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It's just a good time to go out. Just know that
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if you are going out, and I'll hit this more
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in the wildlife report probably, there might
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not be a crowd. You might have to stop and scan
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and then you get to see something for the first
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time without anybody else's help. Have binoculars,
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all of that. Again, gonna go into that more.
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Make sure you hike as well. I know even if you're
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not a hiker, then it's hard to say like, oh,
12:01
I'm gonna go outside. It might be chilly, it
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might be windy, it might be snowy or rainy. Do
12:05
a short boardwalk path. Do something outside.
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Smell that sulfur a little bit. Enjoy that fresh
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air because again, that's the last... bit of
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the interior you're going to get. This is honestly
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kind of a sad time because I love the interior.
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I know I preach about the northern range, the
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north entrance and all of that being my favorite
12:27
place and it is, but the interior of the park
12:29
is what really makes the park the park for most
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visitors. You have your canyon, you have your
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geyser basins, you have everything you want,
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you have your Hayden valleys and your lake and
12:39
you have all of these things that are so gorgeous
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and this is that time where I don't get to see
12:45
it again until March or April and that's really
12:50
sad and so that's one reason why I always go
12:53
down. It's one last adventure, one last sight
12:57
before I don't get to see them again and I know
13:00
sometime might be the last time I get to go down
13:03
there in the fall before it closes and then I
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may never see them again. This might be your
13:08
only trip to the park or you, you know, may never
13:11
return. So enjoy it as best you can. Do everything
13:14
you can and know that starting November 1st,
13:18
that interior is off limits. You can't drive
13:21
in there and so you're going to be hanging out
13:23
in the Northern Range where I love and I will
13:26
be talking about that for the next months. So
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if you're coming in a couple weeks, there's amazing
13:31
things to do too. But right now, go to the interior
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and then you can go to the Northern Range later.
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My tip of the week what to do once the roads
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close I'll be doing a bigger deep dive on next
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week's episode about this But since this episode
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covers four days when only the northern range
13:51
is open I wanted to give some quick tips in case
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you're one of the few in the park that gets kind
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of locked out of the interior The first thing
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to know is that once interior roads close staying
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in West Yellowstone Cody or Jackson will not
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be good if you want to see Yellowstone. Your
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only access points at this time will be Cook
14:11
City or Gardner. To get to Gardner from West
14:15
Yellowstone, it's roughly a three hour drive
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one way. Cody to Cook City via Chief Joseph Memorial
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Highway is two hours one way. Jackson to Gardner
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is nearly six hours one way, while Jackson to
14:29
Cody is five hours one way. If you're staying
14:32
near those closed entrances once the interior
14:35
roads close, You don't have much of an option
14:37
to visit the actual park without a very long
14:40
drive. If you need something awesome to do near
14:44
your base camp, reach out to me and I'll recommend
14:47
some stuff to help out. There's some really cool
14:49
things outside the park. Yes, it's not Yellowstone,
14:51
but there's some really cool things to see. So
14:54
reach out to me. Happy to help. The Outdoor Society
14:56
at gmail .com or text 406 -589 -1873. If you
15:02
are staying near Gardiner Cook City, you're in
15:04
luck. The road between the two areas is open
15:07
year round and it's full of really awesome adventures
15:09
and wildlife sightings. Really some of my favorites
15:12
as I always mention. Just so you know the only
15:15
thermal region you can drive to in the park once
15:17
the interior roads are closed is Mammoth. I know
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I'm repeating myself here but as of November
15:23
1st all interior roads are closed. Every November
15:28
I get messages from people saying that they're
15:31
in West Yellowstone. How can they go see Grand
15:33
Prismatic, the Grand Canyon, or Old Faithful
15:36
in November? Even people staying in Gardiner
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will ask those questions and sadly you can't
15:41
get to those. Your only option is the Northern
15:43
Range on November 1st. So what can you do in
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the Northern Range on November 1st? You can go
15:50
to Lamar Valley. You can see waterfalls. You
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get to wander around mammoth you get to see elk
15:57
herds and pronghorn outside the park and you
16:00
get to see bison roaming around you get to see
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grizzly bears up on specimen ridge you get to
16:06
drive out toward cook city and even beyond that
16:08
because there's not much snow so that roads open
16:11
you get to see majestic mountains and cool rivers
16:14
and all of these things that are not quite that
16:17
yellowstone pace of geysers and hot springs,
16:21
but still some of the best wildlife, some of
16:24
the best wilderness, some of the best mountain
16:26
views of national parks you may ever see. I know
16:30
it sounds like hyperbole and some people don't
16:34
like the northern range. Some people also don't
16:37
like ice cream. Some people don't like sunrises
16:40
or sunsets. You just can't please everybody with
16:43
everything. Not everything is for everyone. But
16:45
if you come into the Northern Range with openness
16:49
and wanting adventure and beauty, you should
16:52
be able to find it. I will say, if you are going
16:56
to the Northern Range and you're wanting to hike,
16:59
Wraith Falls is a really popular hike. You can
17:03
skip it. I don't like talking ill of hikes. Obviously
17:08
I just said not everything needs to be for everybody
17:11
or people are allowed to have their opinions.
17:13
But if you want a better waterfall experience
17:15
than Wraith Falls, park at the Lava Creek picnic
17:18
area, walk across the bridge, and then on the
17:21
other side of the road from the picnic area and
17:23
other side of the bridge, you climb a little
17:25
tiny hill and you see a trailhead. You follow
17:28
that for a half mile and you get a stand on top
17:31
of Undine Falls that you normally can see from
17:33
a viewpoint. And then you get to walk a little
17:36
more and stand on a canyon rim and look toward
17:38
Mammoth. It's a way better experience in my opinion
17:41
and gives you a better idea of the scale and
17:44
size of Yellowstone. than the Wraith Falls Trail.
17:47
Wraith Falls is gorgeous in its own right, but
17:50
if you're wanting a really cool waterfall experience
17:53
that you can get close to, Undine Falls is where
17:59
it's at on the Lava Creek Trail. You can reach
18:01
out to me for more information on that. You can
18:04
also hike Hell Roaring, which I love doing. Even
18:06
if you just go to the first viewpoint, you don't
18:08
have to drop down to the bridge itself. If you
18:11
just hike like a quarter mile or so, You then
18:14
get to this viewpoint where you can look out
18:16
and see the Yellowstone River and look out into
18:18
the Northern Range Mountains. It's really pretty.
18:21
You don't have to go all the way down the mile
18:23
to the bridge. But once you're there, you know,
18:25
it's cool. It's not going to be super hot. So
18:28
you don't have to worry about that. And then
18:29
you can hike up and not in the heat because those
18:31
switchbacks from the bridge back to the trailhead.
18:35
Not really so fun. One thing that you can also
18:38
do hike the closed road if it's closed. to lost
18:41
lake you park down by the petrified tree and
18:43
you can walk to lost lake if that road's open
18:46
you can still walk lost lake and then you can
18:48
walk around the canyon rim these are all good
18:50
snowshoe trips as well but right now there's
18:53
not a lot of snow in the park and you can have
18:54
a really good adventure without needing good
18:57
gear so northern range should be amazing you
19:01
will have lots to do If you need more help when
19:05
you're visiting, please reach out to me. I've
19:06
given you my email and my text a bunch of times,
19:09
so I'll do it one more time at the end probably,
19:12
but until then, let's jump to my random Yellowstone
19:16
fact of the week. My random Yellowstone fact
19:19
of the week has actually been a question asked
19:21
to me via email about seven times this week,
19:24
and so I wanted to address it because it's obviously
19:27
a pressing issue, and it's in one way shape or
19:30
form. Why are the interior roads closing if there
19:34
isn't any snow? So if you search online for the
19:37
answer, you get something like, Yellowstone National
19:40
Park closes most of its interior roads in early
19:42
November, not simply because of snow, but because
19:45
the park is transitioning from its regular summer
19:48
operating hours to a much more limited winter
19:50
operation. During summer, the park supports widespread
19:54
automobile travel with more roads, visitor facilities,
19:57
lodging, and services operating throughout the
20:00
interior. As winter approaches, many of those
20:03
facilities close, visitor access becomes more
20:06
limited, and park operations shift to support
20:08
a smaller number of visitors and winter -specific
20:11
activities. Staffing and operational resources
20:15
are consequently focused on the areas and services
20:18
that remain open. The road closures allow Yellowstone
20:21
to prepare for its winter transportation system.
20:24
Most interior roads will close to regular vehicles
20:27
in November, giving the park time to prepare
20:29
for the seasonal transition to guided snowmobile
20:32
and snowcoach travel, which typically begins
20:35
mid -December. These winter vehicles provide
20:38
access to popular destinations, and that's how
20:40
people reach Old Faithful and all of that. Now
20:44
that's what the internet says. That is the very
20:47
brief, very like dry I wanted to read it verbatim,
20:51
help everybody zone out for a while on their
20:53
drive or folding laundry or whatever. But the
20:57
real answer for why are interior roads closed
20:59
if there isn't any snow is partially that, but
21:04
it's also a little more complicated and seasonal
21:06
and each year is different. So right now we are
21:09
having a very low snow year. It's been very pretty
21:12
dry here. We don't have a lot of snow and it's
21:14
been this way for a couple decades in November.
21:17
However, Before that, November, we'd already
21:20
have a ton of snow on the ground. I used to come
21:21
out here for Thanksgiving when I was a kid, and
21:25
the sagebrush throughout the entire park as you
21:30
drive into Little America and out in Lamar Valley,
21:34
you couldn't see the sage. They'd be covered
21:36
in snow, and that would be on Thanksgiving. That
21:39
hasn't happened in quite a while, but that can
21:42
happen. Also, just because those gateway towns
21:46
aren't seeing a lot of snow doesn't mean the
21:48
interior isn't getting snow. Right now Dunraven
21:50
Pass got slammed, Craig Pass got slammed, Sylvan
21:54
Pass out towards the east entrance got slammed
21:56
with snow, and everywhere else just got a little
21:58
bit of a dusting. The snow accumulates very quickly
22:02
and once it starts accumulating it just means
22:05
that winter is actually happening and They're
22:08
not going to keep the road open for a few people
22:11
when the majority of visitors are already done
22:13
and park staff is dramatically reducing. Winter
22:18
staffing in the park is far less than summer
22:21
staffing, even if you're not talking about the
22:24
concessionaires and people like that. If you're
22:27
talking only the ranger staff, there's less law
22:29
enforcement needed. There's less EMTs, there's
22:33
less Rangers that are going to be needed because
22:34
there's not as many backcountry places or visitor
22:37
centers or just any infrastructure that's really
22:40
open. Because the staffing is all seasonal, or
22:43
a lot of the staffing is seasonal, those dates
22:46
are set in stone and it does not matter what
22:49
the weather is. So the weather could be sunny
22:53
and 80 and there could be no snow, but the staffing
22:55
becomes the major issue. That and everything
22:59
here can flip on a switch. It can be 80 one day
23:01
and the next day we can get 17 inches of snow.
23:04
I say that because it's happened. It can be 45
23:09
and nice and then it can be zero degrees for
23:11
six days. You don't want to put people out in
23:14
that, especially with limited resources available.
23:17
So easiest thing to do, find those dates that
23:20
are typical and shut things down. Once December
23:25
15th ish comes around then the snow coach tours
23:29
and snowmobile tours and all that picks up and
23:31
the staffing of the Lodges and the interior are
23:34
gonna pick up again and then there's a bit more
23:37
of everything right now is just kind of a break
23:41
for the park for everyone that works there for
23:44
the communities around it because We get slammed
23:48
all winter the Rangers if you've ever talked
23:51
to a Ranger if you ever get to know a Ranger
23:54
talk to them in like April or May in Yellowstone
23:57
and just ask them like how they're doing and
24:00
get to know them well and really feel them out.
24:02
And then about mid August to early September,
24:06
ask the same questions. Their tone is different.
24:09
They are fed up. They're tired. It's been a long
24:12
year. So while it's not an official reason for
24:15
closing the roads, it's mainly just due to staffing
24:17
and safety and things like that. Everyone needs
24:21
a break. This is a break. We don't have enough
24:23
staff to work out here as well. Everything tones
24:26
down. Not everything's open in the winter anyway.
24:29
So this is just the reality of what it is. It
24:31
does not matter if there's snow or not. These
24:34
are opening and closing dates and they probably
24:36
won't change for quite a while. So I understand
24:39
the frustration, especially for those of you
24:41
who messaged me and said that you booked in West
24:43
Yellowstone and you're really hoping to get into
24:46
the park next week. I am sorry that's not going
24:49
to happen, but That's just how things are and
24:52
again reach out to me I've messaged you and let
24:55
you know like a lot of cool things to do outside
24:58
the park You're still gonna have a great time.
24:59
You're still gonna see some wildlife and it's
25:02
gonna be awesome but it's just not gonna be the
25:04
Yellowstone experience you hoped for and Well,
25:07
that said Yellowstone is more than just the boundaries
25:10
and it's I have to tell myself this too because
25:13
I can't get to the interior either I guide but
25:16
I don't have a guide permit in the winter to
25:19
go into the interior i don't have a vehicle capable
25:21
of that so i don't get to do that either and
25:24
it's always a bummer but northern range is great
25:27
also all around the park has some really cool
25:29
opportunities so happy to help you there to wrap
25:32
this all up the reason the roads are closing
25:34
is because this is set in stone due to budget
25:37
due to public safety and due to staffing issues
25:40
more than anything else so until all of that
25:45
changes until we get really funded national parks,
25:49
which I don't think that's gonna happen in the
25:51
future for a while. We're not gonna see these
25:54
dates change and hopefully we don't because it's
25:57
good if we start getting winters again and we
25:59
have to easily close the roads on November 1st.
26:02
So just because there's no snow, roads are still
26:05
closed. Make the most of your trip as best you
26:08
can. The weather for the coming week. So as always,
26:12
this is the best forecast for the week. As I
26:16
can do at the time of recording, it is currently
26:18
453 on Wednesday, October 28th. So this is what
26:23
the weather forecast says. Let's start with Lamar
26:25
Valley. On Thursday, high of 49, low of 30. Friday,
26:31
54 and 33. Saturday, 50 and 33 with a 35 % chance
26:36
of some rain. Sunday, 46 and 30 with an 80 %
26:40
chance of snow. Monday, 42 and 24 24 % chance
26:45
of rain Tuesday 45 and 24 Wednesday 47 and 25
26:51
the weather for Gardner, Montana on Thursday
26:54
52 and 33 Friday 57 and 36 Saturday 53 and 37
27:01
with a 60 % chance of rain Sunday 48 and 32 with
27:06
an 82 % chance of about a third of an inch of
27:09
rain Monday 44 and 25 with a 37 percent chance
27:13
of snow mostly in the morning Tuesday 48 and
27:17
27 and Wednesday 50 and 28 in West Yellowstone
27:22
Thursday 46 and 27 Friday 50 and 30 with a chance
27:27
of rain 39 percent chance of rain Saturday 47
27:31
and 31 with an 80 percent chance about a quarter
27:34
inch of rain Sunday 43 and 26 with an 87 % chance
27:39
of 1 inch of snow, Monday 41 and 20, Tuesday
27:43
41 and 20, Wednesday 46 and 22. The weather for
27:48
Cody, Wyoming on Thursday 57 and 34, Friday 55
27:53
and 38, Saturday 60 and 40, Sunday 55 and 38
27:58
with a 61 % chance of a quarter inch of rain,
28:02
Monday 46 and 34 with a 24 % chance of rain Tuesday
28:07
53 and 36 and Wednesday 52 and 33 and Cook City
28:13
Montana Thursday 44 and 29 Friday 50 and 33 Saturday
28:19
47 and 34 with a 40 % chance of rain Sunday 45
28:25
and 30 with a 75 % chance about a half inch of
28:29
snow Monday 40 and 23 with a 40 % chance of a
28:33
quarter inch of snow. Tuesday 43 and 25 and Wednesday
28:37
45 and 27. I do want to say that this is the
28:41
last week for the year that I will be giving
28:44
the weather for West Yellowstone or Cody. I only
28:49
will be talking about in future episodes places
28:52
that you can drive. I will not be talking about
28:54
the interior at all in the podcast. I mean I
28:57
might hear in there but you know what I mean.
29:00
So Just know that from here on out for the rest
29:02
of this year until the roads reopen, I am only
29:05
going to be talking about places that you can
29:07
drive to. Sunrise and sunset times. I probably
29:11
should have talked about this a little in the
29:13
news, but I think you all know that we are falling
29:17
back time wise on Sunday. So be prepared for
29:22
that. Sunset will be an hour earlier. Sunrise
29:24
will be an hour earlier. But right now. for tomorrow
29:29
for Thursday in Lamar Valley Sunset is going
29:34
to be at 6 15 ish p .m. And sunrise is going
29:39
to be around 750 a .m. That means that next week
29:46
Sunrise will be at 6 almost 7 and sunset will
29:51
be at 5 ish. So just know that you know it's
29:55
obviously going to be a tough transition for
29:58
all of us but we do it every year we'll be fine
30:01
so if you're here and you're visiting just be
30:04
aware of that time change is going to mess with
30:07
sunrise and sunset times kind of but only because
30:10
that's what our clocks tell us so you know pay
30:13
attention to when your clock is and look at sunrise
30:15
and sunset times this is a weird time of the
30:16
year i forgot to mention it earlier so now i
30:19
made this very confusing but generally The sunrise
30:22
will be in the 6 o 'clock hour and sunset will
30:25
be in the 5 o 'clock hour. Road conditions. The
30:29
only road currently closed in the park is Dunraven
30:32
Pass from Tower to Canyon. That is showing closed
30:36
on the website. I did not get a text that they
30:39
reopened it after the snow, so I'm assuming it's
30:41
closed for the year. Other than that, all interior
30:44
roads close at the end of the day on the 31st
30:47
of October, so... That is your last chance to
30:50
drive the interior. Once those roads close, the
30:53
only road open is from the north entrance to
30:55
the northeast entrance. That is Gardner to Silvergate
30:59
and Cook City. Camping information. The only
31:02
campground in Yellowstone that is open right
31:04
now is Mammoth, and that remains open all year
31:08
long. The wildlife watching update. Right now,
31:12
wildlife watching in the park is actually really
31:14
good. this last week has been amazing bear sightings
31:17
especially out the east entrance and then in
31:20
Hayden Valley just had some friends get back
31:22
from there yesterday and there was a grizzly
31:26
on an elk carcass and then wolves came in Hayden
31:29
Valley and so definitely check that out if you're
31:33
there for the next couple of days that carcass
31:36
will be picked pretty clean probably by Saturday
31:39
but you never know I would head there I'd also
31:42
go to Lamar because out by Lamar, especially
31:45
Little America, there are now two wolf packs
31:48
kind of intermingling. I won't go too much into
31:50
detail about that. And by intermingling, I mean
31:53
testing each other's boundaries. And it could
31:55
lead to some sort of a wolf fight or who knows.
31:58
But right now there are two packs of wolves in
32:01
the same general area in that northern range.
32:04
So keep an eye out for that. Grizzlies are being
32:07
spotted decently. on some of the ridges out like
32:11
Specimen Ridge and out in Lamar. There's also
32:14
been some grizzlies out beyond Cook City I've
32:17
heard about, some moose out there as well. Also
32:20
heard about a couple fox sightings out by Trout
32:24
Lake in that area in the northern range so always
32:26
northern range is going to be good and after
32:28
Saturday's over that's your only option so everybody
32:32
wildlife watching is going to be congregating
32:34
in that section of the northern range. So right
32:37
now I'd recommend going down to Hayden, checking
32:40
out that carcass, also seeing if there's some
32:43
great graials around the canyon area and around
32:47
the lake area, and those are the lodge areas
32:49
that I'm talking about, and then also head up
32:51
that east entrance road as far as you can to
32:55
see if there's some bears out there. They've
32:57
been putting on a decent showing for the last
32:59
month or so. Other than that, bison are around.
33:02
More bison in the northern range than I've been
33:05
seeing down in Hayden. And pronghorn and elk
33:08
are around the mammoth and gardener area. And
33:13
then that's just kind of what it is right now.
33:15
Elk hunting season has happened outside the park.
33:18
So if you do drive Old Yellowstone Road north
33:21
of the park, just know that the minute you leave
33:23
the boundary, you might see some hunters out
33:24
there kind of glassing for elk that are leaving
33:27
the park. But I I saw a lot of people the other
33:31
day glassing and they didn't look like they were
33:34
very experienced because one they're right next
33:36
to a major road and that tends to tell me that
33:39
they're not like the best elk hunters out there
33:41
or they are but I don't know what I'm talking
33:44
about so it could be either way anyway wildlife
33:46
watching is good in the interior of the park
33:48
right now especially with action picking up and
33:52
even if the bears and wolves are not there you
33:55
still might see some eagles I know there's some
33:57
swans down there still there's some migratory
33:59
birds making their way through so keep an eye
34:02
out have a great time if you need more information
34:04
reach out to me oh I also have a wildlife watching
34:08
guidebook based on my entire life of visiting
34:10
the park you can pick that up ebooks are just
34:13
ten dollars paperbacks are a bit more you go
34:15
to outdoor -society .com to pick that up Picking
34:18
up a book of mine, whether you get the Wildlife
34:20
Watching Guidebook or the Hiking Guidebook, it's
34:23
a great way to support what I do, show that you're
34:25
listening and want to support what I do, and
34:28
also get like all the information or a lot of
34:30
the information in my head and have it in book
34:33
form. So if you enjoy books, I have two of them
34:36
for you, so check those out. The trail alerts
34:39
and updates section is just going to be me saying
34:42
the backcountry conditions page is no longer
34:44
updated. I'll be providing more detailed information
34:47
about trails as winter progresses. It's really
34:50
hard for me to sum up how all the trails are.
34:53
throughout the summer because there's a thousand
34:55
miles of trails and that would take an hour for
34:58
me to do every week but in the winter i can tell
35:00
you how the snow is on most trails in this section
35:03
so if you're visiting later stay tuned for that
35:05
it'll be much more detailed summer is just really
35:08
hard and that's why i recommend the backcountry
35:09
conditions page but it's no longer updated no
35:13
longer really that useful however what is useful
35:16
is carrying bear spray even now Always carry
35:19
it even in the winter. Bears are out all the
35:21
time. Have your bear spray readily accessible
35:23
and not in a backpack and know how to use it.
35:27
My trick of the week. There's been a theme to
35:30
this week and it is go to the interior and so
35:33
my trick of the week is in the interior and that
35:36
is go to Norris and artist paint pots. These
35:39
are two great areas that I love any time of the
35:41
year, but this is where I go hiking every time
35:44
this year I hit these trails up. I enjoy them.
35:48
They're simple. They're boardwalks I don't always
35:50
recommend boardwalk trails, but this week I thought
35:53
I'd dive in and tell you what I do for the last
35:56
time I visit the interior each year Walking through
36:00
Norris Geyser Basin during the last week of October
36:02
is different than visiting in the summer, obviously.
36:06
The crowds have thinned, the surrounding forests
36:08
have taken on their late autumn look, and steam
36:12
rises from the ground that you may not see on
36:15
those really warm days. It's a reminder that
36:18
Yellowstone's geothermal activity never takes
36:21
time off. With very little snow and ice on the
36:24
ground, you can wander these boardwalks relatively
36:27
easily and enjoy the thermal features without
36:30
those winter conditions that can happen getting
36:33
in the way and making things a little more dangerous.
36:36
Sometimes you'll walk these boardwalks and there's
36:38
already like a foot and a half of kind of crunchy
36:41
frozen snow and it's on top of ice and you're
36:44
sliding around. Right now might be a little slick
36:47
in a few spots, but that's only where the steam
36:49
is congregating. but that steam congregating
36:52
and forming ice is exactly why this is a great
36:55
time to go especially early in the morning or
36:57
late on a cold day. When I wander Norris at this
37:01
time of the year I always start at the back basin
37:04
where the boardwalk winds through Lodgepole Pine
37:07
and heads toward Steamboat Geyser which is the
37:11
world's tallest active geyser it can send water
37:14
more than 300 feet into the air but the eruptions
37:17
are unpredictable and you'll be incredibly lucky
37:19
if you do see it erupt however that steam is
37:22
always coming out and there's minor eruptions
37:24
and all the trees around that blast zone if it's
37:28
cold enough get covered in crystallized ice that's
37:31
really pretty A lot of this back basin has that
37:35
same sort of feature of a lot of ice just being
37:38
formed from freezing steam on trees. I absolutely
37:41
love it this time of the year. I'm not sure how
37:44
icy it's gonna be right now, but I recommend
37:47
going early in the morning, late in the evening,
37:49
and on a cold day, like I said, because there's
37:51
a chance that it can be absolutely magical. Morning's
37:54
probably better. The whole back basin is really
37:57
fun. There's a lot of cool little features. There's
38:00
just the simplicity to it. and a rhythm that
38:05
you get to experience much more differently in
38:08
the fall right before everything's closing and
38:11
there's no one else around than when there's
38:12
a hustle and bustle in the summer. It is a great
38:16
thermal basin and it's worth the popularity but
38:18
to have it mostly to yourself like honestly I
38:22
end my day with this this is where this is one
38:25
of the last things I ever see in the interior
38:27
of the park is I walk Norris then I drive Swan
38:29
Lake Flats and hit Mammoth, and that's that.
38:32
But I make sure to just take my time and enjoy
38:35
Norris, starting with that back basin. Back basin's
38:39
about a mile and a half long, and then you can
38:41
loop back and do the other side of it, which
38:45
is porcelain basin. Porcelain is much more open,
38:48
less trees, there's cool colors of turquoise,
38:52
blue, yellow, orange, and greens, and it's just
38:55
a really awesome place to wander. One thing that's
38:59
fun about Norris is that scientists have measured
39:02
temperatures of 459 degrees in the area by drilling
39:07
a hole a thousand feet below the surface, but
39:10
still 459 degrees is so hot. That wasn't me doing
39:15
a Paris Hilton reference, and I know that's a
39:16
dated reference too, but there's like three people
39:18
that might laugh at that. But Norris is really
39:21
cool, and it's one of these geyser basins that
39:25
I think people tend to overlook if you stay in
39:30
West Yellowstone. Most people who stay in West
39:33
Yellowstone don't necessarily get up to Norris
39:35
because it's not one of those major thermal areas
39:38
that you hear about down by Old Faithful. But
39:41
this has been an area with geothermal activity
39:44
dating back to, I read, 115 ,000 years. Everything's
39:49
shifting. There's still things that are here
39:51
that are changing every time you visit. It's
39:54
really cool. The back basin, like I said, mile
39:58
and a half. The porcelain basin is about three
40:00
quarters of a mile. So you're looking at a little
40:03
less than three miles just to wander around.
40:07
Obviously when you're here, stay on the paths,
40:09
but take your time. Sit down and enjoy things.
40:12
It's one of those last times to see Norris before
40:15
everything closes. After Norris, or before Norris,
40:19
I recommend visiting another thermal area. If
40:22
you're already down by Old Faithful and doing
40:23
that, obviously wander around there. But if you're
40:26
looking for something kind of close to Norris,
40:29
go to Artist Paint Pots a little bit south of
40:31
there. Its trail takes you past mud pots, colorful
40:34
hot springs, steaming vents, really cool features,
40:38
and no one really goes there this time of the
40:40
year. It's awesome. This is my favorite time
40:43
to go there. I may be there Saturday, so if I
40:47
am and you see me, say hi. know that we are enjoying
40:51
something special. It's the last few days of
40:53
the interior being open, and we're lucky to be
40:57
able to wander in such an amazing place like
40:59
Yellowstone this time of the year. That's it
41:03
for this week. In next week's episode, it's going
41:05
to be focusing on the Northern Range because
41:07
that's all that's open, and I'm going to return
41:09
with all that information you need to have a
41:11
good week in the park, including the wildlife
41:13
update, weather, trails, you know anything cool
41:17
that you need to know for your visit. If you
41:20
have any questions reach out to me 406 -589 -1873
41:24
via text or shoot me an email theoutdoorsociety
41:28
at gmail .com. Thank you all for listening please
41:31
recommend this to anybody you know that likes
41:33
Yellowstone or is planning a trip. If you are
41:35
visiting the park next year I would love to take
41:38
you on a tour message me we will make something
41:40
happen other than that again thank you for listening.
41:44
You're all the best. Sorry you had to deal with
41:46
my stuffiness, but I should be feeling better
41:49
next week. Until then, happy trails.