Mountain Journal

06/23/2026

The latest way to protect public lands? Political action committees. Two PACs, one in Idaho and one in Wyoming, are leading the charge to raise money, awareness and protection for public lands in those states.

The PAC for Public Lands in Idaho and Protect Wyoming one state to the east are pursuing similar strategies, writes journalist Alex Heard: spend money to support candidates who work to protect public lands and oppose those who don’t.

This feature story was produced by Re Public Lands Media and co-published by Mountain Journal. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/4xM3gmA

06/19/2026

Grassroots petitions in Butte-Silver Bow and Yellowstone counties aimed at curbing data center growth in Montana could make their way to ballots in November.

“I think the majority of people in this country — not just Butte — don’t want data centers,” said Denise Kelly, who launched the Butte Data Center Initiative petition on May 29. “But I don’t know why the government, especially our local governments, aren’t listening to us. I don’t know why they’re selling out their towns.”

Read more below.

Grassroots petitions in Butte-Silver Bow and Yellowstone counties aimed at curbing data center growth in Montana could make their way to ballots in November

06/18/2026

In the face of dismal news cycle, MoJo columnist Susan Marsh finds solace in crawly, creepy, remarkable world of non-charismatic microfauna.

In the face of dismal news cycle, MoJo columnist Susan Marsh finds solace in crawly, creepy, remarkable world of non-charismatic microfauna

06/18/2026

A congressional effort to spend nearly $10 billion on national park maintenance backlogs moved by unanimous vote to the full Senate on Wednesday, even as senators acknowledged hard problems remain to be solved.

The co-authors of the America the Beautiful Act, Montana Republican Senator Steve Daines and Maine Independent Senator Angus King, jokingly broke ranks just before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted on their bill. King asked for an amendment allocating the maintenance money to parks by alphabetical order, which would start with Acadia National Park. Daines countered that would meet stiff resistance from the Yellowstone National Park caucus, not to mention supporters of Zion National Park.

Daines-authored America the Beautiful Act clears committee, faces hurdles on foreign visitor surcharge, funding priorities

06/12/2026

The new TroutCast web-based interactive tool aims to tell if brown or rainbow trout numbers at particular sites are increasing, holding stable or decreasing compared to the previous one, five or 10 years.

Combining federal streamflow data and state fish census creates new tool to forecast angling restrictions, population impacts of water use

06/12/2026

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

"I witnessed this sunset with Old Faithful after a long day exploring Yellowstone National Park. It was an incredible, unique experience to witness creation leaping with joy to its Creator. How special we are able to treasure, steward and protect these natural displays of glory!"

Have a photo or short video from Greater Yellowstone you want to share? Submit it here https://bit.ly/4v5RQs8 a chance to be featured at MoJo!

📸 Lexi Vitas

06/11/2026

This week, iconic bison imagery began its journey beyond trailheads and park kiosks to be sold in the nearest post office.

The newly debuted, double-sized U.S. postage stamp depicts a 19th-century bison skull superimposed over Tom Murphy’s photograph of a young bull bison surveying its surroundings in Yellowstone’s Hayden Valley circa 2005. The images fuse into a single frame much of what the renowned Livingston photographer spent decades documenting in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: loss and resilience, history and the present, culture and biology.

Murphy is headed to New York on Saturday to be featured, with the stamp, on the CBS Morning Show.

Livingston conservation photographer’s U.S. postage stamp encapsulates decades of work documenting ecological change across Greater Yellowstone

06/05/2026

A bill working its way through Congress would convert U.S. Highway 287 into "Trump Interstate," and expand the throughway. It runs nearly 1,800 miles from Montana to Texas.

In a rapidly developing region like Greater Yellowstone, scientists have questions: What would a highway expansion do to the surrounding ecosystem? And what does this project look like on the ground?

Read more from Claire Cella in the comments below.

In face of rapid development in GYE, new congressional bill would turn a 1,800-mile highway into expanded federal interstate. It runs through Greater Yellowstone.

06/05/2026

About 25 miles from Rock Creek in Park County, Montana's Shields Valley, a Wednesday court hearing could impact the fate of the water and local ranching families who depend on it. It's is the latest iteration of a conflict between wealth and tradition that has seized the Shields Valley for years.

Crazy Mountain Ranch, a subsidiary of CrossHarbor Capital Partners, owner of the luxury private ski resort the Yellowstone Club, purchased the 18,000-acre Crazy Mountain Ranch in 2021 began work on a brand new golf course that would provide a “Montana golf experience beyond compare.”

The thing is, golf courses require a lot of water. And a lot of people depend on the flows of Rock Creek, especially as Montana copes with a sixth consecutive year of drought.

Nick Mott (who starts as MoJo's GYE Environmental Reporter next month) has the story below.

CMR says it wants ‘day-to-day’ control of key diversion structure. But opponents fear the request could reshape how water is managed across Montana

06/05/2026

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

"I photographed this beautiful grizzly and her two cubs of the year from a roadside pull off in early May 2026," writes POW contributor Maureen Matsen. "As I sat in my Jeep, this scene played out next to me. I will never forget it and hold these photos as dear memories."

Have a photo or short video from Greater Yellowstone you want to share? Submit it here https://bit.ly/474vE8m for a chance to be featured at MoJo!

Photo by Maureen Matsen