Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [409]
Fountain Paint Pot Trail
.5 mile RT. Easy. Access: Fountain Paint Pot parking lot.
This area is very popular attraction, so you may have to wait for a parking place. All of the various types of thermal activity strut their stuff here. As you stroll along the easy half-mile boardwalk, you'll be in an area that may have six geysers popping their lids at the same time.
Geyser Hill Basin Loop
1.3 miles RT. Easy. Access: Old Faithful boardwalk.
One of the most interesting, and easiest, loops in the area, this trail winds around several thermal attractions. Anemone Geyser may offer the best display of the various stages of a typical eruption as the pool fills and overflows. The Lion Group consists of four geysers connected beneath the surface, and Doublet Pool is especially popular with photographers, who are attracted by a complex series of ledges and deep-blue waters. Giantess Geyser is known for its violent eruptions.
Lonestar Geyser Trail
4.6 miles RT. Easy. Access: Parking lot opposite Kepler Cascades.
This trail falls into the "Gotta Do It" category, and its popularity is its only disadvantage. Despite the probability that you'll be sharing the territory with others, there are several compelling reasons to give it a go. From the trailhead, you'll wend your way through a forested area along a trail that parallels the Firehole River. The payoff for your effort is the arrival at the geyser, sitting alone, a vanilla-chocolate ice-cream cone near the middle of a vast meadow partially covered by grass and trees, exposed rock, gravel, and volcanic debris. The geyser erupts about every 3 hours, and the eruption lasts about 30 minutes. Small, bubbling hot springs and steam vents surround it. The trail is popular with cross-country skiers in winter.
Mystic Falls Trail
1 mile one-way. Easy. Access: Imperial Meadows in Biscuit Basin.
This is a favorite of park rangers. The trail leads to a waterfall on the Little Firehole River that drops more than 100 feet, one of the steepest in the park. The trail starts at Biscuit Basin, crosses the river, and then disappears into the forest. The total distance to the falls is only 1 mile; there's a trail to take you to the top.
To make your return more interesting, continue .2 mile to the Little Firehole Meadows Trail, which has an overlook that offers a view of Old Faithful in the distance. Best estimates are that the total time for the hike is an easy 2 hours, with an elevation gain of only 460 feet.
Observation Point Trail— Solitary Geyser
2 miles RT. Easy. Access: Old Faithful boardwalk.
This trail leads to an observation area that provides better views of the entire geyser basin. The path up to the observation point is approximately .5 mile, and the elevation gain is only 200 feet, so it's an easy 15-minute hike. The view puts the entire Upper Geyser Basin into a different perspective; it is possible to see most of the major geysers, as well as inaccessible steam vents located in the middle of wooded areas. From the top of the boardwalk, continue to the Solitary Geyser on a downhill slope that leads past the geyser, through the basin, and back to the inn, which completes the loop.
Exploring the Backcountry
The backcountry season in Yellowstone is brief but glorious: For just 2 or 3 months, the snow melts off, the streams drop to fordable levels, and you can go deep into a domain of free-roaming wildlife and pristine natural beauty.
You must have a backcountry permit for any overnight trip on foot, on horseback, or by boat, and you can camp only in designated campsites, many of which