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Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone Hiking Trails: Day Hikes

Day Hiking

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There are numerous trails suitable for day hiking in Yellowstone National Park. Begin your hike by stopping at a ranger station or visitor center for information and trail conditions. Weather changes may be dramatic, and trail conditions may change suddenly and unexpectedly.  At a minimum, carry water, a raincoat or poncho, a warm hat, insect repellent, sunscreen, and a first aid kit. It is also recommended that you always hike with another person.

View all Bozeman Montana Day Hiking
Gardiner, MT, Livingston, MT and Bozeman, MT - Northern Gateway.
Custom Planned Yellowstone Hiking and Backpacking Trips

Yellowstone National Park, encompassing 2.2 million acres, is one of America's premier wilderness areas. Most of the park is backcountry and managed as wilderness. Over 1,100 miles of trails are available for hiking. No permit is required for day hiking.

Begin your hike by stopping at a ranger station or visitor center for information and trail conditions. Weather changes may be dramatic, and trail conditions may change suddenly and unexpectedly.

Hiking Maps and Trails

All of the trails listed below may be completed in one day.  The trails very in length and difficulty, so choosing your trail and destination is as easy as 1,2,3.

Old Faithful Area

  • Fairy falls - 5 to 6 miles - easy
  • Mystic Falls - 2.4 miles - moderate
  • Lone Star Geyser - 5 miles - easy

Grant Village Area

  • Shoshone Lake - 6 miles - moderate
  • Lake Overlook - 2 miles - moderate
  • Riddle Lake - 5 miles - moderate

Fishing Bridge - Lake Area

  • Elephant Back Mountain - 3 miles - moderate/difficult
  • Pelican Creek - 1 mile - easy
  • Storm Point - 3 miles - easy/moderate

Canyon Area

  • Clear Lake/Ribbon Lake Loop 3 to 6 miles - easy
  • Cascade Lake - 5 miles - easy
  • Mt. Washburn - 6 miles - somewhat strenuous

Mammoth Hot Springs Area

  • Beaver Ponds Loop - 5 miles - easy/moderate
  • Bunsen Park - 4 miles - somewhat strenuous
  • Wraith falls 1 mile - easy

Tower-Roosevelt Area

  • Lost Lake Loop - 4 miles - easy/moderate
  • Tower falls - 1 mile - somewhat strenuous
  • Yellowstone River Picnic Area - 4 miles - easy

Lamar Valley Area

  • Slough Creek (to first meadow) - 4 miles - easy/moderate
  • Trout Lake - 1.2 miles - easy

Some inherent dangers of hiking in the wilderness are unpredictable wildlife, changing weather conditions, remote thermal areas, cold water lakes, turbulent streams, and rugged mountains with loose rock. Be prepared for any situation. Yellowstone's weather is unpredictable. A sunny warm day may become fiercely stormy with wind, rain, sleet, and sometimes snow. Lightning storms are common; get off water or beaches and stay away from ridges, exposed places, and isolated trees. Before heading out on you expedition, carefully read all backcountry guidelines and regulations.

Hiking in Bear Country

Yellowstone is home to both grizzly and black bears. Although the risk of an encounter with a bear is low, there are no guarantees of your safety. Minimize your risks by following the guidelines below:

  • Make noise while you are hiking. This will inform the bears of your presence, thus lessens the chance of sudden encounters. Sing old folk songs and have a great time - you and the bears will appreciate the music. Sudden encounters are the cause of most bear-related human injuries in the park.
  • Hike in groups and use caution where vision is obstructed.
  • Do not hike after dark.
  • Carry bear-spray!


What to do if you encounter a Bear

Bears can run over 30 miles per hour, 44 feet per second, faster than Olympic sprinters, and most likely faster than you. DO NOT RUN! Running may elicit an attack from otherwise non-aggressive bears. If the bear is unaware of you, quietly and slowly move away from the bear. If the bear is aware of you and nearby, but has not acted aggressively, slowly back away.

Tree climbing to avoid bears is popular advice but not very practical in many circumstances. All black bears, all grizzly cubs, and some adult grizzlies can climb trees. Running to a tree may provoke an otherwise uncertain bear to chase you.

Some bears will bluff their way out of a threatening situation by charging, then veering off or stopping abruptly at the last second. Bear experts generally recommend standing still until the bear stops and then slowly backing away . If you are attacked, play dead. Drop to the ground, lift your legs up to your chest, and clasp your hands over the back of your neck. This technique has been especially successful with female bears that have cubs.

Always report any bear encounter to park officials!

Below we've listed some permit-holders of those who are able to lead hikes in Yellowstone.


Day Hiking
A Personal Guide Service  Mr Larry Reiser & Art Davis PO Box 1440 Jackson, WY 83001 307-733-6312
Adventure Tours Mr Britt Lewis 408 Cinnabar Basin Rd Gardiner, MT 59030 406-848-7151
Backcountry Bicycle Tours  Mr Doug McSpadden PO Box 4029 Bozeman, MT 59772 406-586-3556
Backroads Inc. Mr Tom Hale 801 Cedar St Berkeley, CA 94710 510-527-1115
Far and Away Adventures/Paddle Yellowstone Mr Steve Lentz PO Box 54 Sun Valley, ID 83353 208-726-8888
Grub Steak Expeditions Mr Bob Richard PO Box 1013 Cody, WY 82414 307-527-6316
Lone Mountain Ranch Inc Mr Robert Schaap PO Box 160069 Big Sky, MT 59716 406-995-4644
Madison River Outfitters Mr Brad Richey PO Box 398 West Yellowstone, MT 59758 406-646-9644
North American Trails, Inc.  Mr Bob Accetta 302 Rutland St Carlisle, MA 01741 508-371-2566
Off The Beaten Path  Mr Bill Bryan 27 East Main St Bozeman, MT 59715 406-586-1311
Overland Travel, Inc.  Mr Tom Costley PO Box 31 Williamstown, MA 01267 413-458-9672
Raventrails Mr George Wuerthner PO Box 3156 Eugene, OR 97403 541-684-7872
Rein Teen Tours, Inc.  Mr Richard Applebaum 30 Galesi Dr Wayne, NJ 07470 201-785-1113
Safari Yellowstone and Grand Teton  Mr Carl Swoboda PO Box 963 Livingston, MT 59047 406-222-8557
Sun Raven Guide Service Ms Katherine Howe 73 Chicory Rd Livingston, MT 59047 406-333-4454
Tamarack Camps / Fresh Air Society Ms Susie Zaks 6600 West Maple Rd, Ste 301 West Bloomfield, MI 48033 248-661-0600
The World Outdoors Mr David Clair 2840 Wilderness Place, Suite F Boulder, CO 80301 800-488-8483
Timberline Bicycle Tours Mr Dick Gottsegen 7975 East Harvard #J Denver CO 80231 303-759-3804
Trailside Productions Mr Kevin Sanders PO Box 4352 Bozeman, MT 59772 406-995-4688
Yellowstone Day Hikes Mr Kent Swanson 604 Gibbon Ave West Yellowstone, MT 59758 406-646-7242
Yellowstone Guidelines Mrs Margarita McLarty 16634 Bridger Canyon Bozeman, MT 59715 800-314-4506
Yellowstone/Glacier Adventures  Mr Steve Braun PO Box 746 Bozeman, MT 59771 406-585-9041
Yellowstone Safari Company Mr Ken Sinay PO Box 42 Bozeman, MT 59771 406-586-1155
Yellowstone Yearround Adventures Mr Rick Keats

 		 P.O. Box 105 Gardiner, MT 59030 406-223-2601

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Mammoth, WY Weather

62°
( 17° C)