Top Trails: Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Andrew Dean Nystrom
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Northwest Yellowstone: Mammoth/Gallatin Country
4. Cache Lake and Electric Peak
5. Gallatin Sky Rim Trail
6. Howard Eaton Trail
7. Mammoth Hot Springs
8. Osprey Falls
Overleaf and opposite: Andrew Dean Nystrom on Bunsen Peak (Trail 3)
AREA OVERVIEW
Northwest Yellowstone: Mammoth/Gallatin Country
The northwestern quadrant of Yellowstone National Park includes the developed area around the park’s headquarters at Mammoth Hot Springs and, to the west, the soaring peaks of the Gallatin Range. It is also the park’s lowest and driest region, which makes it a great place to visit in spring, fall, and winter.
The North Entrance, near the sociable gateway town of Gardiner, Montana, is the only park entrance that remains open year-round; the Grand Loop Road remains open year-round between Gardiner and Cooke City. Just before Mammoth Hot Springs, the first-come, first-served Mammoth Campground ($20) is the park’s only year-round campground. Eight miles south of Mammoth, the smaller, National Park Service–run Indian Creek Campground ($15) is in the thick of moose country and is often closed in the spring season because of bear activity.
The region’s diverse terrain includes some of the park’s topographic extremes, ranging from desertlike corridors between 5,300 and 6,000 feet near the park’s northern boundary to several peaks that top out at more than 10,000 feet. Yellowstone’s low-lying Northern Range, which straddles the Montana–Wyoming state line, is a vital overwintering area for migrating wildlife such as pronghorn, elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer, bison, and coyotes between November and May. Like the animals, early- and late-season hikers migrate here to seek refuge from the rest of the park’s extreme weather. These relatively mild conditions also make Mammoth a popular base camp for winter sports such as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
In Mammoth, the main visitor center and backcountry office (where permits are issued) are housed adjacent to the park headquarters in the Fort Yellowstone–Mammoth Hot Springs Historic District, in buildings constructed by the US Army during its tenure as park custodian (1886– 1918). Nearby, portions of the updated Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel date back to 1911. Nightly room rates run $150–$262, with cabins available from $98; call 307-344-7311 for information and reservations. The hotel will be closed for renovations during winter 2017.
AREA MAP
TRAIL FEATURES TABLE
Just outside the North Entrance, which was the park’s first major gateway, the large stone Roosevelt Arch was designed by Old Faithful architect Robert Reamer in 1903 to commemorate the completion of the Northern Pacific railway spur line from Livingston to Gardiner, Montana, and the subsequent visit of President Theodore Roosevelt. The top of the arch is inscribed FOR THE BENEFIT AND ENJOYMENT OF THE PEOPLE, a quote from the Organic Act of 1872, the enabling legislation for what was then the world’s first national park. Inside the arch is a sealed time capsule that includes period postcards and a photo of Roosevelt. It was here that the park celebrated the centenary of the National Park Service in 2016.
The railroad’s plans to lay spur lines through the fragile geyser basins and monopolize public access to the park were countered by the lobbying efforts of President Roosevelt’s Boone & Crockett Club, a politically influential pro-hunting group. By 1905 the US Army Corps of Engineers had established the beginnings of today’s Grand Loop Road, and in 1915 the first private automobiles were admitted to the park. In 1916 the newly constituted National Park Service banned horse-drawn wagons from all park roads.
Today, you can still drive or cycle the original gravel stagecoach road (one-way only, except for bicycles and hikers) from Mammoth to Gardiner. It starts behind the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and winds down 5 miles to the North Entrance gate.
Permits and Maps
The year-round Albright Visitor Center and Museum sells a good selection of maps and field guides and is the only place in Yellowstone Park to offer free Wi-Fi. A small museum focuses on history and has a good exhibit on predators and prey upstairs. Rangers also hand out free day-hiking brochures and are a good source of trail updates and general advice. Call 307-344-2263; open daily, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. in summer, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. in winter. For more detailed trail information, head downstairs to the summer-only backcountry office, which issues boating, fishing, and backcountry camping permits and is a wealth of hiking and backpacking information. Call 307-344-2160; the office is open 8 a.m.–noon and 1–4:30 p.m. In spring, fall, and winter, call the park’s operator at 307-344-7381 for advice about where to obtain permits.
National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated Mammoth Hot Springs (no. 303, scale 1:63,360) map depicts all of the trails, trailheads, and campsites mentioned in this chapter. The similar Trails Illustrated Yellowstone National Park (no. 201, scale 1:126,720) map, with trails and mileage way points, has sufficient detail for trip planning and frontcountry hiking but does not depict trailheads or backcountry campsites. A good compromise is Beartooth Publishing’s Yellowstone North (1:80,000).
TRAIL SUMMARIES
Northwest Yellowstone: Mammoth/Gallatin Country
Beaver Ponds Loop
The most popular moderately strenuous day hike in the Mammoth area traverses forested gulches, aspen-dotted meadows, and open sagelands, providing the opportunity to see a wide variety of wildlife, including the occasional moose and black bear. Wildlife is at its most active in the late afternoon.
TRAIL 1
Hike
5.5 miles, Loop
Difficulty: 1 2 3 4 5
Boiling River
Yellowstone’s premier legal frontcountry soak is a dynamic series of five-star hot pots formed by the confluence of an impressive thermal stream and an icy river. It’s an easily accessible stroll through an attractive river canyon, popular with families, and—for hot-springs aficionados—definitely not to be missed.
TRAIL 2
Hike, Swim
1.0 mile, Out-and-back
Difficulty: 1 2 3 4 5
Bunsen Peak
This quick, scenic ascent above timberline is a popular early-season altitude acclimatization route and will give you a real cardio workout. On a clear day, it’s a relatively easy way to gain a panoramic overview of the Northern Range. Waterfall lovers will not want to miss the steep but rewarding side trip to Osprey Falls.