Best Hikes in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone hikes at a glance

These 14 day hikes cover every part of the Grand Loop. Distances are round trip. Most figures come from NPS trail pages and park trail guides. Where NPS gives no elevation gain (Fairy Falls, Lone Star, Storm Point, Wraith Falls and Seven Mile Hole), the number comes from Hiking Project, Trail Run Project or Hike 734, listed in the sources.

Times are NPS estimates where the park gives one. For Observation Point, the Brink of the Lower Falls and Elephant Back, the times shown are rough guides for an average hiker. Most of the park sits above 7,000 feet, so expect to move slower than you do at home.

Old Faithful and the geyser basins

The Grand Prismatic Overlook is the best short hike in the park. Park at the Fairy Falls lot, about 1 mile south of Midway Geyser Basin, and follow the old road along the Firehole River. A spur climbs about 105 feet to a platform above Grand Prismatic Spring. The lot is small and fills by mid-morning in summer, so go early or late in the day.

Fairy Falls continues on the same flat path past the overlook spur to a 200-foot waterfall, 5.4 miles round trip. Add about 1.3 miles to reach Spray and Imperial geysers. You can also start at the end of Fountain Flat Drive, which adds distance. This area is regular grizzly habitat, and NPS closed nearby trails for part of May and June 2026 after a bear injured two hikers. All of those closures were lifted on July 6.

Observation Point starts behind Old Faithful Lodge. Cross the Firehole River bridge, turn right at the Geyser Hill sign and climb switchbacks for half a mile to a view over the whole Upper Geyser Basin. Time it with the posted Old Faithful prediction. NPS rates it strenuous because of the steep grade, but it is short. Lone Star Geyser is the easy contrast: a mostly paved former service road along the Firehole River to a geyser that erupts up to 45 feet about every three hours. Bikes are allowed up to the end of the pavement.

Biscuit Basin, between Old Faithful and Midway, has been closed since its July 2024 hydrothermal explosion, and in July 2026 NPS said the closure remains in place. The usual Mystic Falls trailhead sits at the back of the Biscuit Basin boardwalk, which is why Mystic Falls is not on this list. Check the park's backcountry situation report if you want to try it.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

The Brink of the Lower Falls trail, off North Rim Drive at Canyon, drops 600 feet in 0.4 mile of switchbacks to a platform beside the 308-foot Lower Falls. The walk down is easy. The climb back up is the hard part, and NPS does not recommend it for people with heart or lung conditions. It closes in winter.

Uncle Tom's Trail, the old stairway to the base of the Lower Falls, has been closed since 2023 and is not being rebuilt. For views of the falls without stairs, walk the rim trails between Artist Point, Lookout Point and Inspiration Point.

Seven Mile Hole is the canyon's big day hike: 10 miles round trip from the Glacial Boulder pullout on the Inspiration Point road. The last 2.3 miles drop more than 1,000 feet to the Yellowstone River, past dormant and active hot springs, and you climb all of it back out. The river is the only reliable water, so treat it or carry plenty. Allow 5 to 8 hours.

Mount Washburn

Mount Washburn is the most popular summit hike in Yellowstone. From the Dunraven Pass parking lot, 4.5 miles north of Canyon, an old road switchbacks 3 miles to a staffed fire lookout at 10,243 feet, about 1,400 feet above the trailhead. On a clear day you can see the Tetons, the canyon and Yellowstone Lake. Bighorn sheep are often near the summit in summer.

A second route starts on Chittenden Road, 10.3 miles north of Canyon, and is 5.8 miles round trip. You may share it with bikes and service vehicles. Neither route has water. NPS warns of lightning above treeline and notes that grizzlies feed on whitebark pine nuts here in fall, so hike in a group of three or more and carry bear spray.

Timing matters this fall. Dunraven Pass, the road between Canyon and Tower that reaches the main trailhead, is projected to close for the season on October 12, 2026, weather permitting. It usually reopens in late May.

Yellowstone Lake and the East Entrance

Storm Point is a flat 2.3-mile loop from the Indian Pond pullout, 3 miles east of Fishing Bridge. It crosses meadow and forest to a rocky point on Yellowstone Lake with a colony of yellow-bellied marmots. NPS often closes it in late spring and early summer because of bear activity, so ask at the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center first.

Elephant Back Mountain starts at a pullout 1 mile south of Fishing Bridge Junction and gains 800 feet in 1.5 miles through lodgepole forest to an overlook of the lake and the Absaroka Range. It is a good half-day option when you are staying at Lake or Bridge Bay.

Avalanche Peak is the hardest hike on this list for its length: 2,100 feet of gain in 2.1 miles to a 10,566-foot summit. The trailhead is across the road from the Eleanor Lake pullout, 8 miles west of the East Entrance. It is often snow-covered until early July, the summit ridge is narrow, and NPS advises against hiking it in September and October because grizzlies feed in the area.

Mammoth, Tower and the Northeast

The northern part of the park is lower and drier, so its trails open earlier and stay open later. Wraith Falls is a 1-mile round trip from a pullout half a mile east of Lava Creek Picnic Area, ending at a 79-foot cascade. The last stretch is steep and rocky with steps.

The Beaver Ponds Loop starts in Mammoth Hot Springs near Liberty Cap and climbs at least 350 feet through sage, aspen and Douglas-fir to a string of ponds, 5 miles total. It is open year-round. Bunsen Peak starts 5 miles south of Mammoth near Golden Gate and climbs about 1,300 feet in 2.3 miles to views of Mammoth and the Gallatin Range. Its gravel lot is small and fills in summer.

Trout Lake is a short, steep climb of about 150 feet to a small lake off the Northeast Entrance Road, about 1.5 miles south of Pebble Creek Campground. It is a good stop on a Lamar Valley morning. Watch for bears and give river otters and spawning trout plenty of room in early summer.

Hiking safety in Yellowstone

Bears are the main concern on every trail. Carry bear spray where you can reach it, hike in groups of three or more, make noise on blind corners and avoid hiking at dawn and dusk. Stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from bison, elk and all other animals. Bison injure more visitors than any other animal in the park.

In thermal areas, stay on boardwalks and marked trails. The ground can be a thin crust over boiling water, and swimming or wading in hot springs is prohibited. Biscuit Basin's 2024 explosion is a reminder that these areas can change without warning.

Most trailheads sit between 6,000 and 8,500 feet. Drink more water than usual, turn around if you feel dizzy or short of breath, and get off summits before afternoon thunderstorms. Snow can fall in any month, and summer mornings can start near freezing.

Permits, closures and what to bring

Day hikes do not need a permit or reservation. Pets are not allowed on any Yellowstone trail. Overnight backcountry trips need a permit: the park holds an early-access lottery on Recreation.gov each March, opens general reservations in late April, and keeps some sites for walk-up permits issued in person up to two days ahead. The fee is $5 per person per night plus a $10 reservation or lottery fee. The NPS backcountry page lists the lottery period as March 1 to 20; confirm the 2027 dates before you apply.

Many trails close temporarily for bear activity, especially in spring and early summer. Some bear management areas have fixed seasonal closures or day-use-only hours. Check the NPS backcountry situation report and ask at a visitor center the day you hike.

• Bear spray (sold or rented in gateway towns and park stores)
• At least 2 liters of water per person, plus a filter for longer hikes
• Rain jacket, warm layer, hat and gloves, even in July
• Sun protection; UV is strong at this elevation
• A paper map; cell service is limited on most trails

Accessible trails and boardwalks

Several of Yellowstone's best sights are on boardwalks rather than trails. Parts of the Upper Geyser Basin around Old Faithful, the Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk at Grand Prismatic Spring, and Fountain Paint Pot have accessible sections, though some have steep grades or steps. NPS lists the paved Lone Star Geyser trail as usable by wheelchairs and other mobility devices, with a short unpaved stretch at the end.

Check the NPS accessibility page or ask at a visitor center for current conditions, since construction and thermal activity sometimes close boardwalk sections.

More Yellowstone guides

• Best Time to Visit Yellowstone National ParkWhen to visit Yellowstone, month by month: road opening and closing dates, crowds, weather, wildlife timing and what is open in each season.
• How Many Days Do You Need in Yellowstone?How many days to spend in Yellowstone, with 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-day itineraries by area, NPS drive times around the Grand Loop and where to base yourself.
• Camping in Yellowstone National Park: Campgrounds, Reservations and TipsAll 11 Yellowstone campgrounds with 2026 dates, fees and RV limits, how six-month reservations work, the 2027 move to Recreation.gov and backcountry permits.