One Night in Yellowstone

Kelly, where will you be based in the YNP area, or are you just passing through? Yellowstone is a huge park, and where you will be staying when you arrive might dictate a logical backpack trip. Also, how many miles do you want to do? In addition, what sorts of themes are you interested in–wildlife, thermal features, scenery, water (lakes or rivers)? YNP offers many different types of trips of varying lengths and difficulties.

We are staying at the Old Faithful Inn on Friday night.

Miles and accessorials don't matter, just looking for people's ideas on good hikes!

Thanks for your response

Why don't you hike to the Shoshone geyser basin, and spend the night on the lake at campsite 8R5? This takes you to the Lone Star geyser along the way, which is fun if you are able to time it right (it does its show every 3 hours, and the people at OFI might know when it's expected to do it). At least you'll learn its schedule when you hike in, and you can time your return to catch the show on your way back out.

This entire hike goes through unburned forest, unaffected by the 1988 fires, and there are lots of minor thermal features in the area. The Shoshone geyser basin is probably the best one in the backcountry, and you'll have it all to yourself (be careful…). And camping on the shore of Shoshone Lake is nice (no campfires allowed though). Also, know that the first 2 miles of the hike to the Lone Star geyser is an old service road that is closed to vehicles. Hikers and bikes only. It goes along the Firehole River, which is quite pretty. After you pass the geyser, the trail returns to a standard backcountry one.

Keep in mind that this hike is at an elevation of maybe 7800', which could prove dicey if a winter storm interferes. Also, if you aren't feeling aggressive, you could stay at OA1, which is just .3 miles past the Lone Star geyser, or 2.7 miles from the trailhead. On a calm night you can hear the Lone Star eruptions, which is rather funky.

Another good option is to drive to Canyon Village and head up to Tower. Up north is Slough Creek, and campsite 2S1 is a sweet one right along the creek (actually, it's a real river). Slough Creek is at about 6500', so it's a bit warmer there than up on the plateau around Old Faithful. But your drive from OF to Slough will prabably take 1.5 hours, so logistics might be a bit of a problem for you

Another quick one I like to do is the flat 3 mile hike to Grebe Lake, located more conveniently between Norris and Canyon. The hike goes through completely burned forest (which I find interesting), with 25 year old lodgepoles struggling to reforest things. The lake shore itself was not burned, so the campsites are nice. I like campsite 4G3 the most. Plenty of firewood, and fires are allowed. Elevation is 8000'.

And of course there are scads of other hikes. The rangers at Old Faithful can help find you a good place to hike and camp.

Pray for the snow gods to treat you right.

Great stuff all around Gary! Thank you for taking the time to type that up!

The Shoshone hike sounds like a nice one, especially if you can time it around the eruption.

I am only worried that if we started early in the morning we would get to the camp long before sundown.

Do you think that would be an issue? I'd preferably like to get to camp around late afternoon to setup camp and start cooking.

Gary's first suggestion is exactly what I'd say. You could easily spend 2 hours exploring the Shoshone geyser basin, so not worries about getting to camp early.

If you want an aggressive 2 day itinerary, start at the Lone Star TH and head all the way down to the forks of the Bechler. Great river scenery and a nice hot spring.

Just what I was looking for. I'll start out the Lone Star TH and camp at basin bay point.

Insight and advice very much appreciated! Thanks!

Go for it, Kelly, and be sure to report back to us on your experience. Also…pray to those snow gods, and talk sweet to any griz that might wander along your shoreline at Shoshone Lake, hoping for some washed-up fish.

Be sure to take your pepper spray with you wherever you hike in YNP, one per person, and give them, hopefully unused, to some ranger if you have to fly back. They will find a new home for them, since you can't carry them on the plane.

Have a grand time in YNP's backcountry–it's one of America's greatest hits. So is the crowded boardwalk outside your hotel at OFI–what a grand geyser show. That's why they built the lodge there.

If you have time on Friday night try to go looking for wolves. I don't know where the best spot to see them would be at that time of year. Talking to a knowledgeable ranger should help. Last year Hayden Valley was a great place to see them, this year not so much. A good spotting scope is very helpful for this.

Kelly,

By coincidence I was in the Park Service backcountry office yesterday and the Ranger said that the park has really opened up in terms of backcountry availability. I'd go for the Ferris Hot Springs, per David's suggestion, or Shoshone Geyser Basin, per Gary's – both are wonderful camping spots.

Richard

We had a great time! We camped out at Shoshone lake (8R3) and had a beautiful sunset. Makes me want to move up there.

Thanks to everyone for the great advice.