Yellowstone Bear Attack Near Old Faithful Geyser

Above, a mother bear and cub in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that spring has sprung, bears in our national parks are out and about. As evidence of this, two hikers were attacked on a trail near Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

According to an article in RV Travel:

A bear attack that injured two hikers in Yellowstone National Park this week didn’t happen deep in the backcountry. It happened near one of the most visited parts of the park—close to Old Faithful—on a trail many visitors walk every day.

What happened

According to the National Park Service, two hikers were injured May 4 on the Mystic Falls Trail, not far from Old Faithful. Rangers responded quickly, and both visitors were treated and removed from the area. Officials have not yet released details about the severity of the injuries or exactly what led to the encounter.

To read more, go here. 

Senior-Friendly National Parks

Above, Old Faithful Geyser at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Retirement for seniors is something that allows them to travel around the country and, if they are financially able to, the world.

Seniors are especially drawn to U.S. national parks. My most recent national park visit was in July at Arches National Park in Utah. 

Some parks are more senior-friendly than others.

Travelbinger has posted a list of the most retiree-friendly national parks.

They begin it with:

Visiting national parks can be one of the most beautiful experiences in life, regardless of age. It is the scenes that you have only seen on postcards, and the cool thing is that you can tell so many people of the beautiful spots. For older travelers, nature provides peace, fresh air, and opportunities for gentle walks, while also inspiring and reminding us how amazing the world is. Many parks in the United States now offer excellent infrastructure, including flat trails, shuttle buses, viewpoints, and benches, making exploring comfortable and easy. This means you don’t need to be a top hiker to enjoy spectacular landscapes, waterfalls, canyons, and forests that take your breath away. Visitor centers and guided tours further enrich the experience, offering fascinating stories about the history and nature of each park, while visiting during the optimal season ensures pleasant temperatures, fewer crowds, and the best visual experiences.

What is especially wonderful is the diversity these parks offer. In one visit, you can experience mountains and valleys, forests and lakes, waterfalls and canyons, all at a comfortable and easy pace. In addition to natural beauty, many parks provide educational opportunities and short guided tours, making them perfect for combining learning and relaxation. Planning your visit during the best season is crucial, as it ensures comfortable weather, less crowded areas, and stunning views of nature. This way, every visitor can fully enjoy their time without strain or stress.

For older travelers, these parks offer the perfect balance between enjoying nature and staying comfortable. You can ride shuttle buses, walk on short trails, rest on benches, and take in spectacular viewpoints. The views of canyons, waterfalls, and meadows stay in memory long after your visit, while the quiet and tranquility offer a real break from everyday stress. Additionally, visitor centers and educational trails allow you to learn more about the park’s history and ecology. With proper planning, visiting national parks becomes an enriching and inspiring experience.

To see the list, go here. 

Best Things To Do At Yellowstone and Grand Teton

Above, Grand Teton National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since the start of summer vacation season is only a few months away, it is time to ponder upon where to go to.

Two obvious choices are Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in Wyoming. They're close to each other and the parks are quite different from one another. I have been to both several times, the last time being in 2019.

Above, an eruption of Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

That is the subject of an article in Travelbinger. They provide tips on things to see and do in each national park.

They begin with:

Whoever gave the Wyoming National Parks the best of the best in terms of outdoor qualities sure deserves a medal. This stretch of pristine wilderness and landscapes in western Wyoming is one of greatness, allowing individuals the chance to see what the world was like hundreds of years ago.

The massive jagged peaks, geysers, wildlife, and crystal clear lakes harken back to a time when humans roamed these lands on foot, not via four wheels.

I’ve been lucky enough to explore this remarkable area multiple times and honestly believe everyone should experience these two national parks at least once in their lifetimes. With these two parks within a couple of hours, it’s the perfect outdoor road trip destination!

To read more, go here. 

Old Faithful Is ‘Just A Tiny Fraction’ of Yellowstone

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

People are beginning to flock to Yellowstone National Park.

Many think that Yellowstone is just known as the home of Old Faithful Geyser. There are many more geysers and features to enjoy in the park.

USA Today has posted a story on Yellowstone as part of a yearlong series.

They started with:

Most people already know a thing or two about Yellowstone National Park. It’s the world’s first national park and home to Old Faithful. 

“Probably 95% of people that come to Yellowstone visit Old Faithful, but Old Faithful is just a tiny fraction of what Yellowstone National Park is all about,” said Richard Jehle, an interpretive specialist at Yellowstone. “There are so many places in Yellowstone that if they were by themselves, they would be their own national park. Yellowstone Lake, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs, other geyser basins like Norris Geyser Basin are all just spectacular resources in their own setting.”

Here’s what else travelers should know about Yellowstone, the latest national park in USA TODAY’s yearlong series.

To read more, go here. 

Select Yellowstone Roads To Open

Above, a vehicle passes basaltic lava columns in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer

Select roads in Yellowstone National Park will shortly be open for the summer vacation season.

East Idaho News reported (from a National Park Service press release):

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. – Beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, April 19, 2024, select roads in Yellowstone National Park will open to the public, weather permitting. Roads begin to open annually this time of year for the summer season.

On Saturday, April 20, entrance fees will be waived in celebration of National Park Week.

Roads opening April 19:

• West Entrance (West Yellowstone, Montana) to Old Faithful (via Madison Junction)
• Mammoth Hot Springs to Old Faithful (via Norris Junction and Madison Junction)
• Norris Junction to Canyon Village

Additional park roads will open throughout May, weather permitting.

To read more, go here. 

Reader's Digest Yellowstone Itinerary

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

It hardly seems possible that it has been five years since I was last in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks area. 

That trip was made possible as a friend and I went to Buhl, Idaho to visit an ailing friend. Since we were in the vicinity, we decided to go on to Jackson, Wyoming and the national parks.

Above, yours truly (white shirt) rafting the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming.

Reader's Digest has posted one family's one-week itinerary which looks pretty interesting that one should consider.

It starts off with:

Every time I told anyone—friends, family, people I had just met—that my family’s summer vacation plan was to visit Wyoming and Montana, they inevitably asked about our Yellowstone itinerary. I get it. As a lifelong East Coaster, planning a trip to a national park out West is intimidating, even for an experienced traveler like me, who, as an editor at Reader’s Digest online, has the advantage of being able to consult with tourism boards and other travel experts.

After a year-plus of research and planning, here is the one-week Yellowstone itinerary I followed with my husband and two elementary-school-age kids—along with the one thing I wish we had done differently.

To read more, go here. 

An Epic Road Trip Through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks

Above, the Grand Tetons reflected on Jackson Lake. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, I have driven through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (in both directions) and the views along the way never fail to fascinate. 

There are many things to see and do in each park and The Points Guy has posted an article on planning an epic road trip through both.

It begins with:

The singular scenery of northwestern Wyoming — otherworldly geysers and hot springs, serene alpine lakes, jaw-dropping canyons — inspired the very concept of a national park system.

In fact, in 1872, Yellowstone National Park became the world's first national park. And, at 3,472 square miles (it's about two-thirds the size of Connecticut), Yellowstone is also the second-largest national park in the continental United States.

This iconic park, which lies mostly in Wyoming but also extends slightly into Montana and Idaho, remains a land of superlatives, beloved not only for its incredible visual beauty but also for its classic lodges, engaging visitor centers and museums, and visitor-friendly road network.

Just 30 miles south of Yellowstone and one-seventh the size, Grand Teton National Park was established in 1929 in recognition of its most prominent feature, a dramatic range of jagged, glacial peaks that rise as high as 13,775 feet. French Canadian trappers gave them their rather ribald moniker ("grand teton" translates to "big breast" in French).

Above, eruptions of Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone
always draws crowds. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read the full article, go here. 

Shutdown: What Will It Mean For Public Lands Access?

Above, one thing is certain, Old Faithful in Yellowstone won't
 be turned off during a shutdown. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The looming government shutdown will lead to the closure of most national parks and other public lands.

As previously posted on this blog, the states of Arizona, Colorado and Utah are looking to keep their national parks open on their dime.

RV Travel has posted an article on what the shutdown means for RVers, at least what is known so far.

They begin with:

At the time of this writing, Friday, September 29, from all appearances, the likelihood of a federal government shutdown happening on Sunday is a safe bet. We’ll leave the politics out of this article, and get to how RVers and others could be affected. What will happen to access to national parks and other public lands? Here’s the latest information.

To read more, go here.

Plan An Unforgettable Yellowstone Camping Trip

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

Yellowstone National Park should be one of those places in the U.S. that should be high on one's "bucket list" to visit.

I have been there three times. I have not been lucky enough to get a campsite within the park, but, fortunately, there are private campgrounds just outside of the park. We stayed at a KOA Kampground twice in West Yellowstone, Montana. It was a easy and close drive to the park.

We took two van tours of Yellowstone with a tour company that picked us up in front of the KOA. We left the driving to them.

Above, at camp at the KOA in West Yellowstone. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Condé Nast Traveler has posted an article on how to plan a camping trip to Yellowstone.

They begin it with:

Looking to plan a Yellowstone camping trip? Few experiences will get you closer to the essence of this destination. 

After all, the visionaries who named Yellowstone America’s first national park in 1872 recognized the same charms that still lure millions of visitors the world over today: hydrothermal fireworks in its geyser basins, an intact ecosystem that's home to charismatic wildlife like grizzly bears and wolves, dazzling cascades twice the height of Niagara Falls, sculpted mountains, and sparkling lakes. This enormous park, which sits mostly in Wyoming’s northwestern corner with slices in Idaho and Montana, offers plenty of conventional lodging choices, but there’s no better way to experience this primeval place than by camping. Pitch a tent in the woods, along a creek, or next to a lake, and you’ll immerse yourself in a wild landscape just as people have done for thousands of years—and thanks to the park, can continue to do well into the future.  

Below, we cover everything you need to know to enjoy a night under the stars at Yellowstone, including when to go and how to snag reservations at the best sites for car camping, backpacking, and glamping. Consider this your complete Yellowstone camping guide. 

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.

Yellowstone Laundry In The Late 1800s

A friend on Facebook just passed this on.

I never heard of this before. But one cannot be too surprised, can we?

Yellowstone Visitation Down In July

Above, a crowd gathers at Old Faithful Geyer in the
 pre-pandemic year of 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While this news may not be good news for park vendors and Yellowstone National Park area towns, it just may be good news for the park's ecosystem.

July park visitation was down due to the June floods. With fewer people stomping around, the park is able to "heal" somewhat, one would surmise.

The Idaho Capital Sun reported:

Visitation at Yellowstone National Park is down 30% so far this year following historic flooding that left damage and park closures in its wake. 

Park officials counted 596,562 recreation visits in July, which is down 45% from a record 1,080,767 visits that officials counted in July 2021, the busiest July in the park’s 150-year history, according to a new release issued by Yellowstone National Park last week.   

The North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, and the Northeast Entrance near Cooke City, Montana, are closed to vehicles but are open to pedestrians on foot and to bicycle traffic. 

 To read more, go here.

Where To Go In Yellowstone National Park

Above, Yellowstone is open, but it takes more planning to get in. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When nature decides to do something, man is powerless to stop it.

Such is the case with the floods in Yellowstone National Park. It damaged or destroyed roads within the park, primarily the northern ones.

Much of the park has reopened and people are wondering where they can go in the park. West Entrance from West Yellowstone, Montana and South Entrance from Grand Teton National Park and Jackson, Wyoming are open for example.

Travel + Leisure provides a rundown on where people can and can't go to.

They begin with:

It was set to be a banner year for Yellowstone National Park. In 2021, the park welcomed a record 4.9 million visitors, and in March 2022, the country's oldest national park celebrated its 150th birthday. But in mid-June, right as the summer season started to ramp up, record rainfall led to mudslides, rockslides, and flooding, causing damage to roads, water systems, trails, and power lines.

As of Thursday, July 28, the north and northeast entrances remain closed to vehicles due to flood damage. That means visitors looking to access the park by car from Gardiner, Montana, (north entrance) or Cooke City and Silver Gate, Montana, (northeast entrance) are out of luck. That said, the entrances are open to foot traffic.

Although two of the park entrances remain closed, 93% of the park's roads are open, and both the north and south loops are accessible via the west, south, and east entrances.

America's oldest national park remains as vibrant and beautiful as ever — it just takes a little extra planning to ensure your trip isn't impacted by the closures. Here's what you need to know before you go.

To read more, go here.

Man Gored By Bison At Yellowstone

Above, a resting bison near a gas station in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For the second time in less than a month, a visitor to Yellowstone National Park was gored by a wild bison. This time, it was not too far from Old Faithful Geyser.

According to UPI:

June 29 (UPI) -- For the second time in less than a month, a wild bison charged a group of people at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and gored one of them, park officials said.

The National Park Service said that the bison charged a 34-year-old Colorado man earlier this week near Yellowstone's most famous attraction, the Old Faithful geyser.

Officials said the man was walking with his family near the geyser when the animal abruptly charged them. The man was gored and received an injury to his arm. He was treated at a local hospital and released.

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone Road Projects To Cause Major Delays

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

Road projects that will take place in 2022 and 2023 in Yellowstone National Park will cause "major" road delays for visitors.

The Oil City News reported:

CASPER, Wyo. — The National Park Service is investing about $155 million in improvements within Yellowstone National Park in 2022. Three major projects included in those improvements will lead to “major delays” in both 2022 and 2023, the NPS said in a press release Thursday.

“It’s important the visiting public understand the major delays that will occur in 2022 and 2023 and impacts to the South Entrance Road,” Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly said. “While we always strive to execute projects in the least impacting way, the Old Faithful to West Thumb and Lewis River Bridge projects will seriously disrupt travel entering and exiting the park’s south entrance and visitors should plan accordingly. We very much appreciate the funding received through the Great American Outdoors Act to complete these critical projects.”

Two of the three major projects that will cause major delays in both 2022 and 2023 will also lead to overnight closures of roads within Yellowstone.

To read more, go here. 

Want To Visit A National Park, Start Planning Now

Above, a crowd gathers to witness an eruption of Old Faithful Geyser. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We're now in the middle of winter, but it is never too early to plan ahead for a summer vacation trip to a U.S. national park. 

Some national parks are seeing record visitation and station WESH of Orlando, Florida says that to visit one, start planning now. 

They begin with:

Venice knows the burden all too well. So does Amsterdam.

And some of the most visited national parks in the United States are going through the same thing -- the downside of being popular.

It puts them in quite the jam, especially those with short, sought-after peak seasons and one-of-a-kind attractions. After all, you want people to come. Just not too many all at once. Achieving a balance can be tricky.

And like those canal-laced European favorites, the U.S. National Park Service is turning to some of the same methods to regulate the flow.

How does this affect you? If you want to visit a popular park this summer, it's already time to plan.

Extra fees, advanced reservations, special passes, lotteries and caps on the number of visitors are all in play in 2022 to keep what's special about some crowd-pleasing parks from being deluged by the sheer flood of humanity.

To read more, go here. 

Don't Be Afraid To Leave Old Faithful Behind

Above, one of over 500 geysers in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Right now, Yellowstone National Park is probably teeming with visitors. One of the most popular attractions is Old Faithful Geyser. 

Roughly every 90 minutes, crowds gather to witness its eruptions. But, as National Parks Traveler posts, one can leave Old Faithful and its crowds behind.

In fact, the title of their article is, "When Exploring Yellowstone, Don't Be Afraid To Leave Old Faithful Behind".

Why? Because there are other geysers to see without having to contend with crowds.

According to National Parks Traveler:

Really, that headline is no mistake. When visiting Yellowstone National Park in summer, you shouldn't be afraid to leave Old Faithful behind and go in search of geysers that allow you to enjoy them with a little more solitude.

After all, Yellowstone boasts the world's greatest concentration of geysers, with more than 500 counted among its more than 10,000 geothermal features, and most offer incredible settings for enjoying the park.

And really, you've possibly saved up for one vacation this year, and Yellowstone is your destination. You shouldn't have to enjoy Old Faithful with hundreds, if not thousands, of other park visitors who gather practically shoulder-to-shoulder to watch it fume, sputter, and spout for a very small handful of minutes.

Here are some other great geysers off the heavily beaten path to add to your to-do list when you visit the park:

To read more, go here. 

Yellowstone's Greatest Threat To Visitors

Above, visitors gather the watch an eruption of Yellowstone's Old Faithful Geyser. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When one is out in the "Great Outdoors", anything can happen and at any time.

Such is the case with Yellowstone National Park, perhaps even more so.

The Casper Star-Tribune has an article on what is the greatest threat to park visitors, and it is not what one might think.

They begin with:

Summer is upon us! And for many, that means vacation time. What better place to take a holiday than Yellowstone? But while enjoying the spectacle of America’s first National Park, please keep safety in mind.

In fact, there are many ways to get injured or even die while visiting Yellowstone National Park. As reported in the book “Death in Yellowstone,” there have been numerous causes of death throughout the region’s history, including violent confrontations between people, wagon accidents, falling trees, poisonous gases, drownings, falling into hot springs, and, of course, encounters with wildlife. Even in the past few years, news stories have reported bison gorings/tossings, bear attacks, and fatal falls from selfie moments gone awry.

However, contrary to common belief, one of Yellowstone’s biggest dangers to the public is not the abundant and diverse wildlife that millions gather to see, nor even human error, such as falls or traffic accidents.

 To see what the "greatest threat" to visitors is, go here. 

Why National Parks Became No. 1 Pandemic Destination

Above, a crowd gathers for an Old Faithful Geyser eruption. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Travel asks why the national parks became the number one destination during the pandemic.

They see several reasons for this. These also could be factors of why RV sales and rentals are setting records.

They begin with: 

Think back prior to the pandemic (it feels like forever, we know): Does anyone remember the reasons they visited their local national parks? Fresh air, exercise, and scenery are probably the first things that come to mind. Now, think of why a person would make a trip to a national park during the pandemic... the answer is likely to change quite a bit.

Feelings of being trapped, isolated, and our personal lives being out of control were very real throughout most of 2020. So, why would anyone want to go to a place that's even more isolated and remote just to be alone with all of those thoughts and emotions? It seems almost counterintuitive to travel to a place where no one is around just to commune with something that can't talk back and could potentially make us feel even smaller than we already did. There are two faces to every coin, though, and on the other side of this one, there was also a great sense of calm and relief that came from a venture into the woods. Is it possible that this feeling brought us back to our prehistoric ancestors? Or, perhaps, it was the distraction of being truly alone and not just how we perceived to be alone that made us feel comforted? Let's explore it a bit more.

To read more, go here.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CAN’T ASK FOR COMMERCIAL FILMING FEES/PERMITS

Above, an eruption of Old Faithful Geyser at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For years, I've seen notices on national parks literature stating that permits are needed for commercial filming and that fees have to paid.

Not anymore! A federal judge ruled that permits and fees for commercial filming in national parks violate the First Amendment and is therefore unconstitutional.

DIYPhotography reported:

Filmmakers, rejoice: thanks to a court case from 2019, you may no longer need to get a permit and pay fees for commercial shoots in national parks. D.C. federal judge has just made the decision, ruling that it’s unconstitutional for the National Park Service to require a permit and charge you with fees.

It all started in late 2018 when director Gordon Price was shooting his feature film Crawford Road. He was filming in Yorktown Battlefield in Colonial National Historical Park, Virginia without a permit, so two NPS officers issued him a citation, Hollywood Reporter writes. The same source reports that Price argued that the citation was amounted to “content-based prior restraints.”

In December 2019, Price sued the U.S. Attorney General (then William Barr), Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, and Deputy Director of the National Park Service David Vela. As you probably know, you don’t pay a fee or need a permit for shooting in areas where the public is generally allowed. But in other locations, or if you use models or props, the situation changes. Also, news-gathering generally doesn’t require a permit. In his lawsuit, Price argued that the statute was “facially unconstitutional because it targets First Amendment activity.”

To read more, go here.