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This Week in Yellowstone: May 7th to May 13th, 2026 · This Week in Yellowstone National Park

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From Yellowstone National Park, where even more
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roads will open up this Friday, this is that
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Scott guy you know and love with a brand new
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episode of This Week in Yellowstone. This week
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in Yellowstone National Park from May 7th to
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May 13th, 2026, I'll tell you about a ducking
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good time by Hayden Valley, share some tips on
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how to stay safe around bison, let you know of
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a cool hike to see a hidden waterfall, and share
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some bear information. I'll also give you the
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complete weather forecast, the snowpack update,
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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. Standard disclaimer, I might miss
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a few details here and there, so please feel
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free to reach out with any questions you may
0:53
have. I also mention the park locations very
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casually, so if you're unfamiliar with any place
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I'm saying, a quick search can help, or once
1:00
again, reach out to me. Please know that this
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report only covers the drivable areas of the
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park. And finally, in this disclaimer, please
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know that this podcast is a passion project of
1:11
mine. I do not get paid, I am not sponsored,
1:14
so if you enjoy it, I'd love a review or a quick
1:17
email. If you want to support my work more, you
1:19
can check out my hiking and wildlife watching
1:21
guidebooks, or join me when you're visiting the
1:23
park for a guided hiking tour in Yellowstone's
1:26
backcountry. For more information on all of that,
1:29
visit outdoor -society .com or just contact me
1:33
directly. Cell phone number for text, 406 -589
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-1873. Again, if you're coming to the park, Consider
1:42
booking a trail tour with me. It'll be an amazing
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time All right this week's Yellowstone news,
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so there's a lot of news this week I'm not going
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to really jump into the grizzly attack too much
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if you're unaware of what I'm talking about There's
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a grizzly a suspected grizzly bear attack Near
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Old Faithful a little north out by Mystic Falls
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trail because of that attack trails are closed
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in that area. So you can't get to Mystic Falls.
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You won't be able to go to Fairy Falls. You can't
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go out to Imperial Geyser Basin or Queens Laundry
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or anything like that. There is a map of the
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closure. I will include a link to the press release
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from Yellowstone National Park about this bear
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attack. The story right now is that two people,
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a 28 year old and his 14 year old brother, were
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attacked by a bear out by Mystic Falls. We don't
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have any other information about that, nor do
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we really need it. The park is investigating
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it when they know why the bear attacked. We will
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get that information and you'll see it everywhere
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probably. I will talk about it on here once we
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really know what's going on. I don't think it's
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fair to speculate what happened for that event.
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Thankfully, it appears that both of the victims
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of the bear attack are okay. I do not know this
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for sure, so fingers crossed I am right. Again,
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I will talk about this more in detail probably
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in the next week or two once we have a lot of
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information. For now, there was a bear attack.
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Bear attacks are extremely rare in the park.
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Yes, one happened last year and one happened
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this year. However, for having like over 4 million
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people visit the park a year, very few people
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are attacked by bears. So if you're on the fence
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about whether or not you should still go to the
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park because of this, come to the park. Just
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follow all the rules and regulations. If you're
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uncomfortable hiking someplace, do not hike there.
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If you want to hike but don't feel safe, hire
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somebody like me as a guide who knows the area,
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can keep you safe in bear country, and teach
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you how to continue to be safe when you are in
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the backcountry of the park. Obviously accidents
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are always going to happen. It's very unfortunate
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and hopefully this is just a one -off and we
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continue to have a good year aside from this
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blip. Other news for the week the south entrance
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is opening that includes the area driving around
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the lake So basically after this Friday all of
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the roads except for Dunraven pass will be open
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There is another road that's opening this week
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that I'm very excited about and that's a road
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from Roosevelt up to Tower Falls That passes
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Cal site Springs. I talked about it a little
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while ago talking about the Bermuda Triangle
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This little section of road that two and a half
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miles from Roosevelt Junction up to Tower Falls
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and back, that's part of the Bermuda Triangle.
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It is a good place to see bears. Please know
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if you go up there, there may not be rangers
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up there. There may not be park staff. If there
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are bears near the road, do not get out of your
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car unless you can maintain 100 yards. That is
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an entire football field. You will see people
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getting closer than that. I'm gonna talk about
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that when it comes to bison a little later in
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this episode But don't get close to wildlife,
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please. It's not it's not safe. It's not a good
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idea You can watch them from appropriate distances
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or from inside your car and you'll be fine Again
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south entrance is opening that means you can
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drive around the lake You can drive over Craig
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Pass connecting Old Faithful to the south entrance
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Really, this is the opening that everybody's
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been waiting for. Now you can do the southern
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loop of the kind of that figure eight that everybody
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talks about a couple of weeks from now. I'm going
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to talk about why that's not the best way to
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view the park. But for now, you can drive that
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southern loop. You can kind of have a good experience
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that way. And it's a great time to visit. I will
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be in the park multiple days this coming week.
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So if you see me, say hi. Otherwise, be safe.
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Follow all posted rules. and let's get to the
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experience of the week my experience this week
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is titled a ducking good time south of Hayden
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so if you're in Yellowstone National Park and
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want to see something most people completely
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overlook it helps to slow down around the rushing
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water especially this time of year Places like
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Lehardy Rapids don't look dramatic at first glance.
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Yeah, there's a little pull off there and a quick
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little boardwalk walk, but it doesn't appear
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to be that much more than a little bit of a cascade.
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But this stretch of churning river, which is
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the Yellowstone River, is one of the best spots
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in the park to stumble across some unique birds,
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the harlequin duck. Now I know birding isn't
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for everyone. But it's a short -lived experience
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and one that, if you're in the park right now,
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is pretty cool to see. Once you notice harlequin
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ducks, they're hard to forget. The males are
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especially striking with deep blue -grey bodies,
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chestnut sides, and crisp white markings on the
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face and neck that almost look painted on. The
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females, like most bird species, are mostly understated.
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They're mostly brown with a small white patch
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near the eye, but they still stand out if you
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take a moment to scan the water. The turkey part
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is actually spotting them in the first place.
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They tend to blend into the movement of the river,
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disappearing against the foam, rocks, and shadows
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of the current. What really makes these ducks
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memorable is how they live. Harlequin ducks are
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one of the only waterfowl in North America that
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specialize in fast -moving water. choosing turbulent
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rivers and rapids over calm lakes and ponds.
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They spend their time diving into the current
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to feed on aquatic insects and other small invertebrates
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clinging to rocks below the surface. Watching
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them in action is half the experience. They paddle
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upstream against a surprisingly strong current,
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then vanish underwater and pop back up somewhere
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else entirely, completely at ease in water that
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looks far too rough for a duck. Which is why
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Lee Hardy Rapids is such a good place to look
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for them. The rapids stretch across the Yellowstone
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River just north of Yellowstone Lake, and a short
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boardwalk makes it easy to walk right up to the
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edge of the action. In spring and early summer,
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this area becomes especially lively. Harlequin
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ducks often gather here during breeding season,
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which is right now, and at the same time, Yellowstone
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cutthroat trout are pushing upstream through
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the rapids to spawn, sometimes leaping out of
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the water in bursts of energy. The whole scene
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feels active and alive, even if you're just standing
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still watching. If you want the best chance to
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see the ducks, timing helps. Early morning tends
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to be better, that's kind of the rule of thumb
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with everything. It's softer light and there's
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more wildlife movement. You'll also want to bring
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binoculars to see them since these birds are
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surprisingly easy to miss even when they're right
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in front of you. They'll be tucked into pockets
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of calmer water between the waves or just sitting
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on a rock looking like nothing. I walked out
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there once and I was like, oh, I don't see any.
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And then I took a deeper look and I saw like
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15. So definitely take some time to really look
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for them. One of the coolest things about seeing
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a Harlequin duck here, not just for the uniqueness
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of it, is that realizing how unusual this is.
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Most Harlequin ducks actually spend the majority
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of their year along rocky ocean coastlines, riding
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surf and waves along the Pacific. Yellowstone
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is one of the few inland places where they come
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to breed in fast mountain streams, which makes
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spotting one in the middle of the park feel like
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you're discovering a secret. It's kind of like
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an experience that's easy to miss if you're just
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passing through, but once you know how to look
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at it and where to look, it adds a whole new
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layer to this landscape. Now again, some of you
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may think it's just ducks. But this is an experience
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that helps show that Yellowstone isn't just about
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the large animals. There's a smaller ecosystem
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at work that's pretty cool to see, and it's exciting
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to watch. I'm going to be there this week. I
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love this. Of course, I grew up birding, so watching
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them is kind of like what I've always done. However,
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even if you're not into birding, it's still fun
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to watch them. They're like kayakers bobbing
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up and down. It's an extreme bird watching experience,
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and it's really cool to see. Also, there'll be
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some cutthroat trout. There'll be some other
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things. You might see osprey. You might see eagles
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here. Sometimes you'll see bison across the way.
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It's a really cool spot. LeHardy Rapids. Check
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it out this week. It's my experience the week.
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Like I said, I'm going to be there. I'd love
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to see other people there and enjoying it. My
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tip of the week. Staying safe around bison. Now
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yes, I probably could be talking about how to
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stay safe around bears. I'm going to be doing
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that later. I'm sticking to my schedule despite
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what the news is going on because right now bison
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are still going to be and will continue to be
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the leading cause of animal human incidents in
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Yellowstone National Park. So this week talking
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about staying safe around bison. So spending
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time around bison in Yellowstone National Park
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is one of those experiences that's like super
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iconic. You want to see bison. And the good thing
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is they're everywhere. They're massive. They're
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calm looking and often closer than you expect.
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They may be right in the road or right next to
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the road. Being closer than you expect is where
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things tend to go wrong. Now the park is nearly
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100 % open. We're days away from the first bison
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versus human encounter of the year. I almost
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guarantee it's going to happen. I would love
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to think it's not going to happen this year,
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but it pretty much always happens. So I figured
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I would give some tips on how to stay safe around
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them. So bison are responsible for more visitor
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injuries in Yellowstone than any other animal,
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and it usually comes from one simple issue. People
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underestimate them. They look like cows, they
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look slow moving, they look calm, they don't
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look like they're bothered by much, so people
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approach them. A bull bison can weigh up to 2
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,000 pounds and run up to 30 to 35 miles an hour.
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That's roughly three times faster than the average
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human. They don't look fast, and they don't look
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aggressive most of the time, which is exactly
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why people get too close. The numbers back that
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up. Yellowstone sees bison -related injuries
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every year, with incidents reported in 2023,
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2024, 2025, so far nothing in 2026, but I'm recording
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this on May 6th at 2 .40pm, so who knows. Looking
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at longer -term data, about 80 % of people who
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were injured had actively approached a bison
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beforehand, and nearly half of those injuries
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happened while someone was trying to take a picture.
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Even more telling, research shows that people
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who were charged were, on average, just 11 feet
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away. That's not a safe distance. That's well
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inside the animal's personal space. 11 feet.
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The park's rule for bison is clear. Stay at least
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25 yards away at all times. That buffer exists
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for a reason. What happens more and more is something
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called social context with these wildlife things.
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You see people standing close to bison and it
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creates a false sense that it must be safe. It
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isn't. Bison and every other animal in the park
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do not care what other people are doing. they
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care about how close you are and everything has
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a breaking point that 11 feet away that is less
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than four yards so if you think of 11 feet that
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is an extra foot on top of a basketball hoop
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that's not very far away from a bison and you're
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going to see on your trip people getting too
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close to bison chances are you might get too
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close to a bison however it's important to know
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that at all times you need to try and keep this
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25 yard buffer zone. Now there are some tips
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on what to do even if you're far enough away
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to know if you're going to be angering a bison.
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Bison do get angry pretty fast and so there's
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a way to read their behavior. One of the easiest
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signals is to watch the tail. A relaxed bison
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usually has its tail hanging down When that tail
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starts to lift, stiffen, or flick quickly, it's
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a sign that the animal is getting irritated.
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It's not subtle once you know what to look for.
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If you see that tail go straight up, or curved
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at the top, but mostly up, it's going to do one
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of two things. It's going to charge, or it's
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going to defecate. Maybe both. You also might
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see bison paw the ground, snort, or turn directly
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toward you. These are all clear warnings that
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you need to back away slowly and calmly. Even
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if you are beyond 25 yards, you see that behavior,
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move further away. A bison will run 30 to 35
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miles an hour at you. You probably won't be able
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to react in time. So always keep that distance.
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If a bison walks toward you, keep moving away.
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Now some of you are going to be hiking and there
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is a way to stay safe. around bison while hiking
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in Yellowstone, and that comes down to a mix
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of awareness, distance, and knowing how to react
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before things escalate. It's also being extremely
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vigilant and aware. The key is remembering that
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when you're hiking, you are no longer protected
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by anything. You are sharing the same space as
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the animal and they will move faster on the terrain
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than you. The most important rule, as I said
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before, is straight from the National Park Service.
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keep your distance. You need to stay at least
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25 yards that's 75 feet away from bison at all
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times. That applies on trails and meadows and
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even if the animal approaches you. I'm reiterating
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that fact because I have talked to people and
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they're like well the bison walked toward me
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so it was okay. No that is not okay. If a bison
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gets closer you are expected to move away to
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reestablish that distance. Positioning also matters
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more than most people realize when hiking. Trails
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in Yellowstone often run through prime bison
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habitat, especially in places like Hayden and
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Lamar. Bison use those same trails and meadows,
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and sometimes they're gonna be right on the path.
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Avoid getting boxed in. Give yourself an exit
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route at all times, and never put yourself between
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a bison and where it wants to go. If a herd is
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blocking a path, you gotta go clear around them.
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Sometimes that requires a detour of a mile. Sometimes
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it's less than that, but you need to be prepared
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if you're hiking to give bison a wide berth.
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Now there is something that I want to talk about
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here that will probably happen to you the more
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you hike in the park, and that is multiple bison
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spread clear around an entire field. That looks
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like you have to walk multiple, multiple miles
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away. to avoid them. And if that's the case,
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you have to do that. That's just the brakes.
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You can wait and see if they move. Chances are
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they're not moving. This happened to me out in
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Hayden Valley last year. I hiked out, saw one
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bison the whole day. It was clear, super far
17:00
out, didn't care. Got to my turn around point,
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turned around, walked back, got almost to my
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car, and there were about 150 to 200 bison spread
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out completely around. They were up in the trees
17:11
to my left, all the way out on the prairie to
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my right. What I had to do was backtrack, go
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up on the ridge above the trees, and then drop
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down. Even as I dropped down, there were some
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within 30 yards of me. They got scared of me
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crashing through the woods and then they all
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decided to run. They ran across the road in Hayden
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Valley and then across the river and people got
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some pretty cool pictures. However, that was
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less than ideal. I did everything right and they
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still ran and it was still potentially an unsafe
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situation for me. This can happen to you if you
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hike in the park, so be aware of this. Reading
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behavior is just as important as keeping your
17:54
distance. Bison, while I said watch their tails
17:57
and they might paw, you know, things like that,
17:59
they don't always charge with warning. National
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Park Service notes several clear signs of agitation,
18:06
but they may just say, oh, hey, I don't like
18:10
you here and just go right at you. Always keep
18:14
your distance. I just cannot stress this enough.
18:17
If a bison does charge towards you and you've
18:20
kept that distance, the advice is simple, but
18:22
not always intuitive. Move away as fast as you
18:26
can. You're not supposed to run from bears. Run
18:29
as fast as you can away from a bison. Put distance
18:31
between you and the animal, and if possible,
18:34
get behind something solid like a tree up on
18:36
a rock, something like that. Unlike bear encounters,
18:39
do not stand your ground with a bison. Create
18:42
space as fast as you safely can. It's important
18:46
again to know how fast things can change. Bison
18:49
are going to run around 30 to 35 miles and can
18:52
jump obstacles despite their size. That means
18:56
what feels like a comfortable distance can disappear
18:59
in seconds if you're not paying attention. Group
19:02
behavior can help keep you safe in this, and
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while this is often discussed more with bears,
19:07
the same applies. Hiking with others increases
19:09
awareness and makes it easier to spot wildlife
19:12
sooner. Staying alert, scanning ahead on the
19:15
trail, and avoiding distractions like headphones
19:17
can give you time to react. One final thing that
19:21
gets overlooked is the mindset. Many bison incidents
19:24
happen because people treat them like slow -moving
19:27
predictable animals. In reality, they're wild,
19:30
defensive, and highly sensitive to personal space.
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If your presence caused the bison to change its
19:36
behavior at all, you're already too close. The
19:39
main takeaway here... Keep your distance, watch
19:42
for warning signs like tail movement and agitation,
19:45
avoid passing or crowding them on trails, and
19:47
always give yourself room to back away. Do that,
19:50
and hiking in Yellowstone around Bison becomes
19:53
not just safe, but one of the more memorable
19:55
parts of being in the park. So what about roadside
19:59
encounters? In places like Lamar Valley and Hayden
20:02
Valley, Bison jams are part of the experience.
20:05
When traffic stops, it's tempting to get out
20:07
for a closer look. Don't get out of your car.
20:10
Don't get out of your car in the road. You're
20:11
on a road. Stay in your car. 25 -yard rule applies
20:16
when you're out of your car. It does not apply
20:19
if you're in the vehicle. But know that every
20:22
single year bison damage cars. But that's usually
20:25
during their mating season in July and August,
20:27
which I'll talk about once we're in that time.
20:30
Again, the easiest way to not be charged, tossed,
20:34
and gored by a bison is simple. Keep your distance
20:37
from them at all times and stay in your car when
20:40
you can. My random Yellowstone fact of the week.
20:44
How many bears are in the park? Again, I wrote
20:46
this down months ago for this week, so what timing?
20:51
When most people think about bears in Yellowstone
20:53
National Park, they picture a grizzly walking
20:55
through a wide open valley with a crowd of people
20:58
watching from the roadside. That absolutely happens,
21:01
but it's only part of the story. Yellowstone
21:04
is home to both grizzly bears and black bears,
21:06
and once you start looking at their populations
21:08
and behavior, you get a much clearer picture
21:10
of what your chances actually are of seeing one.
21:14
Let's start with grizzlies, since they are getting
21:17
the most attention. National Park Service says
21:20
that there's roughly 150 to 200 grizzly bears
21:22
that use Yellowstone itself as part of their
21:25
home range. Those are the bears most visitors
21:28
are seen in places like Lamar and Hayden, especially
21:30
in the spring and early summer when they're active
21:33
in open areas. However, Yellowstone is just a
21:36
small part of something bigger. Across the entire
21:39
Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, which stretches
21:42
well beyond the park into Montana, Wyoming, and
21:45
Idaho, the grizzly population is estimated to
21:48
be about 1 ,100 bears. That's a huge conservation
21:52
success when you consider that there are only
21:54
130 to 140 grizzlies in the region in the 1970s.
21:59
Today they occupy more than 20 ,000 square miles
22:02
of habitat and many of them move in and out of
22:05
the park. That movement is important because
22:07
it means a bear you see in Yellowstone might
22:10
spend part of its year outside the park and vice
22:12
versa. The park isn't an isolated space. It's
22:16
a heart of a much larger connected ecosystem
22:18
that we all refer to as the Greater Yellowstone
22:20
Ecosystem. Now black bears are a little different.
22:24
National Park Service doesn't give a precise
22:26
population number for black bears in the park,
22:29
largely because they're not a species that was
22:31
nearly wiped out. So their population stats are
22:34
not really as important. Estimates of black bears
22:37
in Yellowstone range anywhere from 150 to 500.
22:41
So not really a good guess, but there's a lot
22:45
of them. general rule here it's obviously not
22:49
steadfast and 100 % true but it's a great rule
22:53
of thumb is that grizzlies often feed in open
22:55
meadows and valleys and black bears tend to stick
22:57
to the more tree -filled areas. Black bears are
23:00
excellent climbers and are generally more cautious
23:03
around people. I mean again like that this is
23:06
all generalization of black bear behavior you're
23:08
gonna see black bears right next to the road
23:10
especially by that tower area. but that's again
23:13
a very wood -filled area so that's why you may
23:17
see them there. They also might be out in the
23:20
open but you know if you do see a black bear
23:22
out in an open field it's not as common as like
23:25
a grizzly out in an open field. So what are your
23:27
chances of actually seeing a bear in Yellowstone?
23:30
They're good but not guaranteed. Bear sightings
23:33
in Yellowstone depend on timing, location, and
23:36
a bit of luck. Spring and early summer are the
23:39
best times to see bears as they come out of their
23:42
dens and spend more time feeding in visible areas.
23:45
Early mornings and evenings are especially productive.
23:48
If you're spending time in places like Lamar
23:50
or Hayden during these hours, your odds go up
23:52
quite a bit. You go to the Bermuda Triangle,
23:54
which I talked about recently. It's going to
23:56
go up even higher. It's not unusual, especially
23:59
in May and June, to hear about daily sightings
24:02
all over the park. Sometimes I see Half dozen
24:06
to a dozen bears. In late June last year, I saw
24:10
12 different grizzly bears in a single day. Now,
24:14
I say that, but there's still plenty of days
24:16
when bears just don't show up where people are
24:18
looking. Yellowstone doesn't run on a schedule
24:21
and neither do its animals. Another thing to
24:24
keep in mind is how much ground bears cover.
24:27
Grizzlies can have home ranges of hundreds of
24:29
square miles, which means they're constantly
24:31
moving. One day they're visible by the road,
24:34
the next day they're miles away in terrain you're
24:36
never going to see. All of that adds up to experience
24:39
that's a little unpredictable, but that's part
24:41
of what makes it special. Seeing a bear in Yellowstone
24:44
isn't just about checking a box. It's about being
24:46
in the right place, paying attention, and sometimes
24:49
just being patient enough to wait it out. Yellowstone
24:52
holds only a portion of its bear population within
24:55
the park boundaries, as I said, but it remains
24:57
one of the best places in Lower 48 to see both
24:59
species in the wild. Grizzlies get most of the
25:02
spotlight and for good reason, but black bears
25:05
are just as much a part of the landscape and
25:07
really cool to see. When you do see a bear, whether
25:11
it's a grizzly in the distance moving through
25:13
the valley or a quick glimpse of a black bear
25:15
slipping into the trees, it tends to be one of
25:17
those moments that sticks with you long after
25:19
the trip is over. So good luck out there and
25:22
again stay within 100 yards. of bears at all
25:26
times if there's one by the side of the road
25:28
do not get out of your car you will see other
25:31
people hundred percent guarantee you're gonna
25:33
see people way too close to bears this coming
25:35
week and every week for the next bit be better
25:39
than that follow the rules and regulations keep
25:41
safe use a zoom give them room that's what the
25:44
park likes to say the weather for the coming
25:47
week so as always this the best forecast for
25:50
the week at the time of recording This forecast
25:52
can change numerous times in a week, but this
25:55
should be within the ballpark of what you'll
25:57
experience when visiting the park. This weekend's
26:00
forecast is going to be way more accurate than
26:02
like Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesdays. With that,
26:04
let's dive into the forecast for Lamar Valley.
26:07
On Thursday, high of 56, low of 31, 23 % chance
26:11
of rain. On Friday, high of 60, low of 36, 6
26:16
% chance. On Saturday, 56 and 30. 8 % chance
26:21
Sunday 65 and 36 3 % chance Monday 67 and 34
26:27
8 % chance Tuesday 65 and 34 8 % chance and Wednesday
26:33
66 and 34 4 % chance the weather for Gardiner
26:38
Montana Thursday highest 61 low of 35 24 % chance
26:44
of rain mostly in the morning Friday 66 and 39
26:48
with a 5 % chance Saturday 62 and 35 with a 10
26:52
% chance Sunday 71 and 41 2 % chance Monday 72
26:59
and 38 with a 6 % chance Tuesday 70 and 39 with
27:04
a 3 % chance of rain Wednesday 71 and 38 with
27:09
a 3 % chance of rain the weather for West Yellowstone
27:13
On Thursday, high of 59, low of 29, 23 % chance
27:17
of rain, mostly in the morning. Friday... 62
27:21
and 32 with a 6 % chance Saturday 60 and 29 with
27:26
a 3 % chance Sunday 66 and 35 with a 2 % chance
27:31
Monday 68 and 32 with a 4 % chance Tuesday 67
27:36
and 33 with a 6 % chance and Wednesday 68 and
27:40
32 with a 1 % chance of precipitation and next
27:44
up Cody Wyoming in Cody on Thursday chance of
27:50
thunderstorms highest 63 low of 42 on friday
27:55
highest 70 low 48 looks to be good six percent
27:57
chance of precipitation on saturday Highest 63,
28:01
low of 30, 40 % chance of some rain mostly in
28:04
the morning. On Sunday, highest 75, low of 49,
28:08
2 % chance of rain. Monday, 78 and 46 with a
28:12
2 % chance. Tuesday, 73 and 47 with a 9 % chance.
28:17
And Wednesday, 76 and 48 with a 1 % chance. Finally
28:22
for the weather, Cook City, Montana. On Thursday,
28:26
there may be some early snow showers to start
28:28
the morning. There's going to be a high of 50,
28:31
a low of 31 with about a 50 % chance of a little
28:34
bit of rain or snow. On Friday, high of 55, low
28:37
of 34, 7 % chance of rain. On Saturday, high
28:41
of 51, low of 38 % chance. Sunday, 59 and 37,
28:46
3 % chance. Monday, 60 and 33, 7 % chance. Tuesday,
28:51
60 and 35, 11 % chance. And Wednesday, high of
28:55
61, low of 35, 3 % chance of precipitation. The
29:01
Snowpack update! As of May 6th, the snowpack
29:04
is around 78 % of normal for this time of year.
29:07
The eastern and northern ranges of the park are
29:09
89 % of normal and looking really good, while
29:12
the western and southern sides of the park are
29:14
66 % of normal and not great. Last year on this
29:18
date, park -wise, we are averaging around 88
29:21
% of our normal levels. Road conditions. As of
29:26
Friday, The only road that will be closed in
29:29
the park, the only main paved road that will
29:31
be closed in the park, is going to be Dunraven
29:34
Pass from Canyon to Tower Falls. Every other
29:38
road should be open on Friday. But you will not
29:41
be able to drive over the pass to connect Hayden
29:43
Valley quickly with Lamar. You'll have to drive
29:46
all the way around. Please be aware that, as
29:49
always, if the weather shifts, roads can close
29:52
at any time due to inclement weather. It doesn't
29:54
look like there's any of that in the forecast,
29:56
so I wouldn't worry too much about it, but just
29:58
know it could happen if something changes. Now
30:01
for up -to -date road information, you can call
30:03
307 -344 -2117 for recorded information, or you
30:08
can do what most of us do and sign up to receive
30:10
Yellowstone road alerts on your cell phone by
30:12
texting the number 82190 to the number 888...
30:18
777 Camping information so I misspoke last week.
30:22
That's my fault There are currently a couple
30:25
campgrounds open Obviously mammoth campground
30:27
which is open year -round is open Madison campground
30:31
opened on May 1st And so I forgot to mention
30:34
that last week. So apologies there also open
30:37
right now is the fishing bridge RV park that
30:40
opens May 8th then a lot of stuff opens May 15th
30:46
so until then we're just gonna leave it at that
30:49
but yeah there's three places to camp in the
30:51
park two of which you can camp with a tent one
30:54
of which is an RV place so enjoy that information
30:58
and hopefully you get to camp in the park it's
31:00
a great time The Wildlife Watching Update. So
31:03
right now, this is the best time to see animals.
31:06
Northern Range, absolutely popping off. It's
31:10
wolves and bears and baby bison. There's been
31:13
bighorn sheep. There's been pretty much everything
31:16
you'd want to see. There's been moose sightings
31:18
out as you go towards the northeast entrance.
31:21
A lot of grizzlies out between Little America
31:25
and Pebble Creek. Especially off in the distance
31:28
some of them are getting close to the road wolves
31:31
are going to be out typically Right now at the
31:35
slough creek area. There is a den there and there's
31:38
been a den there for years This isn't a secret.
31:41
So they're back in the same den. They've been
31:43
using forever now at this point and Yeah, it's
31:46
a good place to see them, especially very early
31:48
in the morning once you get to later in the day
31:51
It's a little less luck in the interior people
31:54
have been seeing more grizzly bears down as You
31:57
reach barrel springs and I've heard of some decent
32:01
sightings near Hayden and out the east entrance
32:03
So that's where I'd be going right now for more
32:06
bears is just drive down to Norris swing over
32:08
or even drop down toward the geyser basins Now
32:12
obviously there was the bear attack down in the
32:14
geyser basin So there's bears down there. I did
32:18
hear of a bear on the grand prismatic boardwalk
32:20
recently super early in the morning So bears
32:23
are going to be everywhere especially right now
32:27
Even if you're on an easy boardwalk trail, you
32:29
need to be bear aware. You need to be alert You
32:31
need to have bear spray and you need to keep
32:34
your distance This is not the time to mess around
32:36
as we're seeing not saying that the people who
32:38
were attacked were messing around in the least
32:40
but everybody needs to do a very good job right
32:43
now because It's the wrong time of the year to
32:46
make any mistakes or just to surprise a bear
32:49
So always be loud always be safe. Do your best
32:54
Alright, otherwise while I'm watching elk bison
32:57
pronghorn a lot of those are out in Lamar and
33:00
out the north entrance It's just a really good
33:03
time the bear Muta triangle as I talked about
33:05
recently that's going to be popping off especially
33:08
with that road up to tower opening there It there's
33:12
consistent black bear sightings up that road
33:14
and even sometimes grizzlies I've heard of a
33:19
couple lone wolves roaming around. I've heard
33:22
of a lot of different things and it's a good
33:25
time. I can't stress this enough. Go to the park
33:27
if you can right now. And if you're in the park,
33:29
put in some time, especially in the northern
33:31
range. You can have good luck in the rest of
33:34
the park, but it's less luck and more just timing
33:38
in the northern range right now. So get there
33:41
early, talk to people, the community. for wildlife
33:45
watching is very good right now there's not a
33:47
lot of gatekeeping there's not a lot of like
33:49
protecting of things people want to share their
33:52
experiences and I would highly go up to the northern
33:54
range and then you can drop down from there.
33:57
Apologies for the wildlife report being a little
33:59
short but I talked about other things a little
34:03
too long and I want to make sure that we stay
34:05
in our allotted time here so if you need to know
34:07
more about where to go right now for wildlife
34:09
do not hesitate to reach out to me 406. 589 1873
34:15
I'm gonna be in the park a lot this week so I
34:18
will do my best to get to you when I can Shoot
34:21
me an email if you need to the outdoor society
34:23
at gmail .com Or leave a comment wherever you
34:27
can also if you see me driving around say hi
34:30
Trail alerts and updates there are a lot of trail
34:34
closures in the bear attack area Go to the backcountry
34:38
conditions page link is in the show notes so
34:41
just click on that from the show notes and you
34:44
can go directly to see what the real time if
34:47
updated status of all the trails are in the park
34:50
the longer we get into spring and summer the
34:54
more updated this is going to be it's pretty
34:56
updated right now but just make sure that you
34:59
know where you're going before and if it's not
35:01
updated anytime recently go to visitor center
35:04
before you head out and just double check they
35:06
may not know you might be the one providing information
35:09
but if they do have a report they will let you
35:11
know just make sure you go to a ranger station
35:14
near where you're hiking like if you're hiking
35:17
in the geyser basin and you ask at mammoth they
35:20
may not know but if you're hiking around mammoth
35:22
and ask around mammoth they can tell you much
35:25
easier they don't have all that information linked
35:27
together all right the trail of the week Lost
35:32
Lake and Lost Creek Falls. I had other hikes
35:35
I wanted to recommend this week, but some of
35:39
snow on them, some were closed, so they're going
35:42
to be highlighted later. Instead, I'm going to
35:44
recommend a classic trek in the Northern Range,
35:47
one that will have you wandering along a lake,
35:49
taking in a hidden waterfall view, and maybe
35:51
even encountering wildlife. The trail of Lost
35:55
Lake and the upper viewpoint of Lost Creek Falls
35:57
are often overlooked. much like many of the trails
36:00
that I feature in my guidebook. While the Petrified
36:03
Tree area remains a popular destination, especially
36:05
now that you can drive there, and Lost Lake is
36:08
getting a little more popular, few venture beyond
36:12
the well -trodden paved paths and skip trails
36:14
like this. Those who do make their way beyond
36:17
the caged petrified tree have an opportunity
36:19
to expand their adventure and step off the beaten
36:22
path to experience the tranquility of Lost Lake
36:25
along with a breathtaking view of the fast -flowing
36:28
Lost Creek Falls. Again, many will walk from
36:31
the petrified tree to the lake, but few know
36:34
that a cool view is found a little bit further
36:36
away. The trail of the lake, very easy to follow.
36:41
Passes through a narrow gap between hills and
36:44
then turns a corner and arrives in an open area
36:47
that houses the lake. The lake isn't deep or
36:50
like the most stunning lake you're ever gonna
36:52
see, but it is quite scenic and it is one of
36:55
those places that I love to go to in the backcountry.
36:59
It's also a place where you may see birds, bison,
37:03
elk, coyotes, foxes, or even bears here. So stay
37:06
alert and make sure that you're being safe. Beyond
37:11
the lake the trail crosses a quaint little bridge
37:13
over the creek and enters a forest and darts
37:16
towards the top of a canyon. Keep your expectations
37:19
about walking on the top of a canyon low right
37:22
here as the forest keeps it mostly hidden as
37:25
you traverse around the canyon rim. You're soon
37:28
going to cross another small bridge over the
37:30
creek and then get to the other side of the canyon.
37:33
That's when you're going to start to get more
37:34
glimpses of the canyon and when you get to kind
37:38
of the end before the trail darts to the right
37:41
look for some boot paths and you'll find yourself
37:44
on the canyon rim taking a look up the canyon
37:48
toward lost creek falls obviously be cautious
37:52
of loose rocks on the canyon rim as the drop
37:54
will kill you and i say this in all seriousness
37:58
so stay away from this it's it's perfectly safe
38:01
but you know some people will take risks they
38:05
don't need to the waterfall It's just a nice
38:08
hidden waterfall that few will ever see. I sometimes
38:11
post pictures of it online and everybody guesses
38:13
which falls it is. Very few people know it. It's
38:17
a cool place to go and that's why I'm recommending
38:19
that. Since it's going to be sunny and pretty
38:22
warm this week, this is a nice place to kind
38:24
of cool down and be by yourself. This trek from
38:28
the petrified tree to the waterfall viewpoint
38:30
and back to the car is only about four miles
38:33
round trip with roughly 400 feet of elevation
38:35
gain. It's really easy. It's not going to be
38:38
the hardest hike you're going to do, but it's
38:40
really cool. There are some options to make this
38:43
a super rad loop. So if you're interested in
38:45
that, reach out to me directly or consider picking
38:48
up a copy of my hiking book, which is going to
38:50
take you all around the surrounding areas of
38:52
the park. My hiking guidebook, Beyond the Boardwalks,
38:56
helps you find a perfect hike in the region.
38:58
And I've written it as a kind of labor of love,
39:01
like everything I do. Not everybody knows about
39:05
it. Not everybody will know about it, but...
39:07
It is over 50 of my favorite hikes in the Greater
39:09
Yellowstone Ecosystem, not even down to the Tetons
39:12
yet. This is just the northern side, the western
39:15
side, the eastern side, and the park. So if you
39:19
want to hike, pick up this book. Alright, that
39:23
does it for me in this week's episode. Next week,
39:26
I'm going to return with all the information
39:27
you need to have a good week in the park, including
39:29
wildlife, weather, and trail updates. Until then...
39:33
Stay safe, carry bear spray, know how to use
39:36
it, don't approach wildlife, and if you're coming
39:38
to the park, book a tour with me or pick up a
39:41
guidebook of mine. Happy trails! Abrupt ending!
39:55
This week in Yellowstone is brought to you by
39:57
the Outdoor Society. That's my company. It's
39:59
just me. I do this. It's a labor of love. If
40:02
you like it, tell your friends, rate and review
40:04
it. Shoot me a message. Otherwise, keep listening,
40:07
and I hope to see you in Yellowstone. Copyright
40:10
2026, baby.