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Forbes
04-06-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Northern Lights Alert: These 13 States May See Aurora Tonight
The northern lights (aurora borealis) lights up the northern sky as the Old Faithful geyser emits ... More steam on May 12, 2024 in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (Photo by) The Northern Lights may be visible in the U.S. tonight and through the week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, which is predicting enough geomagnetic activity for the aurora to be potentially glimpsed from as many as 15 U.S. states on Wednesday, June 4. It comes in the wake of a rare G4 geomagnetic storm that lit up June skies worldwide last weekend, with vivid auroras visible after a 'fast halo CME' sparked dazzling Northern and Southern Lights far from polar regions. The latest forecast has a G1 geomagnetic storm tonight as soon as it gets dark in North America. 'Migratory animals are affected at this and higher levels; aurora is commonly visible at high latitudes (northern Michigan and Maine),' according to NOAA, though its aurora view line has the phenomenon potentially visible from parts of 13 states. U.S. states that could potentially see aurora, according to NOAA, include Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, northern Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, northern Iowa, Wisconsin, northern New York, northern Vermont, northern New Hampshire and northern Maine. Regions far from light pollution and with a dark northern horizon are likely to get the best views. NOAA's aurora viewline for Wednesday, June 4, 2025. According to NOAA's forecast, the Kp index — which provides a rough guide to the intensity of aurora displays — may reach 5, seeing the auroral oval stretch farther south than is typical. Kp 5 equates to a G1-class geomagnetic storm. For a Kp in the range of 3-5, the aurora can be 'The aurora will move further from the poles, it will become brighter, and there will be more auroral activity (motion and formations). If you are in the right place, these aurora can be quite pleasing to look at," according to NOAA. However, anything can happen — as it did last weekend. According to NOAA's space weather forecasters, 'Unsettled to G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storming is expected on 04-05 Jun as CME effects transition into HSS activity." That refers to a coronal mass ejection — a burst of charged particles from the sun traveling through space and striking Earth's magnetosphere — and high-speed streams of solar wind. 'Quiet to active levels are expected on 06 Jun as HSS influence persists,' added NOAA's forecast. Predicting the onset of aurora is very difficult. Aurora-hunters should check NOAA's 30-minute forecast or use the Glendale App for up-to-the-minute forecasts. Both services use data from NASA's DSCOVR and ACE satellites, which orbit about a million miles out and measure the solar wind's speed and magnetic intensity. They give a roughly 30-minute warning of aurora displays. The Northern Lights are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. Its charged particles accelerate along the magnetic field lines toward the polar regions, where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, exciting them and causing them to release energy as light. It may be that tonight's aurora is visible on camera only. Luckily, today's smartphones are ideal for capturing images of even faint aurora, which generally look white to the naked eye. If your smartphone has a 'Night Mode' feature, use it. Remember to use your primary lens, shoot in raw (if available) and use a small tripod (or support your phone on something still). Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
The Hill
31-05-2025
- The Hill
This national park is 95 percent underwater: Here's what it's hiding
(NEXSTAR) — When you visit a national park, you likely want to see its natural attractions. Old Faithful at Yellowstone, El Capitan and Half Dome at Yosemite, Delicate Arch at Arches. At one Florida national park, however, it'll take more than a hike or a bus ride to see some of its beloved features. You'll have better luck with a boat, or maybe some scuba gear, especially considering the park is 95 percent underwater. North of Key Largo but south of Miami, along Florida's eastern coastline, you'll find Biscayne Bay. There, within view of Miami, is the serene Biscayne National Park. Spanning nearly 173,000 acres, Biscayne National Monument was formally established in October 1968 after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a Congressional bill led by Representative Dante Fascell (D-Fla.). Johnson was among a handful of presidents, including Warren Harding, Herbert Hoover, and Richard Nixon, who had spent time at the famed Cocolobo Club retreat within what is now Biscayne. Since then, Biscayne has been expanded and renamed as a national park. The park is touted as having 'four distinct ecosystems' that melt into each other, creating 'ecotones.' The park teems with hundreds of species of fish, birds, plants, and insects you won't find anywhere else in the U.S. Several threatened and endangered species also call Biscayne home, including beach jacquemontia, sea turtles, and the wood stork. You may even be lucky enough to see a lionfish, native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. While stunning, park officials say they're hoping to reduce the population that has established itself in the Atlantic waters around Biscayne because of their significant environmental threats. It's within those same waters that the lionfish stalk that you'll find some of Biscayne's most beloved features. Sure, on land, there are plenty of eye-catching sights at Biscayne. You can camp among palm trees on Boca Chita Key and Elliot Key, both of which are only accessible by boat. You can follow the jetty walk to get views of the park, Biscayne Bay, and the stilt structures once built in the waters. Within the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, you can explore a gallery and museum, which often features local artists. On Adams Key, you can walk through the area that the aforementioned presidents would have enjoyed while visiting the Cocolobo Club retreat. But, as your eyes are frequently drawn to the water while visiting Biscayne, so too might your desire to explore it. If so, you're in luck. Biscayne National Park offers numerous aquatic activities that you can partake in while visiting, including canoeing, kayaking, fishing, lobstering, boating, guided boat tours, snorkeling, and diving. The boating and paddling options will take you over the shallow bay waters of the park and along the mangrove-fringed shorelines. Snorkeling and diving will give you a deeper look into the park – literally. Shipwrecks dot the seabed around the park, with six having been mapped and marked with mooring buoys, according to the National Park Service. Park officials say three wrecks – Erl King, Alicia, and Lugano, which sank in 1891, 1905, and 1913, respectively – are better suited for scuba diving, while the others can be enjoyed by snorkelers. The wrecks are found along the Maritime Heritage Trail, which also includes the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse. Below the water, you'll find expansive coral reefs brimming with colorful fish, sharks, and turtles. There are over 500 species of fish known to glide around the reefs along Biscayne. You may also encounter one of Biscayne's biggest challenges while exploring its warm coastal waters: marine debris. The National Park Service says the debris, which comprises any human-made and solid item that ends up in the ocean, can prove detrimental and even deadly to the park's wildlife. 'A highly polluted area is disappointing and upsetting for visitors to a national park,' officials warn. To help keep the situation from worsening, NPS recommends avoiding single-use plastic products, reducing the amount of trash you produce, and reusing items like water bottles, bags, and food containers. Biscayne National Park is free to visit year-round and open every day, though it has been known to close due to hurricanes.
Forbes
30-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Best Places To Stay In Yellowstone National Park 2025
Choosing the best place to stay in Yellowstone National Park requires some research: With over 4 million people on average visiting the park each year, there are myriad accommodations to choose from. Park hotels place guests next to treasures like Old Faithful, while properties just outside the park—still within the greater Yellowstone ecosystem—offer amenities like gourmet dining and spa treatments. I polled Forbes Vetted editors who have stayed in Yellowstone National Park, and also tapped travel photographer and frequent national parks visitor Chris Poplawski, of Chris Roams, for tips on the best places to stay. Our top overall recommendation is the Old Faithful Inn, a centrally located and historic property right in the park. Outside of the park, we recommend Montage Big Sky for a high-end experience and Under Canvas West Yellowstone for glamping. Below, the best places to stay in Yellowstone National Park in 2025. The Old Faithful Inn has been called the world's largest log structure. The Old Faithful Inn is Yellowstone's most iconic hotel for a reason: A designated historic landmark overlooking the Old Faithful geyser, visitors who check in here are transported back in time. 'There's a beautiful feeling of American history here,' says Poplawski, who names this property as his top recommendation within the park. 'It offers everything you could possibly want in a stay.' Guests who check in here have access to direct views of Old Faithful erupting from the mezzanine balcony, with geyser-facing rooms available to book as well. While the resort is more no-frills than luxury, 'the architecture is stunning,' says tech editor Rebecca Isaacs, who stayed here on a recent trip. The Bear Pit Lounge, decorated with beautiful etched glass panels, offers drinks and appetizers, while the Old Faithful Dining Room offers buffet-style meals in a great hall setting. Exterior of Montage Big Sky. This expansive, half-a-million-square-foot luxury resort sits on the slopes of Big Sky Resort, just an hour from the park's West entrance. Its 100 guest rooms and suites and 39 residences feature modern wood and stone décor, as well as seven restaurants serving everything from casual fare to fine dining. Guest here can expect white-glove service and plenty of celebrity sightings; the resort also offers private guided Yellowstone safari tours coordinated through the concierge. Additional Montage experiences include the private 18-hole Tom Weiskopf golf course, indoor and outdoor pools, a bowling alley, and ski-in/ski-out access in the winter. Families will appreciate the hotel's signature Paintbox program with outdoor activities, crafts and games for children. UnderCanvas West Yellowstone interior. Under Canvas West Yellowstone creates an immersive outdoor experience with boutique hotel-style amenities. Just 15 minutes from the West entrance to the park, guests decamp to safari-inspired canvas tents that include options for interconnected family units, private suites and tents with clear panels for stargazing. All have modern furnishings, plush bedding, private decks, wood-burning stoves—and many have private baths. The location is unbeatable, with the tent sites nestled together in a meadow alongside the meandering Madison River. The resort's restaurant serves a full breakfast and dinner menu, plus packable lunches to bring on any adventure. And the concierge can arrange several excursions in the park and Greater Yellowstone. The Sage Lodge in Paradise Valley is known for its romantic vibes and beautiful sunsets. Fans of the television show Yellowstone might recognize this hotel's stunning landscape as the setting of the Dutton family ranch. With just 34 guest rooms decked out with stone fireplaces and luxe leather and wood furnishings, it provides an intimate atmosphere for romantic getaways. 'It's a bit away from town and offers a secluded and immersive feeling,' says Poplawski. 'It's also right on a river so great for fishing, and the food is fantastic.' He especially recommends this property, which is open year-round, for travelers who are visiting the park during shoulder season or winter: 'The only way to enter the park during winter is through the North entrance, and Sage is about a 45 minute drive away from it.' For extra indulgence, the on-site spa features a steam room, sauna and relaxation room. The Yellowstone room at Goose Bay Lodge. This recently remodeled lodge just outside of West Yellowstone is an ideal space for family reunions and large gatherings. On the shores of Henry's Lake, a popular state park, the lodge features five bedrooms, four bathrooms and eleven beds. Guests can enjoy lazy evenings barbecuing and relaxing on the covered wraparound porch with views of the lake and it surrounding majestic mountain peaks. The area is also known for waterfowl and moose sightings, as well as great fly fishing. It's a short 20-minute drive to West Yellowstone and the park, and it's easy to float the Henry's River (flotation rentals are available nearby) and go hiking on nearby trails. A Premium room at Canyon Lodges and Cabins. Open mid-May through early October, this village of five LEED-certified lodges is the largest in the park, with 400 guest rooms and 100 guest cabins tucked inside the park's Northwest corner. The Canyon Visitor Education Center offers information, exhibits, ranger programs and cultural events, and guests can set off from the lodge directly into the wilderness hiking trails or on a guided horseback trip. Area trails include a 4-mile out and back on the Cascade Lake trail, a hike to the fire lookout on Mount Washburn or to one of the most popular hikes in the park, the Grand Canyon Rim Hike. Dining options are sparse given the number of guests, but there is a full-service restaurant, the Canyon Lodge M66 Grill, and cafeteria-style dining at the Canyon Eatery. Bar N Ranch offers an authentic Old West experience. A massive three-sided river rock fireplace adorned with wildlife trophies is the centerpiece of this traditional lodge, located 6 miles outside of Yellowstone's West Entrance. Follow the intricate burl wood staircase up to the eight lodge guest rooms, all of which are set along the banks of the Madison River, where deer, antelope and moose roam freely. Bar N Ranch's in-house Adventure Team can coordinate a variety of activities on the ranch's 200 acres, like horseback riding and fly-fishing. The ranch offers hearty breakfasts of honey and vanilla french toast and fish and game-forward Western dinners (spiced trout, bison short ribs) at Embers—don't miss the restaurant's unique wine cellar, housed in a large rock formation. The Cargill-Earl Guesthouse offers high design in a remote location. The Cargill-Earl Guesthouse's remote off-the-grid location is the perfect salve for those in search of solitude. This standalone Airbnb in Paradise Valley is just 45 minutes from Yellowstone's North entrance—'the quietest park entrance during the summer,' according to Poplawski. Architecture aficionados will bask in the modern design of the two-bedroom, two-bath house, which takes full advantage of the 360-mountain views with glass windows and sliding glass walls. The house sits on 172 acres of private land, and a resident herd of elk can often be heard bugling across the meadow. All bookings include guided hikes with nearby Erik's Ranch, a nonprofit ranch run by young adults with autism. Horseback riding is also available for an additional fee, and the ranch is happy to coordinate guided fly-fishing and rafting excursions. We update this story regularly to monitor the best places to stay in Yellowstone National Park for 2025, including the newest properties that are worth a look. The Forbes Vetted travel team has researched, written and published dozens of hotel guides featuring cities across the globe. We selected the top contenders based on extensive research and insights from both the Forbes Vetted staff and travel advisors with expert knowledge of accommodations in and around Yellowstone National Park. I'm the senior travel editor at Forbes Vetted, where I oversee hotel coverage. I have covered travel for almost a decade as both a writer and editor. Along with extensively writing about hotels and airlines, I have also written multiple destination guides as well as long-form features on luxury travel, adventure travel, wellness travel and more.
17-05-2025
Idaho police release the names of 6 killed in Yellowstone crash
BOISE, Idaho -- Idaho police on Friday released the names of six people from China, Italy and California killed when a pickup truck collided with their tour van in a fiery crash near Yellowstone National Park earlier this month. Idaho State Police said Jianping Li, 71, of Guangxi, China, and Xiaoming Jiang, 66, of Guilin, China, died from the May 1 crash along with Ivana Wen, 28, of Milan. Two of the deceased travelers were California residents: Li Nie, 64, and Aifeng Wan, 53, both of Arcadia. The van's 30-year-old driver Yu Zhang, of Eastvale, California, was also killed. Idaho police earlier Friday listed Jian Shi, 56, of Shanghai, as among the dead but later corrected their statement to say Shi sustained injuries but survived the crash. Police said the first statement should have included Li as among the dead. There were 14 people in the van. Of the 13 passengers, 12 had Chinese nationality and one was Italian, police said. Survivors were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries. The truck's driver also died. Authorities earlier identified him as Isaih Moreno of Humble, Texas. Investigators determined the Dodge Ram driven by Moreno crossed the center line and collided with the Mercedes van driven by Zhang. Police said they were continuing to investigate why the truck crossed the center line. The highway where the crash happened south of West Yellowstone, Montana, offers a way to get between Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in the spring before a north-south route is plowed and the park fully opens for summer. Yellowstone is one of the largest national parks in the U.S. and draws millions of visitors each year. It is home to the iconic geyser Old Faithful and has wolves, bison and more than 50 other mammal species. It's primarily located in Wyoming but it also extends in parts of Montana and Idaho. Seventeen percent of Yellowstone's visitors came from other countries in 2016, according to a park visitor use study with the most recent comprehensive data available. Of international visitors, 34% came from China and 11% from Italy.
New York Post
17-05-2025
- New York Post
Idaho police release names of 6 tourists killed in Yellowstone crash
Idaho police on Friday released the names of six Chinese and Italian tourists killed when a pickup truck collided with their van in a fiery crash near Yellowstone National Park earlier this month. Idaho State Police said Jian Shi, 56, of Shanghai and Xiaoming Jiang, 66, of Guilin, China, died from the May 1 crash along with Ivana Wen, 28, of Milan. Two of the deceased travelers were California residents: Li Nie, 64, and Aifeng Wan, 53, both of Arcadia. The van's 30-year-old driver Yu Zhang, of Eastvale, California, was also killed. 3 Smoke and flames billow into the air from the pickup truck and tourist van after a crash near Henry's Lake State Park in eastern Idaho on May 1, 2025. AP There were 14 people in the van. Of the 13 passengers, 12 had Chinese nationality and one was Italian, police said. Survivors were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries. The truck's driver also died. Authorities earlier identified him as Isaiah Moreno of Humble, Texas. Investigators determined the Dodge Ram driven by Moreno crossed the center line and collided with the Mercedes van driven by Zhang. Police said they were continuing to investigate why the truck crossed the center line. 3 A helicopter approaches the scene of the fiery crash as first responders fight the fire of the deadly crash near Yellowstone National Park. AP The highway where the crash happened south of West Yellowstone, Montana, offers a way to get between Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in the spring before a north-south route is plowed and the park fully opens for summer. Yellowstone is one of the largest national parks in the US and draws millions of visitors each year. It is home to the iconic geyser Old Faithful and has wolves, bison and more than 50 other mammal species. It's primarily located in Wyoming but it also extends in parts of Montana and Idaho. 3 The entrance sign of Yellowstone National Park on May 7, 2018. AP Seventeen percent of Yellowstone's visitors came from other countries in 2016, according to a park visitor use study with the most recent comprehensive data available. Of international visitors, 34% came from China and 11% from Italy.
