by 
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.
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/
Before we dive in, I want to share that this is truly a labor of love. If you’re enjoying it, I’d love to hear from you—whether it’s through a review or a quick email. And when you visit Yellowstone, why not take your adventure to the next level with a guided hiking tour? Imagine wandering the park’s best trails with me, uncovering hidden gems, and hearing incredible wildlife stories along the way. I make sure every guest leaves with not just great memories but also the knowledge to make the rest of their trip unforgettable.
My tours go beyond the boardwalks, giving you a deeper, more immersive experience of Yellowstone. If you’re interested, you can reach out to me directly or check out my latest hiking tour options at outdoor-society.com. Let’s make your Yellowstone adventure truly unforgettable!
Ok, on to the news.
THIS WEEK’S YELLOWSTONE NEWS
Happy birthday Yellowstone National Park!
I forgot to mention this last week, but on March 1st, Yellowstone National Park celebrated its 153rd birthday. While the region is obviously much older, the park itself was created on March 1st, 1872.
Oversnow Travel is Ending.
I mentioned this last week, but wanted to continue to talk about it in case you missed the news. On March 2nd, over-snow travel, which involves travel on snowcoaches and snowmobiles, stopped for the season at Mammoth Hot Springs. On March 4th, travel to Norris and Canyon from West Yellowstone ended for the season. On March 9th, travel to Canyon from Fishing Bridge will end for the season, and then, all interior roads will close to over-snow travel on March 15th. The road between Gardiner and Cooke City, through Mammoth, Tower-Roosevelt, and Lamar Valley, is open to personal vehicles all year long.
With oversnow travel ending, many amenities in Mammoth are now closed. On March 3rd, the cabins, dining room, gift shop, hotel lodging, map room bar, ski shop, and terrace grill in Mammoth are all closed. The Mammoth General Store, the fuel pumps at the gas station, the campground, and the visitor center are all open, though!
National Park’s Rally Last Week in Gardiner
On March 1st, there were rallies for park and forest service workers at numerous locations of 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 firings and possibly staffing issues, public lands are facing, held a rally. In Gardiner, around 150 people showed up with signs, holding a rally of solidarity. There is a good article on this rally from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle that is worth the read.
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 the Mammoth Hotel and cabins, tourism drops dramatically. Some places in Gardiner will be closed for 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. While that may be a reason for some to not want to visit the park in March, some of us find this time to be truly magical.
Historically, March is Yellowstone’s third-least visited month and I don’t see that changing any time 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 Cooke 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 skis to trek the trails, but you’ll find yourself mostly alone, no matter what area you wander.
Sure, there will still be people in the park, but early March on a weekday can sometimes feel like you have the entire region 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 to some of my favorite memories, calmest moments in the serenity of the region, and deeper connections with the park. I can’t promise an exciting trip in early March, but if your spirit and soul are open to it, you will find serious bliss.
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 if it is 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.
During the winter months, expect bison jams, especially this time of the year. Earlier this winter, I was driving down the hill to reach Mammoth Hot Springs from the Roosevelt Junction, I was directly behind a herd of 45 or so bison using the road to pass through the park. For five miles, which took roughly 30 minutes, I followed the whole herd, going as slow as I could. Occasionally, a few of the bison would drop back and walk next to my car until I stopped and let them get farther ahead of me. Eventually, they all got to one side of the road and I was safely able to pass them.
When this happens, it is important to breathe and remember where you are. You are in Yellowstone. Where else in the world will you ever have this experience? Sit back and enjoy it; you’ll wish for a herd of bison or a possible bear sighting next time you are stuck in dumb commuter traffic in a big city.
What do you do when you are in a bison jam and they are walking all around your car? There are two schools of thought here. One is to stop and let them have their way. After all, it is their home. This route could mean sitting for hours, as bison will occasionally just lie down and rest on the pavement. It is the most common, but 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, is to slowly approach the animal, 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 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 other stuck cars. If you are uncomfortable with this and are the first in line, pull off at the next pullout and let someone else take the lead. If you are in a bison jam and the car ahead of you is splitting the herd of bison, 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, 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.
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 is why we have insurance. In 30+ years of coming to the park, I have yet to see a bison hit a car. I have, however, seen a few bison hit by cars. For all our sakes, please drive carefully and mind the wildlife.
WEATHER FOR THE COMING WEEK
Lamar Valley: After a potentially chilly and slightly snowy Thursday, this coming weekend looks downright great for Lamar Valley. Expect highs in the upper 30s and 40s, 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.
Cooke City: After some snow on Thursday morning, the next few days look to be pretty dry in Cooke 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.
Gardiner: Like Lamar and Cooke City, there is a chance of snow in Gardiner on Thursday morning, then partly sunny skies and decently warm temperatures will last through Monday. Highs will be in the upper 30s and upper 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.
As always, temperature may be higher or lower than I say, and snowfall amounts may also be higher or lower. The area is hard to predict, especially more than a day or two out.
SNOWPACK UPDATE
The snowpack in Yellowstone is still looking pretty good. The numbers, as of March 4th, are in the 90% of normal range, with no real melt-off expected in the coming week. We could see the snowpack numbers drop a little, but that is mainly due to previous year’s snow events happening during this time. All looks good.
ROADS CONDITIONS
Expect a few patches of snow and ice before the weekend, with most of that melting off over the next few days. I was in the park on Sunday and the roads were perfectly fine all the way out to Pebble Creek. They should mostly be the same this coming week.
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. Anticipate possible road closures due to inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions.
CAMPING INFO
Mammoth is still the only open front-country campground 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.
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 now at outdoor-society.com!
HIKING NEWS AND UPDATES
Trails in the park will be snowy, so be prepared for that. You’ll need snowshoes or cross country skis on every major trail. Boardwalks in Mammoth are pretty beaten down right now, but they could be slick in the morning, so traction devices would be wise to have with you.
TREK OF THE WEEK
The washed out road from 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 is 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’ll need to park near the visitor center or post office in Mammoth. Once you are parked and ready to go, walk down the road to the campground. Do not drive down to the campground to start your hike. This is not allowed and you may be ticketed or towed.
Once you reach the campground, stay on the road and keep heading down the pavement. Pass through any barriers you encounter to the washout, as they are designed to stop cars, but not people. As you hike down the gradual hill, keep an eye out for elk, deer, bison, pronghorn, and even bighorn sheep.
Once you get to the section of old road that traces the Gardner River, keep an eye out for hawks, eagles, and Rocky Mountain bluebirds. 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 surged downstream in 2022, causing this washout and loss of road.
Once you have taken in the view and scanned the cliffs for wildlife, head back the way you came. The route will be around 6 miles total, with roughly 600 feet of elevation gain. You shouldn’t need any special footwear besides comfortable shoes to walk in.
NEXT WEEK
I talk about the return of the bluebirds, the blood moon, and share another trail that will be great for next week’s visitors.
Until next week, bye!
