Yellowstone National Park

Travel | Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is an overwhelmingly large and beautiful place. You could spend a full week in the park and still feel as though you missed some of the goodness.

Recommended Hikes

Yellowstone has over 1,100 miles of trails available for hiking. Due to the vast wilderness area, and many hikes being in backcountry areas, there are inherent risks to those who choose to explore on foot. I highly recommend taking a look at the backpacking guidelines and regulations. Some trails are often closed due to bear activity. I always recommend checking with the park rangers to determine if specific trails are open and safe for hiking.

• Natural Bridge - a 3 mile trail to the natural bridge, a 51 foot cliff of rhyolite rock cut through by Bridge Creek.

• Elephant Back Mountain - a 3.6 mile hike with a panoramic overlook of Yellowstone Lake and the surrounding area.

• Pelican Valley - a 6.8 mile hike through prime grizzly habitat. This hike will take you over bridges, through meadows and into the forest.

• Howard Eaton Trail - a 2.5 to 12 mile hike (one way), depending on your destination. This trail passes through forest, meadow and marsh areas.

• Cascade Lake - an easy 5 mile trail for enjoying open meadows and wildflowers.

• Beaver Ponds Loop - a 5 mile, moderately strenuous hike through meadows, aspens and a series of beaver ponds.

Recommended Pullouts and Stops

• West Thumb Geyser Basin

• Mammoth Hot Springs

• Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

• Yellowstone Lake

• Lamar Valley