Outdoors
News

Morrison Jeep Trail Blasted To Open Its 27 Rugged Switchbacks After 4 Years Closed
The rugged Morrison Jeep Trail, which rises 6,500 feet to the Beartooth Plateau northwest of Cody, Wyoming, has been blasted with explosives to open it for the first time in four years. Hardore off-roaders seek the trail out for its 27 steep switchbacks.
Andrew RossiSeptember 20, 2026

Wyoming Bowhunter Walks Behind Moose Decoy To Fool Huge Bulls In Alfalfa Field
Bowhunter Zack Key of La Barge was struggling with how to get within range of two huge Shiras bull moose hanging out in an alfalfa field in southwest Wyoming. Then he decided to try holding a cow moose decoy in front of him and just walk in. It worked.
Mark HeinzSeptember 20, 2026

To Protect Harem, Yellowstone's ‘King Of Mammoth’ Elk Will Fight Anything — Even Cars
Yellowstone’s huge Elk 24 — aka the “King of Mammoth” — will fight anything during the rut to protect his harem, even cars. Because other bull elk seem to avoid Mammoth, Elk 24 is usually ready to pick fights with anything and anybody in the area.
Andrew RossiSeptember 20, 2026

Non-Residents Willing To Shell Out Up To $30,000 For A Wyoming Elk Hunt
Nonresidents wanting to fulfill their dreams of a Wyoming elk hunt should be willing to shell out a median of $8,000 for a guided hunt, while high-end adventures can hit $30,000. Wyoming is the sweet-spot for big-game hunters, says Guy Eastman.
Mark HeinzSeptember 19, 2026

Nobody Knows Who Dug Out Illegal ‘Hobbit Hole’ Discovered Near Yellowstone Trail
A visitor walking her dog on a trail near Grant Village in Yellowstone discovered a sizable — and illegal — "Hobbit hole" dug into a sandy hill. "It was definitely manmade, not Bigfoot with a chainsaw," she said.
Andrew RossiSeptember 19, 2026

19 Grizzlies Having A Feeding Frenzy On A Carcass Wows Yellowstone Visitors
Tourists experienced a rare sight this past weekend when up to 19 grizzlies had a feeding frenzy on a carcass north of Yellowstone National Park. While usually solitary, bears can be semi-social when the right feeding opportunities arise.
Mark HeinzSeptember 19, 2026

Spooked By Grizzly, Smokey The Llama Has Gone Missing In Absaroka Range Near Cody
Smokey, a 6-year-old experienced backcountry llama, has been lost in the Absaroka Range along the South Fork of the Shoshone River near Cody since Sept. 2. He was spooked by a grizzly, and has been seen hanging out with an elk herd.
Andrew RossiSeptember 18, 2026

Fish & Wildlife Chief Nesvik Wants To Ease Laws For 'Taking' Endangered Species
Former Wyoming Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik, now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service chief, wants to redefine what it means to “take” animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. Critics say that would get more grizzlies killed in Wyoming.
Mark HeinzSeptember 18, 2026

Grizzlies Killing Livestock Cost Wyoming Nearly $1M, Blows Budget Out Of Water
Wyoming Game and Fish shelled out nearly $1 million to compensate ranchers for livestock killed by grizzly bears in 2025. That’s nearly double the agency’s animal-damage budget. Whether delisting grizzlies would help is up for debate.
Mark HeinzSeptember 17, 2026

Estes Park Bull Elk Struts Around Town With Rival Elk’s Antler Stuck In His Neck
A bull elk in Estes Park, Colorado, has been strutting around town with an antler stuck in its neck after a fight during rutting season. Elk sometimes get their antler racks entangled in a fight, but one ecologist said he's "never seen anything like that."
Mark HeinzSeptember 17, 2026

Missing 13-Year-Old Montana Boy's Body Found In Clarks Fork River
Searchers found the body of a 13-year-old Montana boy named Ephraim who fell into the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River just north of the Wyoming border on Wednesday afternoon. Crews from nearly a dozen agencies searched for him Thursday.
Emma Jane JacksonSeptember 17, 2026

Bear Hit And Killed In Wind River Canyon Has Residents Afraid For Other Local Bears
Residents in the Wind River Canyon between Shoshoni and Thermopolis were saddened that a young black bear was hit and killed on the highway earlier this week. They say it makes them afraid for at least two other black bears in the area.
Mark HeinzSeptember 17, 2026

Human Remains Found In Grand Canyon Yet To Be Identified As Wyoming Family Waits
Human remains were found near a Colorado River rapid on Monday, more than two weeks after a flash flood in the Grand Canyon left Wyoming’s Timothy Smith missing. “We ask that you continue to pray alongside us,” his wife wrote Tuesday.
Kolby FedoreSeptember 15, 2026

Just As Wyoming Wolf Season Begins, Famous Mollie's Pack Returns To Yellowstone
The famous Mollie’s wolf pack is safe, for now, after returning to Yellowstone National Park just before the start of Wyoming's hunting season Tuesday. But hunters are hopeful they will stray back out of the park before hunting season closes in December.
Mark HeinzSeptember 15, 2026

Don Day's Winter Forecast For Wyoming: More Snow In The South, Dry In The North
Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day says El Niño will dominate the next nine months, likely bringing a lot of moisture and less wind to southern Wyoming. Meanwhile, northern Wyoming might have to endure "two bad years" of snowpack in a row.
Andrew RossiSeptember 15, 2026

Yellowstone's Famous Grizzly Snow Gets A Motorcade Escort On Dark Highway
Fans of the famous Yellowstone grizzly Snow gave her a motorcade escort Sunday to save her from being hit on a highway on the park's east side. Snow ambled behind and in front of flashing hazard lights for roughly a mile before heading into the woods.
Mark HeinzSeptember 15, 2026

20,000 Pieces of Trash Recovered From Yellowstone Geothermal Areas This Summer
Yellowstone National Park's staff recovered more than 20,000 pieces of trash from thermal basins this summer. Among the items were AirPods, Polaroid pictures, Pokémon cards, a single snowshoe, and over 280 hats that will be donated to local organizations.
Andrew RossiSeptember 14, 2026

Former Commissioner: Game and Fish Caused Its Own Financial Woes by Overspending
Former Game and Fish commissioner Mike Schmid said the organization's looming financial crisis could be because of unnecessary spending and he's skeptical of a trust fund. “I think there was some self-inflicted pain there,” Schmid said.
Mark HeinzSeptember 14, 2026

Overextended Big Horn County Search & Rescue Team Wins Much-Needed New Vehicle, $30K
Big Horn County Search and Rescue won a new emergency vehicle and $30,000 on Saturday, a prize volunteers say they need after rescue calls have quadrupled and county funding was cut almost in half. It is second only to Teton County in emergency calls.
Kate MeadowsSeptember 14, 2026

Deadly South Dakota Sinkhole And Its 61 Intact Mammoth Skeletons Is Older Than Thought
The world-famous Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota, is older than scientists believed. A new scientific study revealed that the ancient sinkhole, containing dozens of intact mammoth skeletons, is between 160,000 and 232,000 years old.
Andrew RossiSeptember 13, 2026

Study: People Who Pack Their Poop Out Of Nature Will Also Pay For The Privilege
A study by a Colorado company shows that people who are willing to poop in plastic bags and pack it out of the wilderness are also willing to pay for the privilege. They’ll buy the bags at trailheads to maintain a “leave-no-trace” footprint.
Andrew RossiSeptember 13, 2026

Popular Elk Named Boo At Bear River State Park Is So Old He Stopped Growing Antlers
Boo, a popular bull elk at Bear River State Park near Evanston, Wyoming, has grown so old at age 18 that he no longer grows antlers. Bull elk in the wild rarely live past 12 and almost never long enough to hit the antlerless stage.
Mark HeinzSeptember 13, 2026

What It’s Like Inside The Fragile Maze Of Hell’s Half Acre, Wyoming’s Alien Canyon
A tour inside Hell’s Half Acre reveals an otherwordly labyrinth of stone, an alien landscape shaped by millions of years of wind and water. It's a rare perspective of the sharp canyons because the public generally isn't allowed on the valley floor.
Renée JeanSeptember 13, 2026

Rescued! Hiker And Dog Missing For Week In Wind River Range Reunited With Family
An Idaho hiker and his dog were reunited with family Friday afternoon after being missing in the Wind River Range for a week. Jonathan Bailey and his yellow Labrador retriever Wrigley had been separated from their group in the Bridger Wilderness.
Jen KocherSeptember 11, 2026
