Cinnamon Black Bear Yellowstone Sighting — April 28, 2026

A cinnamon black bear along the Madison River stopped us cold this morning — one of those Yellowstone moments that reminds you why you come out here. We left West Yellowstone at 8am into bluebird skies and fresh snow on the peaks. Cold, windy, and completely worth it.

What We Saw in the Park Today

Artist Paint Pots was completely empty — not another soul out there, just thermals and sulfur. Still a little ice on the falls. Over at Black Sand Basin, Cliff Geyser put on a major eruption. Red Spouter was going full blast, and Fountain Geyser surprised us with a rare eruption in the Lower Geyser Basin — something that doesn’t happen on any reliable schedule.

Cinnamon Black Bear on the Madison River

The highlight of the morning was a cinnamon black bear scratching its back on a tree right along the Madison River. Cinnamon is a color phase of the American black bear — not a separate species — and they show up regularly in Yellowstone, especially in the Madison and Lamar corridors. Seeing one this relaxed, doing pure bear things with no audience, is exactly what spring in the park looks like.

April is one of the best months to be in Yellowstone. Crowds are low, animals are active, and you get conditions like today — fresh snow on the mountains, sunshine, and geysers firing with nobody else in the basin. If a cinnamon black bear sighting along the Madison River is on your list, a private Yellowstone tour puts you in the right place at the right time.

For current park conditions and road updates, check the National Park Service Yellowstone conditions page.