Montana Gov. Gianforte Sues Yellowstone National Park Over Bison Plan

Above, lounging bison and their calves in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A legal battle is brewing in the state of Montana over a plan by the National Park Service and Department of the Interior over a bison management plan.

Governor Greg Gianforte and the Montana departments of Livestock and Fish, Wildlife & Parks are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle: 

Citing a failure to cooperate with Montana state agencies and violation of federal laws, Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration has sued to have Yellowstone National Park’s bison management plan nullified.

The 51-page lawsuit, filed on Dec. 31 in Billings District Court, names the National Park Service, Department of Interior and its leaders — including Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly — as defendants.

In addition to Gianforte, the Montana departments of Livestock and Fish, Wildlife & Parks are plaintiffs in the suit.

Yellowstone’s bison plan was finalized in July 2024 amid protests from the Gianforte administration, first outlined in a 17-page letter in 2023.

Under Gianforte’s leadership, the state has sought lower bison populations in the park to lessen the chance of the animals migrating into Montana in the winter.

The state wants the park bison population to number no more than 3,000 animals, a target agreed to in 2000 when the Interagency Bison Management Plan was adopted.

In the new plan, however, Yellowstone cited updated scientific findings to justify a population range between 3,500 to 6,000 animals after calving. That would put the population at an average of 5,000 head a year.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone Visitation Down In September

Above, Old Faithful Geyser in eruption. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Likely due to the floods of June and the high cost of gasoline and diesel, visitation to Yellowstone National Park was down again in September.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Yellowstone National Park’s visitation totals dropped again in September, continuing a downward trend spurred by historic flooding in June that washed out roads and led to closures.

The park announced Monday that it recorded 567,587 visits in September, a 36% decrease from September 2021. It’s also 18% lower than the month’s total in 2019, the final year before the COVID-19 pandemic and the visitation surge that followed.

It brings the park’s year-to-date total to just over 3 million visits. That’s down 32% from the same time in 2021, which was the park’s busiest year on record.

To read more, go here.

3rd Person Gored By A Yellowstone Bison This Year

Above, a herd of Yellowstone bison grazing in a riverside meadow. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Wildlife and people don't mix too well in national parks on occasion.

The third Yellowstone National Park if 2022 took place this week when a 71-year-old woman was gored by one of the park's bisons. This was the second bison goring this week.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Another Yellowstone National Park visitor was gored by a bison on Wednesday. It was the park’s second bison goring in the last three days, according to a Thursday news release.

A 71-year-old woman from West Chester, Pennsylvania, was gored by a bull bison near Yellowstone Lake’s Storm Point on Wednesday, park staff wrote in the release.

The woman and her daughter inadvertently approached the bison while they were returning to their vehicle at the trailhead, which caused the animal to charge them.

The woman’s injuries were non-life-threatening, and an ambulance transported her to West Park Hospital in Cody, Wyoming. The incident is under investigation, and the staff aren’t reporting any additional information.

 To read more, go here.

Yellowstone "On Track" To Reopen Next Week

Above, a foot bridge near the Upper Yellowstone Falls. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some portions of Yellowstone National Park are "on track" to reopen next week.

Other areas that were harder hit by the massive floods won't be reopened for months, according to park officials.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Officials are still targeting next week to reopen a portion of Yellowstone National Park after damaging floods destroyed roads and caused the park to shut down on Monday.

Superintendent Cam Sholly said during a call with West Yellowstone residents and business owners Friday that a slide on a road south of Canyon Village on Wednesday was worse than originally thought, but that crews had already started working on repairs.

Sholly said the area being worked on is 120 feet long.

Crews are expected to finish the excavation, repairs and paving by Monday or Tuesday. Sholly said on the call they are targeting Wednesday as a reopening date for the southern portion of the park and the east, west and south gates — though no date has been officially announced yet.

To read more, go here.

2021: Yellowstone's Busiest Year Ever

Above, visitors at one of Yellowstone's hot springs.Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The final numbers are in and they show that 2021 was the busiest year ever for Yellowstone National Park. I was last in Yellowstone back in 2019.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

With the December numbers finally tallied, Yellowstone National Park has a final visitation number for its busiest year on record: 4,860,537.

The final number shows a wide gulf between 2021 and the next busiest year. The total count for 2021 is more than 600,000 visits higher than 2016, which had a little more than 4.25 million visits.

At least nine separate months topped their previous highs in 2021, according to park records — March, April, May, June, July, August, September, November and December. July was the busiest month ever, with more than 1 million visits recorded.

To read more, go here.

Yellowstone Saw Busiest August On Record

Above, visitors gather to witness an eruption of Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone. Photo by Armand Vaquer

Last month, Yellowstone National Park set a new attendance record.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported:

This August was Yellowstone National Park’s busiest on record, officials announced Tuesday.

Officials logged just over 921,800 recreation visits to Yellowstone last month. The numbers exceeded the previous August record by a little less than 1%.

The park’s second-busiest August was in 2017, when a total solar eclipse drew droves of visitors to the park.

 To read more, go here.

Yellowstone Sees Slight Dip In July Visitation

Above, Lower Yellowstone Fall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yellowstone National Park saw slightly less visits in July, compared to the same time last year.

Mitch Geriminsky and I managed to get in "under the gun" by taking a quick visit into the park to see Old Faithful Geyser erupt on July 31. To say the park was crowded that day would be an understatement.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Yellowstone National Park recorded a little more than 936,000 visits in July, a decrease of less than 1% from the year before.  

Park officials announced Tuesday that they counted a total of 936,062 visits during what’s usually the park’s busiest month. That total is .48% less than the total for July 2018 — 940,563 visits.

Year to date, the total number of visitors is 2.29 million, a total that’s about 1.2% below for the same time last year.

To read more, go here.

4.1 Million Visited Yellowstone In 2018

Above, an eruption of Old Faithful Geyser. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yellowstone National Park recorded its third busiest year in visitors in 2018.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported:

Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday said it had its third-busiest year on record in 2018 with more than 4.1 million visitors crossing its gates. 

The number of visitors is slightly lower, about 0.03 percent, than recorded visits in 2017, according to a park news release. It’s also a 3.5 percent decrease from the park’s record-breaking year in 2016, when a little more than 4.2 million people flocked to the park.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone Visitation Slightly Down

Above, the Yellowstone River. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been reported that visitor numbers at Yellowstone National Park for the early part of this year is down, in comparison to last year.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Fewer people went to Yellowstone National Park this past April than in 2017, marking the second consecutive year in which the month’s visitation declined. 

The park’s statisticians counted 37,766 recreational visits for the month, a 16 percent drop from 2017’s total of 45,160. April’s highest total came in 2016, when 59,253 visits were counted. 

For the year, the park has counted 123,949 visits. That’s a slight lag behind 2017, which had recorded a little more than 130,000 visits by this point.

Yellowstone's busy season usually begins in May.

To read more, go here. 

More Than 1,000 Yellowstone Bison Culled

Above, grazing bison in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Officials at Yellowstone National Park said that they have met and exceeded their goals of culling bison from the park.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

More than 1,100 Yellowstone bison have been removed from the population, a total that surpassed bison managers’ reduction goals for the winter. 

Yellowstone National Park spokeswoman Morgan Warthin said Monday that a total of 1,155 bison had been removed, a number that goes beyond the range of between 600 and 900 that officials agreed to this winter. Bison capture is now over. 

In a statement, park officials said they expect there will be roughly 4,300 bison in the park after this spring’s calving season. The statement said that will meet an agency goal of a population of less than 4,500 bison for the first time since 2012. 

Wildlife managers try to reduce the number of bison each year because of a multi-agency agreement that calls for a population of about 3,000. Park officials estimated the total at about 4,800 last fall. 

Bison are culled through hunting and ship-to-slaughter. Meat from slaughtered bison is distributed to Native American tribes.

To read more, go here.

Yellowstone Hotels Having A Good Winter

Above, some of the terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that Yellowstone National Park will have a good winter as far as stays in the park's hotels are concerned.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Hotel stays inside Yellowstone National Park appear to be up in the early goings of the park’s winter season. 

Mike Keller, the general manager of Xanterra’s Yellowstone National Park Lodges, said there were 300 more bookings at the Snow Lodge at Old Faithful in the first 11 days of 2017’s over-snow travel season than in the same time period last year. Over-snow travel began on Dec. 15, making that the first day guests could get to the lodge. 

Guests are also taking advantage of the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, near the park’s northern entrance, which was closed last winter for renovations.

To read more, go here. 

600-900 Yellowstone Bison To Be Culled

Above, sunning Yellowstone bison. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

About 600-900 bison will be culled from Yellowstone National Park's herd this winter.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

PRAY — Somewhere between 600 and 900 Yellowstone bison should be culled from the population this winter via hunting and slaughter, bison managers agreed Tuesday. 

State, federal and tribal officials met at Chico Hot Springs yesterday to hash out plans for the winter management of the Yellowstone bison herd, and they agreed that the population should either decrease or remain stable. 

Yellowstone National Park’s most recent estimate says there are 4,816 animals in the population. Park biologists provided data that indicated the removal of 600 would keep that number relatively stable while the removal of 900 would lead to a slight decrease.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone's September Visitor Numbers Down

Above, Mammoth Hot Springs. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yellowstone National Park may have seen a huge amount of visitors in August due to the eclipse (its totality path crossed over next door at Grand Teton National Park), but that didn't help any for September.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported:

Yellowstone National Park saw a slower September than it has in three years, a fact the park blames on snow-caused road closures.  

Park statisticians counted 640,068 visits in September, the third-highest total for the month. That’s down about 60,000 visits from 2016 and about 40,000 visits from 2015, the two busiest Septembers on record. 

While September was down, the year's total is approaching four million visitors.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone Bison Numbers Down After Cull

Above, a herd of bison in Yellowstone in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The goal of reducing the bison population to around 3,000 in Yellowstone National Park is within sight as culling of the animals has begun.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

After its largest cull in nearly a decade, Yellowstone National Park biologists documented a decline of the number of bison that roam in and out of the park. 

Park spokesman Jonathan Shafer said in an email that biologists’ surveys in early August found roughly 4,800 bison live in the park, which is down from the 5,500 bison the park counted in 2016. 

The count came months after more than 1,200 of the furry mammals were killed earlier this year, either through hunting or ship-to-slaughter operations. 

Bison are removed from the population because of a management plan that calls for a population of 3,000. Population estimates have hovered around the 5,000 mark for a few years.

To read more, go here.

Snow Already In Yellowstone

Above, inside the Old Faithful Inn where it was warm and cozy. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that Old Man Winter is in a hurry to get started, and it is not even autumn yet.

Yellowstone National Park got a dusting of snow.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Yellowstone National Park visitors are going to have some trouble getting around.  

Park officials closed several roads Tuesday morning because of ice and snow but have reopened a few of them as conditions change.  

As of Tuesday afternoon, only Old Faithful to West Thumb was still closed to public travel because of snow.

To read more and to see a photo of Old Faithful Geyser surrounded by snow, go here. 

Yellowstone Saw Busiest August Ever

Above, the Old Faithful Inn. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following is not at all surprising as neighboring Grand Teton National Park was directly in the path of the August 21 solar eclipse.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported:

Yellowstone National Park recorded last month its busiest August on record.  

Park officials tallied 916,166 visits last month, marking the first time the month surpassed 900,000 visits in the park’s history. It’s almost a 9 percent increase over the total in August 2016.

 To read more, go here.

Yellowstone To Convert Part of Bison Trap To Quarantine Facility

Above, two Yellowstone bison on a hill. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In an effort to stop the spread of brucellosis, Yellowstone National Park is converting part of its bison trap into a quarantine facility.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Yellowstone National Park is moving forward with turning part of its bison trap into a temporary brucellosis quarantine facility, officials said Thursday. 

Park Superintendent Dan Wenk told the government agencies that make up the Interagency Bison Management Plan that the park plans to tweak part of the Stephens Creek Capture Facility to meet federal and state requirements for a facility where animals could be certified as free of brucellosis, a disease that can cause animals to abort calves.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone Earthquakes Revive Eruption Fears

Above, the Clepsydra Geyser. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yellowstone National Park has been experiencing a "swarm" of earthquakes in the northwest areas of the park this past week.

According to the Daily Star (U.K.):

A 4.5 magnitude shaker struck Yellowstone Magnitude Park on Thursday, according to data from the US Geological Survey. 

Earthquakes in the area are not rare – with 1,500 to 2,000 hitting the area every year – but the latest incident was the only one this year reported by USGS. 

Scientists say Thursday’s earthquake was part of the swarm hitting the area since Monday. 

Yellowstone volcano, located in the US state of Wyoming, is one of the most feared on the planet and described as a “ticking time bomb” – with various scientists claiming its eruption could be catastrophic. 

Experts have long claimed the so-called “super volcano” could wipe out the entire planet.

To read more, go here.

And, according to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

The small earthquake that struck Yellowstone National Park on Thursday night was part of a swarm that has been hitting the area since Monday, scientists say. 

The quake was centered near West Yellowstone, but was also felt by people in Gardiner and Bozeman. 

“As of 10 a.m. this morning we had located a total of 235 earthquakes in the area,” said Jamie Farrell, University of Utah research professor of seismology. 

Yellowstone gets about 1,500 to 2,000 earthquakes every year. About half of those come in earthquake swarms — lots of earthquakes in a small area in a short amount of time.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone Early Season Visitor Numbers Down

Above, Yellowstone elk grazing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Record numbers of people have visited Yellowstone National Park during the past two years and 2017 is expected to also see record numbers. But, so far, the early season visitor numbers is down.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

Visitation numbers are down for Yellowstone National Park so far this year, and park officials are blaming the weather.  

The park recorded 45,095 visits this April, a total that was 23 percent lower than in April 2016. So far, total visitation is 12 percent lower than it was last year at this time.  

Jonathan Shafer, a spokesman for the park, said cold weather and fewer days with open roads likely contributed to the decrease. And even with that drop, park officials expect end-of-year totals to approach the levels they’ve seen in each of the past two years.

Since the August 21 solar eclipse umbra will pass over nearby Grand Teton National Park, more people will be drawn to the area to view it, which will increase Yellowstone's seasonal numbers.

To read more, go here.

Local Communities Received $680 Million From Yellowstone Visitors

Above, businesses of West Yellowstone, Montana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Like Joshua Tree National Park (that was reported on earlier), the surrounding communities of Yellowstone National Park reaped the benefits of increased visitors with their spending.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported:

Big crowds mean big money, and the towns on the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park reaped the economic benefits of another year with record visitation in 2016.  

A U.S. Department of the Interior report released this week said that Yellowstone visitor spending contributed roughly $680.4 million in the park’s gateway communities in Wyoming and Montana in 2016. That’s roughly $42 million more than 2015, and more than $100 million more than 2014.

To read more, go here.