Yellowstone National Park is home to abundant wildlife and visitors from around the world. Hobbits are not among them, but that didn’t stop someone from apparently trying to build a home for one.
Christy Risley of Spokane, Washington, was walking around Grant Village with her dog when she found a sizable hole dug into the side of a sandy hill along Yellowstone Lake.
“It was big enough that I could probably climb inside,” she told Cowboy State Daily. “There were downed trees, that looked like they’d been chainsawed, going over the front to make the appearance of a little entrance.
No Bagginses, Tooks, or Brandybucks were found inside.
Risley assumed it was “someone having fun.”
They likely wouldn’t have enjoyed themselves if they knew the potential consequences of their construction project, though.
“This is not a park project,” said Yellowstone spokesperson Linda Veress. “Constructing or attempting to construct a building or other structure in the park is prohibited.”
The Hobbit Hole
Risley found the hobbit hole near the D-Loop of the Grant Village Campground, along a trail leading to the lakeside amphitheater.
“It wasn’t hard to get to,” she said. “All I had to do was go up a small hill to get there.”
At first, Risley thought it might be a bear den. She’d heard of a cinnamon-brown bear roaming the area, so she approached the sandy hole with some trepidation.
As she got closer, it was clear no bears had been in the vicinity. The hole was man-made.
“When I walked up to it and looked in, there weren't any signs of animals or anything else in there,” she said. “The only footprints would have been my own, and the bottom was very hard.”
The hole was dug several feet into the hillside, incorporating the roots of nearby trees. Branches and tree trunks were arranged to make a semblance of a doorway.
Risley didn’t even need to go off trail to reach the hole. A sandy path led right to the threshold.
Don’t Do That
According to the Yellowstone Superintendent’s Compendium, a document detailing all the park’s rules, regulations, and prohibitions, nobody’s allowed to build hobbit holes.
Under Section IV, regarding permits, “constructing or attempting to construct a building, or other structures, boat dock, road, trail, path, or other way, telephone line, telegraph line, power line, or any other private or public utility, upon across, over, through, or under any park areas.”
That covers any Hobbit holes. That would involve going through and under park areas and would qualify as a structure.
Even commercial groups “shall not construct any structures, fixtures, or improvements in the park area.” This includes tents, canopies, and picnic tables, with few exceptions.
Even then, those temporary structures require proper permits. The hobbit hole Risley found near Grant Village was a bit more permanent, certainly not permitted.
Bigfoot With A Chainsaw
Risley wasn’t aware she’d found an illegal hobbit hole until after she left Yellowstone.
“I didn’t report it to the rangers because I didn’t realize you weren’t allowed to do that in the park,” she said. “I took some pictures and continued on my walk.”
She didn’t see anyone in the area, so she couldn’t be sure who went through the effort of digging the hole and hauling the trees over to it, assuming they didn’t cut them themselves.
The explanations Risley’s received since haven’t helped identify those responsible.
“There were a lot of smart-alecky responses, like Bigfoot with a chainsaw,” she said. “It definitely wasn’t a bear. It was manmade.”
Hobbit holes are meant to be comfortable. The brown bear lurking around Grant Village might find it quite accommodating as winter approaches, but Risley saw no allure to staying there.
“Not when I have my motorhome,” she said.
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
