Yellowstone posts 1,100-mile trail tips

Yellowstone National Park used a Friday, May 22 social media post to push hikers toward the park’s standing backcountry safety guidance as Memorial Day travel picks up. The post told visitors to check current conditions, hike in groups of three or more, carry bear spray and prepare for fast-changing weather, including sudden snow. Yellowstone said the park has more than 1,100 miles of trails, and the post included a photo of hikers on the Lamar River Trail. Yellowstone’s hiking page says the park spans more than 2.2 million acres and many trails sit above 7,000 feet. ### What did Yellowstone tell hikers on May 22? Yellowstone’s May 22 message centered on four points: review backcountry conditions before leaving, stay in groups, carry bear spray and expect variable mountain weather. The park’s official backcountry safety page gives the same advice in more detail, including a recommendation to hike during daylight, stay on maintained trails and avoid carcasses that can attract bears. (nps.gov) The National Park Service says Yellowstone’s backcountry conditions map is updated by trail segment and area, but it also warns that conditions on lesser-used trails may not be refreshed for weeks or months. The agency says hikers should use those reports alongside weather forecasts and their own assessment of skill level. ### Why the emphasis on groups of three and bear spray? (nps.gov) Yellowstone’s safety guidance says each person should carry one can of bear spray in a place that is quickly reachable, not packed away in a backpack. The park also recommends hiking in groups and making noise. A Yellowstone safety page says 91% of people injured by bears in the park since 1970 were hiking alone or with only one partner. (nps.gov) Yellowstone has repeated that guidance in trail-specific materials as well. An NPS page for Avalanche Peak Trailhead says travel in groups of three or more is recommended and tells hikers to keep bear spray immediately available. ### How unusual is late snow in Yellowstone? Yellowstone’s hiking page says many of the park’s trails remain snow-covered until July. (nps.gov) The park tells visitors planning hikes to remember that much of Yellowstone sits at high elevation, with many trails above 7,000 feet. The park’s current conditions page says Yellowstone weather can change quickly and directs visitors to live weather information, seasonal forecasts and road status updates before travel. (nps.gov) ### Are there active trail closures hikers should know about? Yellowstone’s safety page currently carries an alert that certain trails, backcountry campsites and fishing areas near Biscuit Basin in the western part of the park are closed until further notice. (nps.gov) The closure follows a May 4 bear-caused human injury near Old Faithful, according to a park release. (nps.gov) On May 5, Yellowstone said two male hikers, ages 15 and 28, were injured on the Mystic Falls Trail and that staff believed a female grizzly bear with cubs was involved. The park said the incident remained under investigation. ### Where should hikers check before they go? Yellowstone directs visitors to its backcountry conditions map for trail status and to its current conditions page for weather, roads and webcams. (nps.gov) The park’s hiking page says day hiking does not require a permit, but backcountry camping does require one. Memorial Day entrance fees across national park sites are scheduled to be waived on Monday, May 25, according to National Park Service holiday announcements cited in regional coverage, which could add to visitor traffic. (nps.gov) Yellowstone’s own guidance for hikers remains the same: check conditions first, carry bear spray and prepare for snow, rivers and changing weather. (nps.gov)