Top Trails: Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Andrew Dean Nystrom
permit, which is awarded by lottery at recreation.gov starting September 1. Leftover permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis starting in November. Permits cost $40 per day, plus a $6 application fee. Each snowmobile driver must have completed a free online certification training course. Snowmobilers can drive their own machines or rent them at park gateway towns, as long as they meet or exceed available technology standards. In addition, a dozen operators offer increasingly popular guided tours by snow coach (vehicles such as vans or buses that have been adapted to travel over snow). Skiers and snowshoers don’t need a guide, and the parks have many groomed and ungroomed trails to choose from.
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks Spring Bicycling Period
Weather permitting (after the winter snowmobiling season ends in mid- to late March and before the park opens to wheeled vehicles, typically the third Friday in April), there’s a glorious opportunity for bicyclists, hikers, joggers, in-line skaters, roller skiers, and the like to explore Yellowstone between the West Entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs, via the nearly auto-free Grand Loop Road. Call 307-344-2109 to confirm the Spring Bicycling Period schedule. There’s no in-park lodging open (Mammoth Campground is open year-round, or you can stay in nearby gateway towns). The 6 miles between the East Entrance and the east end of Sylvan Pass and the South Entrance road to West Thumb Junction also sometimes has limited access. The road from Madison Junction to Old Faithful typically does not open.
In Grand Teton, the beautiful 15-mile section of Teton Park Road between Taggart Lake Parking Area and Signal Mountain Lodge is similarly open to nonmotorized use in the month of April.
Though February sees some frosty but crystal-clear days of sunshine, snow blankets most of both parks well after the vernal equinox (March 21). The appearance of migrating mountain bluebirds and the emergence of Uinta ground squirrels are reliable indicators of the arrival of spring, usually in the second half of March. Depending on snow conditions, nonmotorized exploration (including hiking, bicycling, jogging, in-line skates, and roller skis) is permitted in Yellowstone between the West Entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs from mid-March through the third week in April.
The spring hiking season begins as snow starts to melt from the lowest-lying trails (as early as May on Yellowstone’s Northern Range, a bit later around Jackson Hole) and after trail maintenance crews clear winter deadfall. Early-season hiking coincides with the reemergence of ravenous bears and their newborn cubs from their dens as they prowl for elk calves. Many of the Yellowstone trails that pass through Bear Management Areas are off-limits from May into June. Hiking can be superb before crowds begin to arrive for Memorial Day, when both parks are a hive of calving, nesting, spawning, and blooming activity. River fords are most dangerous in May and June, when snowmelt-fed waterfalls are also the most spectacular. Daytime temperatures average in the 40s and 50s in May. By June they reach the 60s and 70s, but nighttime lows still occasionally dip below freezing. The most precipitation (an average of around 2 inches per month) falls during May and the “June monsoon.”
Mature bighorn rams with horns in full curl are often seen around Bunsen Peak (Trail 3).
The prime summer hiking and backpacking season starts as the snow line progressively retreats up mountainsides until the highest passes are clear—typically by late July in Yellowstone, and early August around the highest Teton passes. Elk and bison continue to drop calves until the summer solstice (June 21), the longest day of the year. The opening of Yellowstone’s fishing season (the first Saturday of Memorial Day weekend) coincides with the start of the stonefly hatch—when mosquitoes and biting flies really hit their stride. Wildflower-watching heats up soon after snowmelt and peaks around mid-July in most of Yellowstone, a bit later at higher elevations and in the Tetons. Midsummer, daytime temperatures are typically in the 70s (and 80s at lower elevations). Nights remain cool, in the 40s and 30s, with the odd frosty spell.
The courting and mating season (the rut) begins as early as late July. During this period, it’s especially important to give elk and bison a wide berth on trails. Mosquitoes and other biting pests finally die down in August; that’s also when berries are ripe for the picking in riparian zones. July and August are the driest months, but afternoon showers are still fairly common. Blooming goldenrod and gentians are reliable indicators of the coming of autumn.
Fall colors start to appear in the riparian zone by mid-August and peak around the autumnal equinox (September 21), with slight variations according to elevation. Vibrant yellows, reds, and oranges persist on Yellowstone’s Northern Range until early October, when the first significant snowfall usually occurs. Temperatures can remain surprisingly pleasant through October, but nighttime lows often plunge into the teens. Squirrels, chipmunks, and other rodents frantically preparing winter seed caches are a sure sign of another impending long winter.
Trail Selection
Three criteria were used in selecting trails for this guide. Only the premier day hikes and overnight backpacking trips are included, based on beautiful scenery, ease of access, and diversity of experience. Many of the trails are very popular, while several others see infrequent use. If you are fortunate enough to be able to complete all the trips in this book, you will gain a comprehensive appreciation for the complex beauty of one of the world’s most scenic and intact temperate-zone ecosystems.
Nearly half of the trails included in this guide are out-and-back trips, requiring you to retrace your steps back to the trailhead. Forty percent of the routes are full or partial loop trips, with the remaining six routes being point-to-point trips that are worthy of the required vehicle shuttle. For these, you’ll have to travel with friends or family who don’t mind picking you up at the end of the day, or arrange a commercial shuttle service for longer trips. It’s fairly common for people to hitchhike short distances through the parks to get to the trailhead before hiking back to their car.
Key Features
Top Trails books contain information about the features of each trail. Yellowstone and the Tetons are blessed with diverse terrain—no matter what your interests, you’re sure to find a trail to match them.
Water lovers and anglers will find plenty of pristine lakes, rivers, and streams, while peak-baggers will be spoiled by the choice of world-class alpine panoramas. The abundant open meadows are graced with riotous wildflower displays, and aspen groves provide plenty of fall color. All these features combine to make Greater Yellowstone a photographer’s paradise. With a bit of planning, the opportunities for camping, fishing, boating, swimming, and wildlife-watching are endless.
Multiple Uses
All the trails described in this guide are suitable for hiking. Although all the trails are equally legal for jogging, the vast majority are not suited for it, as running can incite predatory behavior in some wildlife. The only exceptions are the few gravel and paved roads in more developed areas that also allow bicycling, notably the road to Lone Geyser in Yellowstone. Where applicable, trail descriptions note where routes receive heavy stock use by horse packers and llama outfitters. Kayaking and canoeing are increasingly popular ways to reach some of both parks’ more secluded backcountry campsites—for example, Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone and Leigh Lake in Grand Teton. Fishing is superb in both parks too. As in most national parks, pets and mountain biking are prohibited. Winter use is limited but growing in both parks, with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snow-coach tours becoming more popular as snowmobiling is increasingly restricted.
Trail Safety
Dramatic elevation changes pose a possible danger to visitors arriving from near sea level. Signs of altitude sickness include headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, memory loss, and diminished mental acuity. A rapid descent generally alleviates any symptoms. The best advice