Yellowstone News and Information

  News Release Yellowstone visitation statistics for July 2026 People watching bison in Lamar Valley. NPS / Jacob W. Frank News Release Date: August 11, 2026 Contact: Yellowstone Public Affairs , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. – Yellowstone National Park hosted 958,706 recreation visits in July 2026, down 2% from July 2025 (975,109 recreation visits). Visitation in July 2026 showed an 11% decrease from July 2021 (1,080,767 recreation visits), which was Yellowstone's record-breaking year with over 4.8 million recreation visits and the busiest July on record. So far in 2026, the park has hosted 2,635,384 recreation visits, down 1% from 2025 (2,666,031 recreation visits), and down 1% from 2021 (2,668,765 recreation visits). The list below shows the year-to-date trend for recreation visits over the last severa...

  News Release Update: Yellowstone lifts fishing restrictions on most rivers and streams parkwide Closures still in effect for Firehole, Madison and Gibbon rivers Fly fishing near Biscuit Basin NPS / Jacob W. Frank News Release Date: August 12, 2026 Contact: Yellowstone Public Affairs , (307) 344-2015 Update: Yellowstone lifts fishing restrictions on most rivers and streams parkwide MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. – Beginning Aug. 12, Yellowstone National Park will lift the fishing restrictions on rivers and streams that went into effect on July 29. The restrictions were implemented because low water flows and high water temperatures can be lethal to fish. Cooling weather and water temperatures in the forecast allow for these restrictions to be lifted. Anglers will be able to fish on most park rivers, streams and lakes daily from sunrise to sunset as specified in the 2026 Fishing Regulations booklet . The existing full fishing closures on the Madison, F...

  Grandfather attacked by bison at Yellowstone National Park recalls terrifying encounter: "He could have gored me"

A new camera is now observing activity in biscuit basin By Yellowstone Volcano Observatory August 3, 2026 In response to the June 13, 2026, hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin, a new camera was installed to track activity over a broader area than had previously been possible. 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. Biscuit Basin has been the site of numerous hydrothermal explosions dating back more than 100 years—especially from the ...

  Fire danger level increased to HIGH in Yellowstone National Park  Fire danger HIGH NPS News Release Date:  July 14, 2026 Contact:   Yellowstone Public Affairs , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo.  – The parkwide fire danger level for Yellowstone is now  HIGH . At this time, there are no fire restrictions in place or planned in the park and there are no uncontrolled wildland fires. Stay informed about  current fire activity  in Yellowstone. Campfires are only permitted within established fire rings and grates in designated campgrounds, picnic areas and some backcountry campsites. Campfires must always be attended and cold to the touch before abandoning.  Soak, stir, feel, repeat. The Greater Yellowstone area is a  fire-adapted ecosystem . Fire plays an important role in maintaining the health of this area’s wildlife habitat and vegetation. 

 Park Plants and Herbarium: In the Shadow of the Arch

  News Release Update: Partial fishing closures shift to full closures on select rivers in Yellowstone Fly fishing near Biscuit Basin NPS / Jacob W. Frank News Release Date:  July 15, 2026 Contact:   Yellowstone Public Affairs , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. – Beginning today, temporary full closures to  fishing  on the Firehole and Madison rivers and their tributaries are in effect. The Gibbon River and all associated tributaries downstream of Norris Campground are also temporarily closed to fishing. In recent days, peak water temperatures have ranged from 80 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Coupled with high air temperatures, these conditions are lethal to trout, and there have been reports of dead fish in the Firehole River. The closures will protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries and will remain in effect until conditions improve. The weather forecast for the coming week calls for slightly cooler temperatures and isol...

  Yellowstone bison-attack victim broke leg in four places, family says

  GUEST COLUMN: Yellowstone’s phantom, sometimes mythical Howard Eaton Trail

  News Release Warm water temperatures and low river flows prompt fishing closures on select rivers after 2 p.m. in Yellowstone Fly fishing near Biscuit Basin NPS / Jacob W. Frank Subscribe    |  What is RSS News Release Date:  July 9, 2026 Contact:   Yellowstone Public Affairs , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. – Effective Thursday, July 9, 2026, 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. Additionally, air temperatures with highs around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) are forecast in the coming days. 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 cond...

Oops, it did it again. Another small hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin   By Yellowstone Volcano Observatory June 22, 2026 Early on the morning of Saturday, June 13, 2026, a small hydrothermal explosion occurred at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park. Although smaller than the explosion that occurred in the same area in 2024, it emphasizes the dynamic and hazardous nature of hydrothermal activity in the region. 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, Brandon Duktig, Liam Rogers, and Margery Price, all with the Yellowstone National Park Geology Program, as well as Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano O...

  Millions Of Bees Swarm On Trees In Yellowstone After Hives Smashed In Semi Crash

  'Brain-eating amoeba' surfaces in iconic US national parks

  Disease outbreak cuts Wyoming, Yellowstone wolf numbers to lowest level since reintroduction era

  NEws Release Body of kayaker found on Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone Lake at sunrise NPS / Jacob W. Frank News Release Date:  June 11, 2026 Contact:   Yellowstone Public Affairs , (307) 344-2015 MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. – On the morning of June 8, occupants of a vessel on Yellowstone Lake discovered the body of a 41-year-old male, Brandon Rhea of Denver, Colorado, floating in the water near Rock Point on the northwest shore of the lake near Bridge Bay. National Park Service rangers responded to the scene and recovered the body, along with a capsized kayak and personal belongings. The incident is under investigation, and there are no further details to share at this time.

Beyond the Bathroom: Top Visitor Questions in Thermal Areas By  Yellowstone Volcano Observatory   May 25, 2026 With the arrival of Memorial Day and the unofficial start of the summer travel season, we take a look at the most common questions that visitors to Yellowstone’s thermal basins ask the park’s interpretive rangers. 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, and Mindy Dottellis, interpretive ranger with Yellowstone National Park in 2025. When in a place as otherworldly as Yellowstone, it’s only natural to find yourself brimming with questions at each turn of the trail.  What is this scat I’m seeing?  How does a geyser erupt, anyway?  What makes Yellowstone so special? Where’s the bathroom? Fear not, for...