March 6, 2025 • 21 mins
This week in Yellowstone National Park, March 6th to March 12th, 2025, I share a cool walk on a washed out road, try to help you navigate bison jams, share reasons why you should visit the park this week, and give you all of the weather, wildlife and road updates you’ll need to enjoy your time visiting Yellowstone National Park this coming week.
Heading to the park? Consider booking a hiking tour with me! https://outdoor-society.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
From the land where I just saw the first Rocky Mountain Bluebird of the season,
(00:04):
and where the feeling of spring is in the air, even though there's snow in the forecast and
we won't see new plant life for another month or two, this is That Scott Guy You Know and Love
with a new episode of This Week in Yellowstone.
(00:38):
What's up everybody, it's another episode. I'm coming in hot because after that intro,
I had to sit for about two minutes and catch my breath because that was one sentence and I have
another very long sentence to start this episode. Anyway, I hope you are all doing well and are
ready for another This Week in Yellowstone. This Week in Yellowstone National Park, March 6th,
(01:02):
to March 12th, 2025, I share a cool walk on a washed out road, try to help you navigate bison
jams, share reasons why you should visit the park this week, and give you all the weather,
wildlife, and road updates you'll need to enjoy your time visiting Yellowstone this coming week.
So my standard disclaimer, I might miss a few things so if there's anything else you'd like to
(01:24):
know, reach out to me happy to answer. I also mention park locations very casually, so a quick
search might help if you're unfamiliar with areas I mention. Also, this report only covers the drivable
areas of the park. So before we dive in, I want to share that this is truly a labor of love.
I say that every week and if you're enjoying it, I'd love to hear from you, whether it's through a
(01:47):
review or a quick email or even a text. Somebody texted me the other day and said, hey, I like your
podcast and that was awesome. When you do visit Yellowstone, I also am a hiking guide here in the
park and I am very excited to show people around. So imagine wandering the park's best trails with me,
uncovering the hidden gems, hearing incredible wildlife stories, and learning all of the history
(02:10):
and geology of the park all while going beyond the boardwalks. That's what my tours do. We go
beyond the boardwalks and I give you a deeper, more immersive experience of Yellowstone. So if
you're interested, reach out to me either through my website or social media or my business line is
also listed on my website so you can even send a text. I really want to make sure that when you
(02:32):
visit Yellowstone, it's going to be a truly unforgettable trip. So if you're headed here,
reach out, happy to help. Okay, on to the news. This week's Yellowstone news. Happy birthday,
Yellowstone National Park, last week. I forgot to mention this last week, but on March 1st,
(02:52):
Yellowstone National Park celebrated its 153rd birthday. While the region itself is obviously
much older, the park was created on March 1st, 1872. There weren't that many people celebrating it
aside from social media posts, but I'll get to what happened in the park or just outside of the park
on March 1st in just a few seconds. Well, maybe a minute. So I mentioned this last week, but the
(03:17):
first news story I want to cover is that over snow, travel is ending. I mentioned this last week,
but I want to continue to talk about it in case you missed the news. On March 2nd, over snow travel,
which involves travel on snow coaches and snowmobiles, stop for the season at Mammoth Hot Springs.
On March 4th, travel to Norris and Canyon from West Yellowstone ended for the season,
(03:40):
and on March 9th, travel to Canyon from Fishing Bridge will end for the season, and then all
interior roads will be closed to over snow travel on March 15th. I'll talk about that again next
week. The road between Gardner and Cook City, through Mammoth, Tower Roosevelt and Lamar Valley,
is open all year long to personal vehicles, so if you're headed to the park, you can still drive
(04:03):
that section no matter the day, the month. With over snow travel ending, many amenities and Mammoth
are now closed. On March 3rd, the cabins, dining room, gift shop, hotel lodging, map room bar,
ski shop, terrace grill and Mammoth are all closed. The Mammoth General Store, the fuel
pumps at the gas station, the campground and the visitors center are all open.
(04:29):
In other news, the National Park's rally happened last week in Gardner. On March 1st,
there were rallies for park and forest service workers at numerous locations around the Department
of the Interior. From national parks and national monuments to national historic sites and battlefields,
workers of those units, community members and those who wanted their voices heard over the
(04:50):
firings and possible staffing issues, public lands are facing held a rally. In Gardner,
around 150 people showed up with signs holding a rally of solidarity. There's a good article on
this rally from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle that's worth a read. I debated writing something out,
but instead I'm going to link it in the show notes. So go ahead and check that out.
(05:12):
Alright, the experience of the week. A nearly empty park. With the end of the snowmobile and
snowcoach season upon us, visitation to Yellowstone dramatically drops. With the closure of Mammoth
Hotel and cabins, tourism just slows to a trickle. Some of the amenities in Gardner will be closed for
(05:33):
a month or so, leaving the town to mainly be full of the locals who call the place home.
Many guides take this time off as well, helping the region appear much more desolate and quiet
than it actually is. While that may be a reason for some to not want to visit the park in March,
some of us find this a truly magical time. Historically, March is the third least visited month,
(05:57):
and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Despite the lack of popularity to visit the park,
the wonders of the region still dazzle. You'll have access to the entire northern range of the
park from Mammoth to Cook City, giving you ample opportunity to see wildlife, stunning mountain,
views, snowy scenery, and a slowly thawing out river. You'll still need snowshoes or cross-country
(06:19):
skis to trek the trails, but you'll find yourself mostly alone, no matter what area you wander.
Sure, there will be people in the park, but early March on a weekday can sometimes feel like you
have the entire area to yourself. Weekends will always be a little busier, but nothing compared
to February or April. Visits to Yellowstone during the first few weeks of March have led
(06:42):
to some of my favorite memories, calmness moments in the serenity of the region, and a deeper connection
with the park. I can't promise you a super exciting trip in early March, but if your spirit and soul
are open to it, you will find serious bliss. Alright, my tip of the week. When visiting Yellowstone,
an animal near the side of the road can quickly cause a backup, sometimes up to an hour or more
(07:07):
if it's a bear or a herd of bison walking down the road. If you get caught in one of these animal
jams, stay patient, there isn't much you can do. However, there are a few things that can help alleviate
these bison jams for the cars behind you. During the winter months, expect bison jams all the time,
especially this time of the year. Right now, the bison are kind of moving between lowlands and highlands
(07:32):
based on how the snow is, searching for grass, so I've been on the roads a lot. Earlier this
winter, I was driving down the hill to reach Man with Hot Springs from Roosevelt, and I was
directly behind a herd of 45 or so bison using the road to pass through the park. For 5 miles,
which took roughly 30 minutes, I followed the whole herd going as slow as I could. Occasionally,
(07:54):
a few of the bison would drop back and walk next to my car until I stopped and let them get further
ahead of me. Eventually, they all get to one side of the road and I was safely able to pass them.
When you're caught in a bison jam, it's important to breathe and remember where you are. Sometimes,
you'll see people get caught in a bison jam and they'll be furious. Other times, they will have one
(08:17):
single bison in the road and they'll stop their car 200 yards away from it and just sit in the middle
of the road. Neither of those things are great, but you are in Yellowstone and if you are finding
yourself getting frustrated at bison jams, just remember that you are doing something that almost
didn't happen. At one time, there were just a little more than 20 bison remaining in the entire
(08:42):
region. So, you know, sit back and enjoy it. You'll wish for a herd of bison or a possible bear
sighting next time you're stuck in a dumb commuter traffic jam in a big city. So, what do you do
when you are in a bison jam and they're walking all around your car or they're in the road ahead
of you? There's two schools of thought here. One is to stop and let them have their way. After all,
(09:07):
it's their home. This route could mean sitting for hours as bison will occasionally just decide
to lie down and rest on the pavement. It is the most common way that people handle a bison on the
road, but it's actually not the correct way to deal with a bison jam. The recommended way to
maneuver a bison jam was told to me by Yellowstone Rangers and it is to slowly approach the animal,
(09:32):
stopping your vehicle only to let them move directly out of your way. Bison are very smart and will
eventually take the hint that the giant thing next to them that is making noise wants them to move.
Doing this carefully and slowly without honking your horn or coming in contact with the animal
will encourage the bison to move off the road. This will also help the bison jam diminish for
(09:56):
others that are stuck. If you are uncomfortable with slowly hurting the bison off the road,
then at the first pull off you get to, take it. Let cars pass you. If you are in a bison jam and
the car ahead of you is splitting the herd of bison, like I was saying, just slowly moving
(10:17):
forward, do not allow a lot of space between your cars. If you drop too far back, the herd will
congregate on the road once more. Finally, if you see a bison jam on the opposite side of the road,
or just a singular bison on the opposite side of the road, just walking, do not stop your car.
Even slowing down to take a quick picture for a second can lead to a bison jam in both directions.
(10:40):
A quick note about passing bison. Very rarely a bison will strike a car. This typically happens
during the bison rut in July in Hayden and Lamar valleys. It does rarely happen during the rest
of the year, but that's why we have insurance. In my 30 plus years of coming to the park,
I have yet to see a bison hit a car. I have never seen a bison hit a car. I have, however,
(11:07):
seen a few bison hit by cars. So, when you are driving, please be careful and mind the wildlife.
And if you're uncomfortable with a bison jam, then pull off to the side and let those who are more
experienced in the region kind of move traffic and help herd the bison off the road.
Okay, the weather for the coming week. For Lamar Valley, after potentially chilly and
(11:33):
slightly snowy Thursday, this coming week looks downright great. Expect highs in the upper 30s
and 40s in Lamar with lows in the teens through Monday. On Tuesday, a front bringing moisture
is headed this way with a potential for some light snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.
For Cook City, after some snow on Thursday morning, the next few days look to be pretty dry in Cook
(11:56):
City. Highs climb from the low 30s to the low 40s until Monday when a chance of snow happens on
Tuesday and Wednesday. Lows will be in the teens and 20s all week. For Gardner, like Lamar and Cook
City, there is a chance of snow in Gardner on Thursday morning, then partly sunny skies and
decently warm temperatures that are going to last through Monday. Highs will be in the upper 30s
(12:18):
and 40s through Monday with lows in the upper teens and 20s. Tuesday currently has a 40% chance of
snow and Wednesday has a 50% chance of snow. And those totals are an inch or two.
As always, temperatures may be higher or lower than I say and snowfall amounts may be higher
or lower. This area is hard to predict weather wise, especially more than a day or two out,
(12:42):
so those temperatures and snowfall amounts toward next Tuesday and Wednesday may change in the next
few days. After the weather, we of course get to the snowpack update. The snowpack in Yellowstone
is looking pretty good right now. The numbers as of March 5th are in the 90% of normal range with
(13:04):
no real melt off expected in the coming week. We could see the snowpack numbers drop a little,
but that's mainly due to previous years snow events happening during this time. There's no
major snow happening this week, so we might dip just a little. Other than that, all looks good,
no real worries right now. The road conditions. Expect a few patches of snow and ice before the
(13:27):
weekend. With most of that melting off over the next few days, I was out in the park on Sunday and
the roads were perfectly fine all the way out to Pebble Creek. They should be the same this coming
week. That snow on Tuesday and Wednesday may put a little damper on it, but I'm not expecting it to
be enough. With the high temperatures being as high as they are, that snow on the road is going
(13:48):
to melt out pretty quick. There might be a little bit of ice in the morning if you wake up super
early, so take those corners slow. For up-to-date information on the roads, you can call 307-344-2117
for recorded information, or you can sign up to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your cell phone
by texting 82190 to the number 888-777. The number you will be dialing in theory or sending the text
(14:19):
to is 888-777 and the message you will send is 82190. As always, anticipate possible road closures
due to inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions at any time. Probably won't happen
this week, but you never know. Camping information. Mammoth is still the only front country campground
(14:41):
in the park and it wouldn't be the worst week to camp there. The temperature over the weekend should
be decent with lows not ridiculously cold. The wildlife watching update. The bluebirds are back.
(15:02):
So this is a good time to feel like spring is coming. I'm going to talk about the return of
the bluebirds next week, but this is exciting for those who call the region home. I saw bluebird
the other day and that was on March 2nd and I was stoked about it. I saw a lot of other wildlife
that day, but for me, seeing that first bluebird of the year was super cool. Again, I'll talk about
(15:27):
that next week. Elsewhere in the park, bison are on the move as I mentioned and pronghorn are starting
to return to the park. They're largely outside of Gardner right now. If you head on the old Yellow
Stone Road towards Devil's Slide, there's a lot more there. There's also a few as you're like
(15:48):
driving right into the park. Elk are also about the same area, but the big story of this week has been
coyotes, foxes, and wolves. This is a great time to see them. Yesterday, I had a friend that told me
that they saw a wolf right near the road, maybe 50 yards from the road walking and had a great sighting.
(16:16):
There's also been instances of people watching coyotes mate, foxes mate, and even wolves mate
way off in the distance. The best thing to do right now is if you see cars congregating somewhere,
stop in a pullout and go look at what they're looking at. As of yesterday, wolves were around the
Hellroaring area and the guided trail just near Blacktail Ponds. Give a couple extra glances out
(16:46):
there, but they could be anywhere, could be out at Slough Creek. There are also some out in Lamar
Valley up above the Lamar Valley trail off on that left side on the ridge. You never know where
you're going to see them, and right now is a good time to see all that wildlife. If you are interested
(17:07):
in more tips of where to see wildlife, I do have a guidebook that I wrote that is based on my entire
life in the park and where I see animals and how to see them. All of the tips and tricks that I use
when I go there. If you would like a copy of that, reach out to me or go to outdoor-society.com for
that. It's an ebook and a paperback, so you can get either one. It is also on Amazon and places like
(17:33):
that, but they take a huge cut and if you'd like to support me, the best way is to buy the book
directly from me. All right, hiking news and updates. Trails in the park will be snowy, so be
prepared for that. You'll need snowshoes across country skis on every major trail. The boardwalks
and mammoth are pretty beaten down right now, but they could be slick in the morning, so traction
(17:56):
devices would be wise to have with you. The trek of the week. I always go back and forth with like,
where do I want to recommend? It's the hike of the week. And this time of the year is a little
tough because it's not melted out yet. The snow is kind of good, but not great anymore. Like,
it's not the dead of winter or so. Where should you go? One place that I've loved going the last
(18:19):
couple of years is the washed out road for mammoth. With weather not ideal for hiking,
it can be hard to find somewhere to take a walk that doesn't require snowshoes or cross country
skis. Luckily, there's a fun route near mammoth that takes you to some scenic spots on an easy
to follow route. To do this hike, which is actually a walk on a paved road, you need to park near the
(18:40):
visitor center or the post office in mammoth. Once you're parked and ready to go, walk down the road
to the campground down that hill around that big bend. You may be tempted to try and drive down to
the campground to save yourself that. Don't do that. If you drive down there, you may be ticketed
or towed. Once you reach the campground, stay on the road and keep heading down the pavement.
(19:04):
Pass through any barriers you encounter to the washout. Just make sure you read the signs that
it's not like a seasonal closure. There wasn't one last time I was there that's just barriers to
stop cars from going, not people. So as you're hiking down that gradual hill past the campground,
keep an eye out for elk, deer, bison, pronghorn, and even bighorn sheep. Once you get to the section
(19:28):
of the old road that traces the Gardner River, keep an eye out for hawks, eagles, rocky mountain
bluebirds, and basically anything because that's a good place for wildlife. Continue to follow the
road as it traces the river downstream and you'll eventually reach a huge washout where you can no
longer go any further along the road. Enjoy the view here and think about the rush of water that
(19:50):
surged downstream in 2022 that caused this washout and the loss of the road. Once you've taken in
the view and scanned the cliffs for wildlife, head back the way you came. The route's going to be
about 6 miles total with roughly 600 feet of elevation gain. You shouldn't need any special
footwear besides comfortable shoes to walk in. Definitely have a pair of shoes and socks waiting
(20:12):
for you after the hike as you might get a little wet walking through any snow and slush that could
remain. Also, bring bear spray. I'm going to say that every week now you should have it year-round,
but bears are starting to wake up a bit. So we'll do that. Every week is me recommending that and
I might also have a bear spray tip of the week or just repeat the same blurb every single week
(20:39):
on how to carry bear spray, all of that fun stuff. Alright, that is it for this week. Next week,
I'm going to talk about the return of the bluebirds, the blood moon, and share yet another trail that's
going to be great for next week's visitors. Make sure you have subscribed to this if you like it
and you'll get it in your feed again. Until next week, bye!
(21:14):
This week in Yellowstone is brought to you by the Outdoor Society because that's my company and
that's where this is hosted. There are no sponsors. This is a labor of love, so thank you all for
listening. Copyright 2025, baby!
From the land where I just saw the first Rocky Mountain Bluebird of the season,
(00:04):
and where the feeling of spring is in the air, even though there's snow in the forecast and
we won't see new plant life for another month or two, this is That Scott Guy You Know and Love
with a new episode of This Week in Yellowstone.
(00:38):
What's up everybody, it's another episode. I'm coming in hot because after that intro,
I had to sit for about two minutes and catch my breath because that was one sentence and I have
another very long sentence to start this episode. Anyway, I hope you are all doing well and are
ready for another This Week in Yellowstone. This Week in Yellowstone National Park, March 6th,
(01:02):
to March 12th, 2025, I share a cool walk on a washed out road, try to help you navigate bison
jams, share reasons why you should visit the park this week, and give you all the weather,
wildlife, and road updates you'll need to enjoy your time visiting Yellowstone this coming week.
So my standard disclaimer, I might miss a few things so if there's anything else you'd like to
(01:24):
know, reach out to me happy to answer. I also mention park locations very casually, so a quick
search might help if you're unfamiliar with areas I mention. Also, this report only covers the drivable
areas of the park. So before we dive in, I want to share that this is truly a labor of love.
I say that every week and if you're enjoying it, I'd love to hear from you, whether it's through a
(01:47):
review or a quick email or even a text. Somebody texted me the other day and said, hey, I like your
podcast and that was awesome. When you do visit Yellowstone, I also am a hiking guide here in the
park and I am very excited to show people around. So imagine wandering the park's best trails with me,
uncovering the hidden gems, hearing incredible wildlife stories, and learning all of the history
(02:10):
and geology of the park all while going beyond the boardwalks. That's what my tours do. We go
beyond the boardwalks and I give you a deeper, more immersive experience of Yellowstone. So if
you're interested, reach out to me either through my website or social media or my business line is
also listed on my website so you can even send a text. I really want to make sure that when you
(02:32):
visit Yellowstone, it's going to be a truly unforgettable trip. So if you're headed here,
reach out, happy to help. Okay, on to the news. This week's Yellowstone news. Happy birthday,
Yellowstone National Park, last week. I forgot to mention this last week, but on March 1st,
(02:52):
Yellowstone National Park celebrated its 153rd birthday. While the region itself is obviously
much older, the park was created on March 1st, 1872. There weren't that many people celebrating it
aside from social media posts, but I'll get to what happened in the park or just outside of the park
on March 1st in just a few seconds. Well, maybe a minute. So I mentioned this last week, but the
(03:17):
first news story I want to cover is that over snow, travel is ending. I mentioned this last week,
but I want to continue to talk about it in case you missed the news. On March 2nd, over snow travel,
which involves travel on snow coaches and snowmobiles, stop for the season at Mammoth Hot Springs.
On March 4th, travel to Norris and Canyon from West Yellowstone ended for the season,
(03:40):
and on March 9th, travel to Canyon from Fishing Bridge will end for the season, and then all
interior roads will be closed to over snow travel on March 15th. I'll talk about that again next
week. The road between Gardner and Cook City, through Mammoth, Tower Roosevelt and Lamar Valley,
is open all year long to personal vehicles, so if you're headed to the park, you can still drive
(04:03):
that section no matter the day, the month. With over snow travel ending, many amenities and Mammoth
are now closed. On March 3rd, the cabins, dining room, gift shop, hotel lodging, map room bar,
ski shop, terrace grill and Mammoth are all closed. The Mammoth General Store, the fuel
pumps at the gas station, the campground and the visitors center are all open.
(04:29):
In other news, the National Park's rally happened last week in Gardner. On March 1st,
there were rallies for park and forest service workers at numerous locations around the Department
of the Interior. From national parks and national monuments to national historic sites and battlefields,
workers of those units, community members and those who wanted their voices heard over the
(04:50):
firings and possible staffing issues, public lands are facing held a rally. In Gardner,
around 150 people showed up with signs holding a rally of solidarity. There's a good article on
this rally from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle that's worth a read. I debated writing something out,
but instead I'm going to link it in the show notes. So go ahead and check that out.
(05:12):
Alright, the experience of the week. A nearly empty park. With the end of the snowmobile and
snowcoach season upon us, visitation to Yellowstone dramatically drops. With the closure of Mammoth
Hotel and cabins, tourism just slows to a trickle. Some of the amenities in Gardner will be closed for
(05:33):
a month or so, leaving the town to mainly be full of the locals who call the place home.
Many guides take this time off as well, helping the region appear much more desolate and quiet
than it actually is. While that may be a reason for some to not want to visit the park in March,
some of us find this a truly magical time. Historically, March is the third least visited month,
(05:57):
and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Despite the lack of popularity to visit the park,
the wonders of the region still dazzle. You'll have access to the entire northern range of the
park from Mammoth to Cook City, giving you ample opportunity to see wildlife, stunning mountain,
views, snowy scenery, and a slowly thawing out river. You'll still need snowshoes or cross-country
(06:19):
skis to trek the trails, but you'll find yourself mostly alone, no matter what area you wander.
Sure, there will be people in the park, but early March on a weekday can sometimes feel like you
have the entire area to yourself. Weekends will always be a little busier, but nothing compared
to February or April. Visits to Yellowstone during the first few weeks of March have led
(06:42):
to some of my favorite memories, calmness moments in the serenity of the region, and a deeper connection
with the park. I can't promise you a super exciting trip in early March, but if your spirit and soul
are open to it, you will find serious bliss. Alright, my tip of the week. When visiting Yellowstone,
an animal near the side of the road can quickly cause a backup, sometimes up to an hour or more
(07:07):
if it's a bear or a herd of bison walking down the road. If you get caught in one of these animal
jams, stay patient, there isn't much you can do. However, there are a few things that can help alleviate
these bison jams for the cars behind you. During the winter months, expect bison jams all the time,
especially this time of the year. Right now, the bison are kind of moving between lowlands and highlands
(07:32):
based on how the snow is, searching for grass, so I've been on the roads a lot. Earlier this
winter, I was driving down the hill to reach Man with Hot Springs from Roosevelt, and I was
directly behind a herd of 45 or so bison using the road to pass through the park. For 5 miles,
which took roughly 30 minutes, I followed the whole herd going as slow as I could. Occasionally,
(07:54):
a few of the bison would drop back and walk next to my car until I stopped and let them get further
ahead of me. Eventually, they all get to one side of the road and I was safely able to pass them.
When you're caught in a bison jam, it's important to breathe and remember where you are. Sometimes,
you'll see people get caught in a bison jam and they'll be furious. Other times, they will have one
(08:17):
single bison in the road and they'll stop their car 200 yards away from it and just sit in the middle
of the road. Neither of those things are great, but you are in Yellowstone and if you are finding
yourself getting frustrated at bison jams, just remember that you are doing something that almost
didn't happen. At one time, there were just a little more than 20 bison remaining in the entire
(08:42):
region. So, you know, sit back and enjoy it. You'll wish for a herd of bison or a possible bear
sighting next time you're stuck in a dumb commuter traffic jam in a big city. So, what do you do
when you are in a bison jam and they're walking all around your car or they're in the road ahead
of you? There's two schools of thought here. One is to stop and let them have their way. After all,
(09:07):
it's their home. This route could mean sitting for hours as bison will occasionally just decide
to lie down and rest on the pavement. It is the most common way that people handle a bison on the
road, but it's actually not the correct way to deal with a bison jam. The recommended way to
maneuver a bison jam was told to me by Yellowstone Rangers and it is to slowly approach the animal,
(09:32):
stopping your vehicle only to let them move directly out of your way. Bison are very smart and will
eventually take the hint that the giant thing next to them that is making noise wants them to move.
Doing this carefully and slowly without honking your horn or coming in contact with the animal
will encourage the bison to move off the road. This will also help the bison jam diminish for
(09:56):
others that are stuck. If you are uncomfortable with slowly hurting the bison off the road,
then at the first pull off you get to, take it. Let cars pass you. If you are in a bison jam and
the car ahead of you is splitting the herd of bison, like I was saying, just slowly moving
(10:17):
forward, do not allow a lot of space between your cars. If you drop too far back, the herd will
congregate on the road once more. Finally, if you see a bison jam on the opposite side of the road,
or just a singular bison on the opposite side of the road, just walking, do not stop your car.
Even slowing down to take a quick picture for a second can lead to a bison jam in both directions.
(10:40):
A quick note about passing bison. Very rarely a bison will strike a car. This typically happens
during the bison rut in July in Hayden and Lamar valleys. It does rarely happen during the rest
of the year, but that's why we have insurance. In my 30 plus years of coming to the park,
I have yet to see a bison hit a car. I have never seen a bison hit a car. I have, however,
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seen a few bison hit by cars. So, when you are driving, please be careful and mind the wildlife.
And if you're uncomfortable with a bison jam, then pull off to the side and let those who are more
experienced in the region kind of move traffic and help herd the bison off the road.
Okay, the weather for the coming week. For Lamar Valley, after potentially chilly and
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slightly snowy Thursday, this coming week looks downright great. Expect highs in the upper 30s
and 40s in Lamar with lows in the teens through Monday. On Tuesday, a front bringing moisture
is headed this way with a potential for some light snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.
For Cook City, after some snow on Thursday morning, the next few days look to be pretty dry in Cook
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City. Highs climb from the low 30s to the low 40s until Monday when a chance of snow happens on
Tuesday and Wednesday. Lows will be in the teens and 20s all week. For Gardner, like Lamar and Cook
City, there is a chance of snow in Gardner on Thursday morning, then partly sunny skies and
decently warm temperatures that are going to last through Monday. Highs will be in the upper 30s
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and 40s through Monday with lows in the upper teens and 20s. Tuesday currently has a 40% chance of
snow and Wednesday has a 50% chance of snow. And those totals are an inch or two.
As always, temperatures may be higher or lower than I say and snowfall amounts may be higher
or lower. This area is hard to predict weather wise, especially more than a day or two out,
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so those temperatures and snowfall amounts toward next Tuesday and Wednesday may change in the next
few days. After the weather, we of course get to the snowpack update. The snowpack in Yellowstone
is looking pretty good right now. The numbers as of March 5th are in the 90% of normal range with
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no real melt off expected in the coming week. We could see the snowpack numbers drop a little,
but that's mainly due to previous years snow events happening during this time. There's no
major snow happening this week, so we might dip just a little. Other than that, all looks good,
no real worries right now. The road conditions. Expect a few patches of snow and ice before the
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weekend. With most of that melting off over the next few days, I was out in the park on Sunday and
the roads were perfectly fine all the way out to Pebble Creek. They should be the same this coming
week. That snow on Tuesday and Wednesday may put a little damper on it, but I'm not expecting it to
be enough. With the high temperatures being as high as they are, that snow on the road is going
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to melt out pretty quick. There might be a little bit of ice in the morning if you wake up super
early, so take those corners slow. For up-to-date information on the roads, you can call 307-344-2117
for recorded information, or you can sign up to receive Yellowstone Road Alerts on your cell phone
by texting 82190 to the number 888-777. The number you will be dialing in theory or sending the text
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to is 888-777 and the message you will send is 82190. As always, anticipate possible road closures
due to inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions at any time. Probably won't happen
this week, but you never know. Camping information. Mammoth is still the only front country campground
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in the park and it wouldn't be the worst week to camp there. The temperature over the weekend should
be decent with lows not ridiculously cold. The wildlife watching update. The bluebirds are back.
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So this is a good time to feel like spring is coming. I'm going to talk about the return of
the bluebirds next week, but this is exciting for those who call the region home. I saw bluebird
the other day and that was on March 2nd and I was stoked about it. I saw a lot of other wildlife
that day, but for me, seeing that first bluebird of the year was super cool. Again, I'll talk about
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that next week. Elsewhere in the park, bison are on the move as I mentioned and pronghorn are starting
to return to the park. They're largely outside of Gardner right now. If you head on the old Yellow
Stone Road towards Devil's Slide, there's a lot more there. There's also a few as you're like
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driving right into the park. Elk are also about the same area, but the big story of this week has been
coyotes, foxes, and wolves. This is a great time to see them. Yesterday, I had a friend that told me
that they saw a wolf right near the road, maybe 50 yards from the road walking and had a great sighting.
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There's also been instances of people watching coyotes mate, foxes mate, and even wolves mate
way off in the distance. The best thing to do right now is if you see cars congregating somewhere,
stop in a pullout and go look at what they're looking at. As of yesterday, wolves were around the
Hellroaring area and the guided trail just near Blacktail Ponds. Give a couple extra glances out
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there, but they could be anywhere, could be out at Slough Creek. There are also some out in Lamar
Valley up above the Lamar Valley trail off on that left side on the ridge. You never know where
you're going to see them, and right now is a good time to see all that wildlife. If you are interested
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in more tips of where to see wildlife, I do have a guidebook that I wrote that is based on my entire
life in the park and where I see animals and how to see them. All of the tips and tricks that I use
when I go there. If you would like a copy of that, reach out to me or go to outdoor-society.com for
that. It's an ebook and a paperback, so you can get either one. It is also on Amazon and places like
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that, but they take a huge cut and if you'd like to support me, the best way is to buy the book
directly from me. All right, hiking news and updates. Trails in the park will be snowy, so be
prepared for that. You'll need snowshoes across country skis on every major trail. The boardwalks
and mammoth are pretty beaten down right now, but they could be slick in the morning, so traction
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devices would be wise to have with you. The trek of the week. I always go back and forth with like,
where do I want to recommend? It's the hike of the week. And this time of the year is a little
tough because it's not melted out yet. The snow is kind of good, but not great anymore. Like,
it's not the dead of winter or so. Where should you go? One place that I've loved going the last
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couple of years is the washed out road for mammoth. With weather not ideal for hiking,
it can be hard to find somewhere to take a walk that doesn't require snowshoes or cross country
skis. Luckily, there's a fun route near mammoth that takes you to some scenic spots on an easy
to follow route. To do this hike, which is actually a walk on a paved road, you need to park near the
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visitor center or the post office in mammoth. Once you're parked and ready to go, walk down the road
to the campground down that hill around that big bend. You may be tempted to try and drive down to
the campground to save yourself that. Don't do that. If you drive down there, you may be ticketed
or towed. Once you reach the campground, stay on the road and keep heading down the pavement.
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Pass through any barriers you encounter to the washout. Just make sure you read the signs that
it's not like a seasonal closure. There wasn't one last time I was there that's just barriers to
stop cars from going, not people. So as you're hiking down that gradual hill past the campground,
keep an eye out for elk, deer, bison, pronghorn, and even bighorn sheep. Once you get to the section
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of the old road that traces the Gardner River, keep an eye out for hawks, eagles, rocky mountain
bluebirds, and basically anything because that's a good place for wildlife. Continue to follow the
road as it traces the river downstream and you'll eventually reach a huge washout where you can no
longer go any further along the road. Enjoy the view here and think about the rush of water that
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surged downstream in 2022 that caused this washout and the loss of the road. Once you've taken in
the view and scanned the cliffs for wildlife, head back the way you came. The route's going to be
about 6 miles total with roughly 600 feet of elevation gain. You shouldn't need any special
footwear besides comfortable shoes to walk in. Definitely have a pair of shoes and socks waiting
(20:12):
for you after the hike as you might get a little wet walking through any snow and slush that could
remain. Also, bring bear spray. I'm going to say that every week now you should have it year-round,
but bears are starting to wake up a bit. So we'll do that. Every week is me recommending that and
I might also have a bear spray tip of the week or just repeat the same blurb every single week
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on how to carry bear spray, all of that fun stuff. Alright, that is it for this week. Next week,
I'm going to talk about the return of the bluebirds, the blood moon, and share yet another trail that's
going to be great for next week's visitors. Make sure you have subscribed to this if you like it
and you'll get it in your feed again. Until next week, bye!
(21:14):
This week in Yellowstone is brought to you by the Outdoor Society because that's my company and
that's where this is hosted. There are no sponsors. This is a labor of love, so thank you all for
listening. Copyright 2025, baby!
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