by 
This week in Yellowstone National Park, from July 31st through August 6th, I talk about a thermal area incident, tell you to go for a scenic drive, try to convince you to go stargazing, and take you back in time to the days of lawlessness in Yellowstone. I will also give you the complete weather forecast, wildlife report, a trail to hike, and everything else you need to have an incredible time, “This Week in Yellowstone.”
LISTEN TO THIS AS A PODCAST!
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-yellowstone-national-park/id1789397931
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/41E5WWldz4s7n6NXh2Lahr
RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/this-week-in-yellowstone-national-park/
Disclaimer: I might miss a few details, so feel free to reach out with questions! I also mention park locations casually—if you’re unfamiliar, a quick search can help.
Also, this podcast is a passion project—I’m not paid or sponsored. If you enjoy it, I’d love a review or a quick email! To support my work, check out my guidebooks on hiking and wildlife watching, or join me for a guided Yellowstone tour. For details, visit outdoor-society.com or reach out directly!
THIS WEEK’S YELLOWSTONE NEWS
Yellowstone National Park officials report that a 17-year-old male suffered “significant thermal burns” to his foot and ankle on Monday, July 28, 2025, near Lone Star Geyser.
According to a news release, the teen was hiking in a thermal area when he broke through a thin surface crust, resulting in burns to his lower extremities.
Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and transported him to a hospital for further care. The incident is under investigation, and no additional details have been released at this time.
This marks the first reported thermal injury in Yellowstone in 2025. The previous known incident occurred in September 2024, when a woman sustained second- and third-degree burns.
Other than that, there isn’t much news out of the park, which is always a good thing.
EXPERIENCE OF THE WEEK
Stargazing in Yellowstone
If you’re heading to Yellowstone during the first week of August 2025, you’re in for something truly special, some of the darkest, most spectacular night skies anywhere in the U.S. With the right conditions, you’ll see the Milky Way stretching across the sky and perhaps even catch a few early Perseid meteors streak across the heavens.
Yellowstone is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a massive 22-million-acre expanse free from urban light pollution. That means you’re stepping into nearly pristine darkness, ideal for stargazing. The park actively minimizes artificial lighting, using fully shielded fixtures so most of the night sky remains unharmed by ambient glow.
Why August? It’s prime Milky Way season from June through September, but the first week of August hits the sweet spot. The galactic core rises early, giving truly stunning views of the Milky Way without having to stay up into the early morning hours. Combine that with warm summer nights with highs in the 70s during the day and cooling into the 40s at night, and you get perfect stargazing weather.
Ready for the best viewing spots?
The truth is, anywhere you go in the park will be pretty amazing, as long as you aren’t surrounded by trees.
Lamar Valley is a favorite of many, with wide open, remote, and away from any noticeable lights. Mammoth Hot Springs also works wonderfully for astrophotography, imagine the Milky Way glowing above the iconic terraces, but know the lights of Mammoth’s buildings do impact the view. I personally prefer Swan Lake Flats if I am in the Mammoth area for stargazing. Of course, don’t overlook Old Faithful’s Upper Geyser Basin, stare at the stars while Old Faithful occasionally erupts nearby. It’s a surreal combo: geysers and galaxies in one view. Again, like Mammoth, the lights around Old Faithful will limit the true dark sky experience. Consider heading up to the pullout between the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail and the Grand Prismatic Boardwalk Trail. That, or the Fountain Paint Pots area. I also really like going to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone area, like Artist Point or Inspiration Point. The parking area at Chittenden Road is also truly spectacular. I do want to quickly mention that if you drive anywhere in the park at night, be very aware of the potential for wildlife on the road. Drive extremely safely, and know that not all the animals’ eyes will reflect from your headlights.
Packing smart will make a big difference in your enjoyment of stargazing in the park. Bring a red-light flashlight to preserve your night vision, wear warm layers, as the temperature can drop into the 40s or 30s, and don’t forget something comfortable to sit on. An astronomy app like SkyView or Stellarium helps if you’re navigating by star patterns, especially with limited cell service. Also, always have bear spray and do not linger too far from your car.
Photographers, take note: this is one of the best windows for capturing the Milky Way in Yellowstone. With a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a wide-angle lens, a tripod, and a 30-second exposure, you can capture night-sky magic. Settings like ISO 3200, f/2.8, and long exposure will help the stars pop, even without enhanced equipment. Of course, settings may be different on your camera.
In early August, Yellowstone’s night sky is an awe-inspiring spectacle. Whether you’re there to simply gaze in wonder or capture the Milky Way through a camera lens, it’s an experience that blends natural beauty with the cosmos, one of the most unforgettable sides of America’s first national park.
Also, I’d be terrible at running a business if I didn’t mention that I do offer full moon, moonrise tours. The next full moon is Aug. 9th, and I am currently free that day, so if you are interested, message me.
TIP OF THE WEEK
Drive the Beartooth Highway
I know it is still the middle of summer, but time is running out to drive the Beartooth Highway this year. For most who visit Yellowstone, the Beartooth Highway is too far of an added journey for their trip. I understand that fully. I truly do. For the first decade or so of visiting Yellowstone National Park, my family never ventured further east than Cooke City, always instead focusing on adventures in the park.
However, once I started working out around the park during the summers of my college years, I soon realized that an entire wonderland of jaw-dropping views, mountain experiences, and life-changing wilderness was found a few miles beyond Silver Gate. Again, I know that adding one more experience to an already busy Yellowstone trip may not be possible, but for those hoping for a truly blissful time in the mountains, please consider this. Trust me on this: If you want to have a truly unique mountain day above 10,000 feet, with some of the best views anywhere in the contiguous United States, as well as wildlife and wildflower vistas above alpine lakes, drive the Beartooth Highway.
From Cooke City, driving the Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge and back will add roughly 128 miles round-trip. The journey will take the better part of a morning or afternoon, and could easily be a full day with stops. But, it is gorgeous and right now there are mountain goats, marmots, wildflowers, and some of the most breathtaking scenery you’ll find in the entire region. I could write an entire book on things to do along Beartooth Highway, but for now, I will give you a few highlights to start:
Not far from Cooke City, the first stop is Crazy Creek Falls, a small cascade you might nearly miss. Park at the roadside and take a short walk over rocky terrain to beautiful drops tumbling over ledges. If you’re feeling adventurous (and steady‑footed), scramble up the rocks for a top-down view; it’s slippery but worth it.
Just a bit farther, Lake Creek Falls appears underneath an original 1930s bridge. It’s easy to overlook. This small waterfall, paired with rustic remnants of highway history, makes for a quiet, rewarding stop.
Continuing up the highway, you’ll hit several overlooks with sweeping views. Clark’s Fork Overlook frames the broad valley below; keep an eye out for elk or eagles soaring overhead. A little farther along, the Pilot and Index Peaks Overlook offers dramatic, jagged views of those iconic summits, perfect for a pause and a photograph, and you may spot wildlife along the cliffs, including mountain goats.
For a side adventure, take the three-mile gravel spur to the historic Clay Butte Fire Lookout. Built by the CCC in the early 1940s and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the restored lookout offers 360-degree views of the Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness and interpretive displays about forest fire detection and regional geology.
Further along the scenic byway is the Beartooth Ravine Bridge and Beartooth Falls, newly reconstructed with wildlife-friendly underpasses. The viewing pullouts here let you admire the waterfall tumbling beneath and the rugged canyon below.
Rounding out your drive, spend some time at Beartooth Lake, nestled beneath Beartooth Butte, a sedimentary outcrop famous for its 400-million-year-old fossil deposits. It’s an ideal spot for a picnic or trout fishing, with the mountain reflected in its clear, alpine waters.
Finally, you’ll crest Beartooth Pass at nearly 10,947 feet, the highest point on the highway and a summit that lives up to its reputation. Snowbanks often linger well into summer, and the view of peaks and distant valleys is simply unforgettable. A pullout with a sign is perfect for photos or just breathing in the high-altitude air. Beyond that, follow the winding road down to Red Lodge, but make sure you stop at all the scenic overlooks! Once at Red Lodge, grab a snack, fill up your gas tank, and return the way you came.
RANDOM YELLOWSTONE FACT OF THE WEEK
How Stagecoach Robberies Led To A Court of Law in Yellowstone
Back in the early 1900s, traveling through Yellowstone National Park by stagecoach was one of the most popular ways to explore the park’s dramatic landscapes and geysers. But alongside the breathtaking views and wildlife, there was also an unexpected danger lurking in the shadows: stagecoach robberies. These weren’t just wild-west legends; they were real events that shook the park’s early days and even helped shape how law and order came to Yellowstone.
One of the most unforgettable robberies happened on July 29, 1914, when 25 stagecoaches were held up near Shoshone Point, just east of Old Faithful. That’s right, 25! The boldness of the crime was staggering. A masked gunman armed with a Winchester rifle stopped each coach, one by one, and demanded valuables from startled tourists. He made off with about $1,000 in cash and jewelry, which would be worth much more today. Fortunately, one coach driver managed to escape and gallop back to Old Faithful to raise the alarm. Even more impressively, one passenger secretly snapped a photo of the bandit and helped spread a detailed description of him: light skin, medium build, wearing corduroy pants, laced boots, and a battered hat with a hole in it. This info eventually led to the arrest of Edward B. Trafton, who was convicted of the heist.
But this wasn’t the only robbery. Yellowstone saw a string of these crimes in the early 20th century. One happened near a lookout called “The Eagle’s Nest” between Gardiner and Mammoth. Two robbers stopped coaches, demanded everyone’s cash and jewelry, and even fired a gun so close to two men that the powder scorched their faces. Luckily, they missed the biggest stash, $800 hidden in one man’s vest.
Perhaps the most daring of them all occurred on August 24, 1908, when a lone outlaw held up 17 coaches carrying 174 passengers near Kepler Cascades. He got away with over $2,000, a small fortune at the time, and was never caught. These kinds of robberies made headlines and painted Yellowstone as a bit of a lawless frontier.
That lawlessness wasn’t just a feeling; it was real. In the park’s early years, there was no legal way to prosecute crimes that happened within Yellowstone. Since the park spanned across parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, it wasn’t fully under the jurisdiction of any one state. That problem became crystal clear in 1894, when a man named Ed Howell was caught poaching bison in the park. Despite being caught red-handed, there was no law in place that allowed authorities to properly charge him. At best, they could throw him out of the park, and that wasn’t going to stop determined poachers or robbers.
The public wasn’t happy. Influential voices, like George Bird Grinnell from Forest and Stream magazine, called out the legal loophole and pushed for action. That pressure led to Congress passing the Lacey Act in 1894, which created a legal framework specifically for Yellowstone. It established the park as a U.S. Judicial District of Wyoming and allowed for the appointment of a U.S. Commissioner, essentially a local judge who could deal with crimes on-site.
Enter Judge John W. Meldrum, who was appointed as Yellowstone’s first U.S. Commissioner. Meldrum’s tiny court at Fort Yellowstone became the front line of justice in the park. And it didn’t take long to put it to use. Just three years after the Lacey Act was passed, on August 14, 1897, two men held up four stagecoaches and an Army ambulance between Canyon and Mammoth, stealing about $630. This time, park authorities had the tools to respond. Thanks to a tip from none other than former poacher Ed Howell, the robbers, known as Smitzer (aka “Little Gus”) and Reeb (aka “Morphine Charley”), were tracked down, arrested, and taken to federal court in Cheyenne. They were convicted in 1898 and sentenced to three years in prison.
So, while Yellowstone’s geysers and grizzlies have always drawn crowds, its law-and-order story is just as gripping. The stagecoach robberies weren’t just wild tales; they helped highlight a major gap in the legal system and led directly to the creation of Yellowstone’s own court system. Thanks to those bold crimes (and some bold reforms), the park transformed from a beautiful but vulnerable place into a truly protected national treasure.
WEATHER FOR THE COMING WEEK
You have to listen to the podcast to get this information. I was too lazy to type it out this week.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-yellowstone-national-park/id1789397931
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/41E5WWldz4s7n6NXh2Lahr
RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/this-week-in-yellowstone-national-park/
SNOWPACK UPDATE
Not in this week’s episode. This will be back in October, probably.
ROADS CONDITIONS
All major roads and most side roads are open right now in and around Yellowstone National Park. This includes Dunraven Pass and the Beartooth Highway.
For up-to-date information, call (307) 344-2117 for recorded information, or sign up to receive Yellowstone road alerts on your mobile phone by texting “82190” to 888-777.
CAMPING INFO
Every campground in the park that is going to open this year is open. There are a surprising number of sites still available this coming week, so if you are on the fence about camping or visiting, you should book a site and come on out.
WILDLIFE WATCHING UPDATE
You have to listen to the podcast to get this information. Sorry.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-yellowstone-national-park/id1789397931
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/41E5WWldz4s7n6NXh2Lahr
RSS: https://rss.com/podcasts/this-week-in-yellowstone-national-park/
PICK UP A GUIDEBOOK
Love what you have heard on this podcast and want more information on wildlife watching? Get a copy of my wildlife-watching guidebook to the region! Available in both ebook and paperback formats, my book will help you spot wildlife like a seasoned local. Please consider buying a book directly from me, as I make nothing when they are sold on Amazon. Grab your copy here!
TRAIL ALERTS AND UPDATES
Currently, as of the time of this recording, all trails that are supposed to be open in the park are open. Trails in the bear management areas are not included in that statement. All the information on trail conditions can be found on the Backcountry Conditions Page of Yellowstone National Park.
TREK OF THE WEEK
Seven Mile Hole
The following is an excerpt from my hiking guidebook that covers over 50 of my favorite trails in and around Yellowstone National Park.
Starting at the end of the most dramatic sections of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, this trail is largely overlooked. No boardwalks are found, nor are any of the amenities you find when driving and hiking along the north rim of the canyon. Instead, what you find here is a long and wonderful trail along the canyon rim, where sweeping views of the tree-lined cliffs continue to leave one in awe.
While the rest of the views of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon often leave people speechless, the subtle beauty along this trek makes the canyon and river feel more approachable and gentle, welcoming you as you hike downriver. Across the way, keep an eye out for Silver Cord Cascade, a waterfall that is most impressive after a heavy rain or during the early summer months.
This hike is honestly a spot in the Canyon area where one can truly take a deep breath and relax in nature. The first half of the trail is in the woods with minimal views, but once you do get views, they will be etched in your mind’s eye forever. With the added bonus of being able to walk directly through a thermal area before reaching the Yellowstone River, this trail could become a yearly tradition for you.
The important thing to know about this trail is that you get what you want out of it. Hike here with an open mind and lowered expectations.
Not because they won’t be met, but because this trail will reward you well. All you have to do is be open to its wonders.
For the first 1.3 miles, the trail runs parallel to the canyon rim, with great views every so often. The path meanders in the woods a bit, but the canopy is welcomed, absorbing the sounds of the nearby infrastructure of Canyon and replacing it with the sounds of wind in the trees and the river below.
The next mile of trail is a well-maintained single-track trail, passing through part of a forest that is home to grizzlies and black bears, as well as bison and elk. The path rises and falls in manageable sections, never really climbing steeply. At 2.4 miles, you’ll reach a clearing/ seasonal pond. Be aware that this is the one section of the trail that may have some mosquitoes, so come prepared. For this entire section, you’ll have gained roughly 400 feet in elevation.
If you look north in the clearing, you’ll see Mount Washburn rising in the distance. If you feel called to summit the mountain from this trail, please contact me or pick up my guidebook. There is also a hidden and overlooked thermal area on the spur trail that leads to the summit of Washburn. However, it is a serious day. But it is a fantastic hike for those able to do it.
Beyond the clearing, the trail continues to pass through the forest, with minimal views emerging until 3.3 miles from the trailhead. Here, you’ll see the forested canyon walls, as well as the Yellowstone down below. From this point on, you’ll be descending down to the Yellowstone River, 1,200 feet down.
At the 4-mile mark, 700 feet away from the aforementioned overlook at 3.3 miles, one of the hidden gems of this hike emerges- an area with small bubbling pools, fumaroles, and other unique thermal area features scattered throughout. A well-worn footpath should be visible to maneuver through this area. Do not deviate from this, as the ground may not be reliable or firm. Don’t let this scare you away, though! This area is a great spot to look around and enjoy, especially knowing that not very many visitors to the park will ever see it.
The next mile of the trail continues to descend down to the river, passing through a forest, past a backcountry campsite spur trail, and onto the rocky shore of the river. If you brought a fishing pole, enjoy your time here. If you came down empty-handed, just sit back and enjoy the view.
The trek out is the tough part of this hike. The trail will climb out of the canyon for the next two miles, with a gain of 1,300 feet over that time. It will more than likely feel steep, and you may be tired. You’ll be okay, though. The remaining three miles will feel much easier and should pass quickly, with canyon views emerging once again for the last 1.3 miles.
NEXT WEEK
In next week’s episode, I’ll return with all of the information you need to have a good week in the park, including wildlife, weather, and trail updates.
Until then, happy trails!
