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Yellowstone Notebook
No, animals are not leaving Yellowstone National Park - Yellowstone Volcano Observatory
No, animals are not leaving Yellowstone National Park Online sources are saying that animals are fleeing Yellowstone National Park. This isn’t the first time such claims have been made. And just like before, they aren’t true. Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Here we go again. The Internet is abuzz with claims that animals are fleeing Yellowstone National Park and suggesting that the bears, elk, and other creatures know something about Yellowstone’s volcanic system that humans don’t. Hogwash. Media Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details These bison seem pretty relaxed. The nonsense seems to have started on July 10, 2025, when a social media post suggested that “hundreds” of mountain lions were...
Juvenile sustains thermal burns in Yellowstone National Park - NPS
News Release J uvenile sustains thermal burns in Yellowstone National Park Lone Star Geyser minor eruption NPS / Jacob W. Frank S News Release Date: July 29, 2025 Contact: Yellowstone Public Affairs , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – On Monday morning, July 28, a 17-year-old male suffered significant thermal burns to his foot and ankle area in the vicinity of Lone Star Geyser near Old Faithful. The juvenile was on a hike in the thermal area when his foot broke through the thin crust and he suffered burns to a lower extremity. Emergency medical staff responded and transported the patient to a hospital for further treatment. This incident is under investigation and there is no additional information to share. Visitors: Stay safe in thermal areas Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations. Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot spring...
Warm water temperatures and low river flows prompt fishing closures on select rivers after 2 p.m. in Yellowstone National Park - NPS
News Release Warm water temperatures and low river flows prompt fishing closures on select rivers after 2 p.m. in Yellowstone National Park Fly fishing on the Madison River. NPS / Neal Herbert News Release Date: June 18, 2025 Contact: Public Affairs Office , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY - Effective Thursday, June 19, 2025, select Yellowstone National Park rivers and streams will close to fishing daily from 2 p.m. to sunrise the following day due to warm water temperatures and low river flows. Water temperatures in select rivers and streams have exceeded 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) in recent days, and flows are low. These conditions are lethal to trout, and the closure will protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries and will remain in effect until conditions improve. Cooler temperatures are expected this weekend. Staff will continue to monitor the water temperatures. The closure may be lifted if water temperatures adequatel...
Habituated and food-conditioned black bear killed in Yellowstone National Park - NPS News Release
News Release Habituated and food-conditioned black bear killed in Yellowstone National Park A person hanging a bag of food and other attractants from a food storage pole in a backcountry campsite near Yellowstone Lake. NPS / Neal Herbert News Release Date: July 17, 2025 Contact: Public Affairs Office , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – At approximately 5 p.m. July 11, Yellowstone National Park staff lethally removed an adult female black bear following a series of concerning incidents at a backcountry campsite located in the Blacktail Deer Creek drainage in the northern part of the park. On June 7, the bear crushed an unoccupied tent at the campsite. A few weeks later, on July 11, the bear climbed the site’s food storage pole, tore down properly stored food bags, and consumed the campers' food. Although it is uncommon for bears in Yellowstone to obtain human food, when it does occur, bears can quickly become food-conditioned and may act aggressivel...
Anticipating where future thermal areas may develop in Yellowstone National Park - Yellowstone Volcano Observatory
Anticipating where future thermal areas may develop in Yellowstone National Park By Yellowstone Volcano Observatory May 5, 2025 Yellowstone contains about 120 thermal areas that collectively are home to more than 10,000 thermal features, like hot springs and geysers. The exact number and location of these thermal areas is always changing, begging the question—where will future thermal areas develop? Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Stanley Mordensky, geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Media Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details Aerial view of the new thermal area, in the center left. The existing Tern Lake thermal area is the bright white patch of ground in the upper middle part of the image. West Tern Lake is in the lower right. Research conducted under NPS Geology Programs Milestones Permit 2016-...
Man gored by bison in Yellowstone - YNP News Release
News Release Man gored by bison in Yellowstone Always stay 25 yards away from bison Bison and danger sign NPS / Jacob W. Frank News Release Date: May 7, 2025 Contact: Yellowstone Public Affairs , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – On May 4, 2025, a 47-year-old man from Cape Coral, Florida, was injured by a bison in Yellowstone National Park. At approximately 3:15 p.m. in the Lake Village area of the park, a man was gored by a bison after he approached it too closely. The individual sustained minor injuries and was treated by emergency medical personnel. The incident is currently under investigation, and no further details are available at this time. This is the first reported incident of a person injured by a bison in 2025. There were two reported incidents in 2024 and one in 2023. Wildlife in Yellowstone are wild and can be dangerous Wild animals can be aggressive if people don’t respect their space. It is your responsibility to stay more than 25 ...
Select Yellowstone National Park entrances and roads open to public April 18 - NPS
Select Yellowstone National Park entrances and roads open to public April 18 Ranger explains the mechanics of geysers, while a "grand" example erupts in the background NPS photo by Neal Herbert Subscribe | What is RSS News Release Date: April 10, 2025 Contact: Public Affairs Office , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – Beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, April 18, 2025, select entrances and roads in Yellowstone National Park will open for the summer season, weather permitting, as part of the annual spring opening. Entrances Open on April 18 North Entrance (Gardiner, Montana) West Entrance (West Yellowstone, Montana) From either entrance, visitors may access the following destinations: Mammoth Hot Springs Lamar Valley Norris Geyser Basin Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Old Faithful Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana Additional roads within the park will open throughout May, weather permitting. Specific routes and directions can be found ...
Yellowstone, where there's always something new - USGS Caldera Chronicles
Yellowstone, where there's always something new Geologically speaking, things are always changing at Yellowstone—especially in the hydrothermal areas. It’s simply the nature of the complex hydrothermal system that overlies one of the planet’s largest magma reservoirs. Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Jefferson Hungerford, Park Geologist, and Kiernan Folz-Donahue, Field Geologist, both with Yellowstone National Park. The summer of 2024 was a busy time, with July’s hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin and the first hydrothermal explosion ever recorded by geophysical monitoring data in Norris Geyser Basin. In addition to these higher energy events, a new hydrothermal feature popped up right in front of our eyes—literally! Media Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details Looking south from near a...