Hiking Thread

[Smallvol#1]

The Hoh rainforest is probably the biggest reason I want to got to Olympic.

I actually think of Grand Teton and Yellowstone as one gigantic park now, that is why I always put them together...Greater Yellowstone is what a lot of folks call it now. Really that whole NE corner of Wyoming that abuts Idaho and Montana is just heaven to me, but the Jackson Hole valley and the Teton Range itself is my favorite area of them all.

I really just want to see all the National Parks and I will probably go visit Cayuhoga just because it is a National Park and there are some things there that look interesting.

I think Glacier, Zion and Yosemite will blow me away. I'm sure Crater, Great Basin and Kings Canyon/Sequoia or even North Cascades would too.

That corner of WY, MN, ID is beautiful. I’ve always thought it was addictive to some people. It was to my grandfather and I had one good friend who got “hooked”. We took a nephew out when he was 16 and I wasn’t sure we would get him home again! Duboise absolutely enthralled him. I was scared he would move out there and his mother would kill me!

We’ve visited all in the national parks the lower 48; that was the reason we went to Cuyhoga. If you are interested in canals you would find that interesting.

Glacier is awesome. Going To The Sun Road is something everybody should drive. I’ve been there at least 4 times, the road scares me to death but I manage😯. Yosemite/King/Sequoia are sort of a set in my mind. I honestly think I liked Sequoia best, [but you know....which pound cake did you like best? Plain, cream cheese, or chocolate? Gee, I don’t know Mama. Maybe you better bake them again and let me try to decide.] Cascades was nice, but just not as inspiring to me as some of the others, however the water color is intense. We went there after Crater Lake and Olympic. On the photo book we did a cover as an oval with one picture from each park. Crater Lake was deep clear blue (purest water in US), Cascades was turquoise green (mineral content). Had to keep assuring people the photos were not touched up, that was just the color of the bodies of water!

Other than flying over glaciers (I think there are three like that in Alaska, and I told TO from Day 1 that I was NOT doing that!) we only have 3 US NP parks left. The two in Hawaii and Kenai Fiords in Alaska. We will probably do those in the next two or three years.

And as an aside, SD has a lot to see. If you go to Mount Rushmore be sure and visit Custer State Park. It puts a lot of national parks to shame, beautiful scenery, animals, just a great place to visit. Also when you go to Theodore Roosevelt NP be sure and go to both sections, northern and southern. That is some spectacular scenery!

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

That corner of WY, MN, ID is beautiful. I’ve always thought it was addictive to some people. It was to my grandfather and I had one good friend who got “hooked”. We took a nephew out when he was 16 and I wasn’t sure we would get him home again! Duboise absolutely enthralled him. I was scared he would move out there and his mother would kill me!

We’ve visited all in the national parks the lower 48; that was the reason we went to Cuyhoga. If you are interested in canals you would find that interesting.

Glacier is awesome. Going To The Sun Road is something everybody should drive. I’ve been there at least 4 times, the road scares me to death but I manage😯. Yosemite/King/Sequoia are sort of a set in my mind. I honestly think I liked Sequoia best, [but you know....which pound cake did you like best? Plain, cream cheese, or chocolate? Gee, I don’t know Mama. Maybe you better bake them again and let me try to decide.] Cascades was nice, but just not as inspiring to me as some of the others, however the water color is intense. We went there after Crater Lake and Olympic. On the photo book we did a cover as an oval with one picture from each park. Crater Lake was deep clear blue (purest water in US), Cascades was turquoise green (mineral content). Had to keep assuring people the photos were not touched up, that was just the color of the bodies of water!

Other than flying over glaciers (I think there are three like that in Alaska, and I told TO from Day 1 that I was NOT doing that!) we only have 3 US NP parks left. The two in Hawaii and Kenai Fiords in Alaska. We will probably do those in the next two or three years.

And as an aside, SD has a lot to see. If you go to Mount Rushmore be sure and visit Custer State Park. It puts a lot of national parks to shame, beautiful scenery, animals, just a great place to visit. Also when you go to Theodore Roosevelt NP be sure and go to both sections, northern and southern. That is some spectacular scenery!

We actually spent a couple of days exploring the Black Hills attractions, including Wind Cave and Badlands NPs. We also went to Devils Tower on that trip. The bad thing is we didn't go to Deadwood, but I was more interested in driving the Needles hwy-Iron Mountain loop..It was awesome.

I also love Dubois..well the whole Wind River Valley for that matter. I guess I just love Wyoming as a whole.

I doubt I will ever get to go to the Alaska or Hawaii National Parks. I just don't have the financial ability.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will definitely always be up there for me too, we just have so many family memories there, but I just feel like I'm in Heaven in GT/Yellowstone NP. I don't really know how to explain it, but I think it is like Muir described how he felt in Yosemite. Maybe I will feel that way about another park I haven't been to yet. Maybe Zion or Arches or even Capitol Reef. I sure do hope to find out.

Ulysses, the only mountain range in the U.S. that I can think of, which is truly comparable to the Tetons, is the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. Both ranges were formed through the same geological process, i.e. as fault-block formations, so they both rise dramatically without foothills. The Sawtooths are every bit as rugged as the Tetons, but they are three thousand feet lower in altitude and much less heavily visited. If you approach the Sawtooths from the northeast, you will pass through the Salmon River Valley and your initial exposure to the Sawtooths will be much more instantaneous than views of the Tetons offered by the approach route from Jackson Hole.

The Snake River Overlook is, without question, one of the most spectacular single vistas in all of America. Glacier Point in Yosemite offers a fundamentally different vantage point but, arguably, is just as awe-inspiring as the Tetons from the Snake River Overlook. For vistas that are very comparable in terms of jaw-droppingly gorgeous terrain, I would also include the Maroon Bells, as viewed from Maroon Lake, near Aspen and the Dallas Divide, located near Ridgway, Colorado, in the San Juan Mountains. And, yes, the blue of Crater Lake is so brilliant as to appear almost other-worldly.

For a Muir-esque spiritual experience, by all means go to Glacier. If it were possible to feel oppressed by the presence of divinity, Glacier is one place that evokes such sentiments. Due to dramatic increases in visitation during the last five years, solitude is much more difficult to come by now in Glacier, particularly in peak season (July-August). So, go during the last 7-10 days of September and/or the first few days of October. Services will be limited, but that is the peak of fall color and, if conditions are right, the east side of the park puts on a spectacular show, particularly in Two Medicine, Cutbank and Many Glacier valleys, as well as the area surrounding Lower and Upper St. Mary Lakes and the Chief Mountain Road. See, for example, this photo of the huge aspen colony that carpets the base of Chief Mountain (chief mountain fall colors blue sky | Tony Bynum Photography - People - Life - Land), as well as the following pages from this photo blog: Autumn Photography in Glacier National Park. - ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ The Hole Picture • Daryl L. HunterThe Hole Picture and My Autumn Glacier National Park Trip (2012) - ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ The Hole Picture • Daryl L. HunterThe Hole Picture. That time of year also coincides with the rutting season for elk. If you stay at the St. Mary KOA, you are almost guaranteed to hear elk bugling at dusk. ‘tis one of the signature sounds of wilderness, one that you will never forget, once you have heard it.

Incidentally, if you have never been there, the quiet, back side of the Tetons, particularly the area around Tetonia and Driggs, Idaho, also puts on a spectacular fall foliage show, arguably one that exceeds the park itself in terms of widespread displays of color.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Smallvol#1, I also prefer Bryce Canyon over Zion or, for that matter, the great ditch that the Colorado River dug. Incidentally, have you ever been to, or are you planning on visiting, Cedar Breaks National Monument (Cedar Breaks National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)) in Utah? It features the same brilliant reddish-orange sandstone found in Bryce Canyon, is a smidgen higher in elevation, exceeding 10,000 feet on some portions of the rim, but almost certainly is less heavily visited. However, because of its altitude, the main park road does not usually open until late May. For the truly fortunate visitor, the contrast between any remaining snowpack and sandstone formations would be most striking, particularly at sunrise and sunset, when the light can make some of those hoodoos look almost like glowing embers.

 

[NorCalVol67]

Ulysses, the only mountain range in the U.S. that I can think of, which is truly comparable to the Tetons, is the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. Both ranges were formed through the same geological process, i.e. as fault-block formations, so they both rise dramatically without foothills. The Sawtooths are every bit as rugged as the Tetons, but they are three thousand feet lower in altitude and much less heavily visited. If you approach the Sawtooths from the northeast, you will pass through the Salmon River Valley and your initial exposure to the Sawtooths will be much more instantaneous than views of the Tetons offered by the approach route from Jackson Hole.

The Snake River Overlook is, without question, one of the most spectacular single vistas in all of America. Glacier Point in Yosemite offers a fundamentally different vantage point but, arguably, is just as awe-inspiring as the Tetons from the Snake River Overlook. For vistas that are very comparable in terms of jaw-droppingly gorgeous terrain, I would also include the Maroon Bells, as viewed from Maroon Lake, near Aspen and the Dallas Divide, located near Ridgway, Colorado, in the San Juan Mountains. And, yes, the blue of Crater Lake is so brilliant as to appear almost other-worldly.

For a Muir-esque spiritual experience, by all means go to Glacier. If it were possible to feel oppressed by the presence of divinity, Glacier is one place that evokes such sentiments. Due to dramatic increases in visitation during the last five years, solitude is much more difficult to come by now in Glacier, particularly in peak season (July-August). So, go during the last 7-10 days of September and/or the first few days of October. Services will be limited, but that is the peak of fall color and, if conditions are right, the east side of the park puts on a spectacular show, particularly in Two Medicine, Cutbank and Many Glacier valleys, as well as the area surrounding Lower and Upper St. Mary Lakes and the Chief Mountain Road. See, for example, this photo of the huge aspen colony that carpets the base of Chief Mountain (chief mountain fall colors blue sky | Tony Bynum Photography - People - Life - Land), as well as the following pages from this photo blog: Autumn Photography in Glacier National Park. - ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ The Hole Picture • Daryl L. HunterThe Hole Picture and My Autumn Glacier National Park Trip (2012) - ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ The Hole Picture • Daryl L. HunterThe Hole Picture. That time of year also coincides with the rutting season for elk. If you stay at the St. Mary KOA, you are almost guaranteed to hear elk bugling at dusk. ‘tis one of the signature sounds of wilderness, one that you will never forget, once you have heard it.

Incidentally, if you have never been there, the quiet, back side of the Tetons, particularly the area around Tetonia and Driggs, Idaho, also puts on a spectacular fall foliage show, one that exceeds the park itself in terms of widespread displays of color.

Terrific views of the back side of the Tetons from Tetonia.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

The quiet, east side of the Sierras is another area that doesn’t receive its due from the average visitor. The area around Bishop, Lone Pine, Mammoth Lakes, plus the Alabama Hills and Whitney Portal Road, is most impressive, particularly in fall. Throw in the Bristlecone Pine forests in the White Mountains and you have a great place to contemplate the significance of human life. ‘tis mind-boggling to think that some of those ancient, gnarled denizens of the high country were saplings before the pyramids of Egypt were built.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

Ulysses, the only mountain range in the U.S. that I can think of, which is truly comparable to the Tetons, is the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. Both ranges were formed through the same geological process, i.e. as fault-block formations, so they both rise dramatically without foothills. The Sawtooths are every bit as rugged as the Tetons, but they are three thousand feet lower in altitude and much less heavily visited. If you approach the Sawtooths from the northeast, you will pass through the Salmon River Valley and your initial exposure to the Sawtooths will be much more instantaneous than views of the Tetons offered by the approach route from Jackson Hole.

The Snake River Overlook is, without question, one of the most spectacular single vistas in all of America. Glacier Point in Yosemite offers a fundamentally different vantage point but, arguably, is just as awe-inspiring as the Tetons from the Snake River Overlook. For vistas that are very comparable in terms of jaw-droppingly gorgeous terrain, I would also include the Maroon Bells, as viewed from Maroon Lake, near Aspen and the Dallas Divide, located near Ridgway, Colorado, in the San Juan Mountains. And, yes, the blue of Crater Lake is so brilliant as to appear almost other-worldly.

For a Muir-esque spiritual experience, by all means go to Glacier. If it were possible to feel oppressed by the presence of divinity, Glacier is one place that evokes such sentiments. Due to dramatic increases in visitation during the last five years, solitude is much more difficult to come by now in Glacier, particularly in peak season (July-August). So, go during the last 7-10 days of September and/or the first few days of October. Services will be limited, but that is the peak of fall color and, if conditions are right, the east side of the park puts on a spectacular show, particularly in Two Medicine, Cutbank and Many Glacier valleys, as well as the area surrounding Lower and Upper St. Mary Lakes and the Chief Mountain Road. See, for example, this photo of the huge aspen colony that carpets the base of Chief Mountain (chief mountain fall colors blue sky | Tony Bynum Photography - People - Life - Land), as well as the following pages from this photo blog: Autumn Photography in Glacier National Park. - ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ The Hole Picture • Daryl L. HunterThe Hole Picture and My Autumn Glacier National Park Trip (2012) - ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ The Hole Picture • Daryl L. HunterThe Hole Picture. That time of year also coincides with the rutting season for elk. If you stay at the St. Mary KOA, you are almost guaranteed to hear elk bugling at dusk. ‘tis one of the signature sounds of wilderness, one that you will never forget, once you have heard it.

Incidentally, if you have never been there, the quiet, back side of the Tetons, particularly the area around Tetonia and Driggs, Idaho, also puts on a spectacular fall foliage show, arguably one that exceeds the park itself in terms of widespread displays of color.

I can't wait to see Glacier with my own eyes. My favorite views of the Tetons are from the real overlook on Signal mountain, the north end of Jackson lake, the Moose area and Moulton Barn, Snake River overlook and the Oxbow bend and Jackson Lake lodge view of Moran is probably my favorite. I love Mt Morans almost perfect symmetry.

I have been on the other side of the Tetons, but we were just driving through from Jackson Hole to Henry's lake..which we loved by the way. It was so beautiful with the snow on the mountains around us, I really wish I could get my pics to post..alas I am a tech idiot. 😜

 

[Smallvol#1]

Smallvol#1, I also prefer Bryce Canyon over Zion or, for that matter, the great ditch that the Colorado River dug. Incidentally, have you ever been to, or are you planning on visiting, Cedar Breaks National Monument (Cedar Breaks National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)) in Utah? It features the same brilliant reddish-orange sandstone found in Bryce Canyon, is a smidgen higher in elevation, exceeding 10,000 feet on some portions of the rim, but almost certainly is less heavily visited. However, because of its altitude, the main park road does not usually open until late May. For the truly fortunate visitor, the contrast between any remaining snowpack and sandstone formations would be most striking, particularly at sunrise and sunset, when the light can make some of those hoodoos look almost like glowing embers.

No, not been to Cedar Breaks, but I am definitely putting it on the list. We are returning to Zion soon, we meant to this year but I was too late calling to get a room. I think it was around September 14 and they were already full. I want to return to Bryce (TO is being difficult, but I hold trump...I hiked every mile of every official trail in the Smokies AND I’ve hiked in every NP in the lower 48 as well as several Alaska ones. Guess whose bucket list those were on?&#128077. So Cedar Breaks should fit right in that trip. Trouble is, we want to go back to so many of them! Colorado is almost indecent with its parks! So many, so beautiful. It’s hard to drive by RMNP...have you ever been to Kremmling? Zane Grey was inspired to write a book while staying there. It’s a neat little town. And then drop down to GSD, or go by Arches, or.....and then you come up with a new must see!

Did you see the pics I posted of the shed? Do you know anything about it?

 

[Volosaurus rex]

I can't wait to see Glacier with my own eyes. My favorite views of the Tetons are from the real overlook on Signal mountain, the north end of Jackson lake, the Moose area and Moulton Barn, Snake River overlook and the Oxbow bend and Jackson Lake lodge view of Moran is probably my favorite. I love Mt Morans almost perfect symmetry.

I have been on the other side of the Tetons, but we were just driving through from Jackson Hole to Henry's lake..which we loved by the way. It was so beautiful with the snow on the mountains around us, I really wish I could get my pics to post..alas I am a tech idiot. 😜

I will always have mixed memories of Signal Mountain. Because of that confounded cell tower, we had to listen to some blithering idiot from L.A., who was complaining about his luggage problems at the airport. Meanwhile, he was oblivious to not only the majesty surrounding him but also the marmot almost at his feet.

 

[NorCalVol67]

I will always have mixed memories of Signal Mountain. Because of that confounded cell tower, we had to listen to some blithering idiot from L.A., who was complaining about his luggage problems at the airport. Meanwhile, he was oblivious to not only the majesty surrounding him but also the marmot almost at his feet.

Being on Signal Mountain during a full moon is special.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

No, not been to Cedar Breaks, but I am definitely putting it on the list. We are returning to Zion soon, we meant to this year but I was too late calling to get a room. I think it was around September 14 and they were already full. I want to return to Bryce (TO is being difficult, but I hold trump...I hiked every mile of every official trail in the Smokies AND I’ve hiked in every NP in the lower 48 as well as several Alaska ones. Guess whose bucket list those were on?&#128077. So Cedar Breaks should fit right in that trip. Trouble is, we want to go back to so many of them! Colorado is almost indecent with its parks! So many, so beautiful. It’s hard to drive by RMNP...have you ever been to Kremmling? Zane Grey was inspired to write a book while staying there. It’s a neat little town. And then drop down to GSD, or go by Arches, or.....and then you come up with a new must see!

Did you see the pics I posted of the shed? Do you know anything about it?

I don’t remember whether we went through Kremmling proper, but we did circumnavigate the Gore Range during our fall trip in 2016. The Eagles Nest Wilderness Area there is very rugged country, so much so that no trails traverse the range; they simply terminate at high alpine lakes.

It is strange sometimes what does and does not receive official designation within the National Park Service. Perhaps, above all else, an area must have an influential/wealthy advocate. For my money, the Sneffels Range is the crown jewel of the San Juan Mountains, and the San Juans are the crown jewel of the Colorado Rockies. And, yet, no portion of the San Juans is included in the National Park system. Perhaps, that is for the best. Formal inclusion would probably cause a dramatic spike in traffic to southwestern Colorado.

I saw the photos of the shed you posted, but I know nothing about its origin. The last time I was close to the area now encompassed by Great Basin National Park, it had not even been designated as a national park. I would offer one suggestion, however, about GBNP. As an officially designated International Dark Sky Park (Astronomy - Great Basin National Park (U.S. National Park Service)), it might be worth checking what phase the moon will be in during your visit and the time that the Milky Way will be visible in the area. You could possibly get a once-in-a-lifetime photo of the ghost-like Milky Way arching above the landscape, the kind of view that caused ancient man to revere the night sky and which very few people have the opportunity to truly experience anymore.

Have you, per chance, ever been to the Uinta Mountains in northeastern Utah? They are the highest mountains in Utah and one of the few ranges anywhere in the Rockies that runs from west to east, as opposed to a north-south orientation.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

I will always have mixed memories of Signal Mountain. Because of that confounded cell tower, we had to listen to some blithering idiot from L.A., who was complaining about his luggage problems at the airport. Meanwhile, he was oblivious to not only the majesty surrounding him but also the marmot almost at his feet.

We go the real overlook. It is not at the top. There is a trail that leads from a parking area to the south shoulder of the mountain. You have to walk a couple of hundred yards to it, but when you get there it opens up spectacularly. You get an completely unimpeded view of the whole Jackson Hole from there. As you stand there facing south if you turn to your left and look west and then turn to your right you see from the Togwotee all the way around to the north end of the Teton range. Man I wish I could post pics

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

Being on Signal Mountain during a full moon is special.

We watched the sunset and the moonrise at the same time in June 2011. It was one of the most special moments of my life. There were about 20 of us at that spot and everyone was so peaceful and quiet. It was truly spiritual.

 

[NorCalVol67]

We watched the sunset and the moonrise at the same time in June 2011. It was one of the most special moments of my life. There were about 20 of us at that spot and everyone was so peaceful and quiet. It was truly spiritual.

I believe I mentioned this in this thread when discussing your impending trip to Jackson last year, but one of the most beautiful things I have seen was camping on the lower saddle of the Grand as the sun was setting while a full moon was rising in the east. This would be the same perspective you had from Signal Mountain. Glad you were able to see such a beautiful sight.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

I believe I mentioned this in this thread when discussing your impending trip to Jackson last year, but one of the most beautiful things I have seen was camping on the lower saddle of the Grand as the sun was setting while a full moon was rising in the east. This would be the same perspective you had from Signal Mountain. Glad you were able to see such a beautiful sight.

It truly was spectacular, I will never forget it. Another thing about that year is that the mountains were still just completely covered in heavy snow. We walked down to the Colter Bay marina dock about midnight one night and the mountains were literally glowing in the full moon light. It was just so beautiful. I guess if anybody has been anywhere in the Rocky Mountains in the winter they would be used to seeing that, but I have never, so it was just amazing to me.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

I believe I mentioned this in this thread when discussing your impending trip to Jackson last year, but one of the most beautiful things I have seen was camping on the lower saddle of the Grand as the sun was setting while a full moon was rising in the east. This would be the same perspective you had from Signal Mountain. Glad you were able to see such a beautiful sight.

Our schedule this past year was just completely wrecked by the snowstorms and sickness. My wife, DiL and my daughter all got sick for a couple of the days, and I hurt my knees pretty bad our very first day while hiking up to inspiration point. I was just so excited I got a little too rambunctious, and it just threw a damper on everything to be in so much pain the rest of the time...



It was still worth it all. It was amazing. 😎

 

[OldandStillaVol]

We are headed to Yellowstone area in a couple of months for 1 week vacation. I would appreciate any trail recommendations for day hikes. We're staying NW of the park midway between Big Sky and the Park. Thanks.

 

[NorCalVol67]

We are headed to Yellowstone area in a couple of months for 1 week vacation. I would appreciate any trail recommendations for day hikes. We're staying NW of the park midway between Big Sky and the Park. Thanks.

Volosaurus will be a good source.

If you head up to Big Sky, check out Gallatin Canyon. I do not recall specific trails, but I have climbed in this area and it is beautiful.

If you plan to spend time in the Tetons I can recommend some hikes. From where you are staying, one option for hiking in the Tetons is to access some trails from Driggs Idaho on the backside of the range. This would be a closer drive than going into the park at Moose and includes some of my favorite hikes. Snow levels could play a factor at higher levels.

 

[OldandStillaVol]

Volosaurus will be a good source.

If you head up to Big Sky, check out Gallatin Canyon. I do not recall specific trails, but I have climbed in this area and it is beautiful.

If you plan to spend time in the Tetons I can recommend some hikes. From where you are staying, one option for hiking in the Tetons is to access some trails from Driggs Idaho on the backside of the range. This would be a closer drive than going into the park at Moose and includes some of my favorite hikes. Snow levels could play a factor at higher levels.

Thanks.

 

[bignewt]

Well since I am a tourist myself it wouldn't bother me. I consider the Smokies my home park, I have been there hundreds of times,and it gets more tourists than anybody...doesn't make it any less beautiful and awe inspiring to me, so I doubt three to four million less tourists in a much bigger space is gonna bother me that much.

Completely different scenarios but ok.

 

[UT_Dutchman]

We are headed to Yellowstone area in a couple of months for 1 week vacation. I would appreciate any trail recommendations for day hikes. We're staying NW of the park midway between Big Sky and the Park. Thanks.

NorCal is right, you can look back through this thread where he has postesd about it or VREX may see your post and give you some great insight.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

We are headed to Yellowstone area in a couple of months for 1 week vacation. I would appreciate any trail recommendations for day hikes. We're staying NW of the park midway between Big Sky and the Park. Thanks.

I really am not the best source for hiking in Yellowstone, but give me a day or so and I will give you a detailed response. The quick-and-dirty answer, depending on precisely how much time you want to allocate to Yellowstone, would be that I would concentrate on trails that probe various vantage points along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (see Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone - Yellowstone National Park WY). The enjoyyourparks.com websites are absolutely great introductions to potential destinations; they are chock-full with photographs, so it becomes easy to identify areas that particularly appeal to you.

Do you plan on visiting the Tetons as well? You really should take the opportunity to do so, and Ulysees, for example, will be able to comment knowledgably about day hikes in that area. Furthermore, do you plan on traversing the Beartooth Highway, which leaves the northeastern corner of Yellowstone and concludes at Red Lodge, Montana? It is, in my opinion, second only to the Going-to-the-Sun Highway in terms of natural beauty. It is also the highest road in the Northern Rockies, reaching an altitude of just shy of 11,000 feet. Unless it is temporarily closed due to snow during the time of your visit, the Beartooth Highway SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AN ABSOLUTE MUST-SEE ATTRACTION. See An All-American Road in Wyoming & Montana | Beartooth Highway | Montana & Wyoming Scenic Drives and Beartooth Highway - YouTube.

One final thought on this preliminary response: Most of Yellowstone is at an altitude of 8,000 feet, so give that consideration in selecting trails for hiking.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Note: Falcon Guides produces a great series of little trail guides entitled "Best Easy Day Hikes of . . ."

These could be useful for your purposes:

Best Easy Day Hikes Yellowstone National Park (Best Easy Day Hikes Series): Bill Schneider: 9780762770069: Amazon.com: Books

Robot Check

Robot Check

Trails Illustrated maps of Yellowstone and/or the Tetons, which can be purchased in conjunction with the aforementioned trail guides, are great resources for both planning purposes and navigation. In particular, the Canyon area contains a lot of features concentrated in a relatively small area, so I would highly recommend purchasing this Trails Illustrated map: Robot Check

You may also find the Old Faithful day hikes map to be quite useful for your purposes: Old Faithful Day Hikes: Yellowstone National Park (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map): National Geographic Maps - Trails Illustrated: 9781566956659: Amazon.com: Books

 

[OldandStillaVol]

Thanks. Not sure if we will make it to Tetons or not. A lot depends on weather. Understood about high elevation - I have hiked at that elevation in the distant past but will definitely take it easy.

 

[superdave1984]

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