Easy Hikes in Yellowstone You Don’t Want to Miss
There are 1000s of trails in Yellowstone, but you don’t need to hikes a bunch of miles or gain 1000s of feet to enjoy the beauty and magic of Yellowstone. Listed below are 5 easy hikes that offers amazing views of Yellowstone.
Storm Point Trail
Storm Point Trail is one of my favorite trails in Yellowstone. And, in my opinion, one of the most underrated trails. Now I don’t say this lightly, because there are some amazing trails with gorgeous views in Yellowstone. Since this trail is relatively easy and doesn’t take you to the top of a mountain, I can see why it’s often overlooked.
This trail has it all: wildflowers, lush forest, and my favorite, stunning views of lake Yellowstone.
The trail is located 3 miles east of the Fishing Bridge Junction. You’ll begin at the Storm Point Trailhead and pass Indian Pond while walking through a grassy plain. The trail continues through a small lightly wooded area before emerging and giving you a glimpse of Storm Point. Continue on until you reach the shoreline. This is the best part of the trail, a great place to hangout with friends, read a book or have a picnic.
Once you’re ready to head back, the loop continues into a pretty dense forest taking you back to the parking lot. You can also opt to just retrace your steps back the way you came if you don’t want to hike through the forest.
Wildlife, especially bison frequent this area. If you come upon any animals, be sure to give them plenty of space and don’t disturb them.
Observation Point Trail
This trail is located near the Old Faithful Visitor Center and gives you an unobstructed view of Old Faithful.
The trailhead is located behind the Old Faithful Geyser, just after the bridge that crosses the Firehole River. It’s only 0.8 miles to the overlook, with about 0.5 miles being uphill. While it is uphill, its never too steep and doesn’t take more than 30 minutes to reach the top.
If you plan it right, you can see the Old Faithful Geyser erupting from the top. You’ll also have excellent views of the Old Faithful Village and Geyser Hill. Once you’re finished enjoying the view, just retrace your steps the way you came.
Grand Prismatic Springs Overlook
This trail is located at the Midway Geyser Basin, close to the west entrance. If there is one trail you don’t want to skip, it’s definitely this one. I can promise you won’t see anything like Grand Prismatic anywhere else.
While you can see Grand Prismatic up close from the boardwalks, this doesn’t capture it entirely since it’s so large. The trail to the overlook is only 1.2 miles round trip, gaining 105 ft total. Park at the Fairy Falls parking lot then follow the large, mostly flat trail for about half a mile. Here you’ll find part of the trail veers to left up a small hill. You’ll follow this trail to the top where there is a small platform to see Grand Prismatic in its entirety.
Mammoth Terraces Trail
If you’re around the north entrance of Yellowstone, its worth stopping in Mammoth to see the Terraces. You can park at any of the four parking lots (Liberty Cap, beneath Minerva Spring, near the restrooms, or beneath Jupiter Terrance) and follow the boardwalks around the terraces. Its 1.3 miles total and gains around 300 feet.
Artist Point
Its not really much of a hike at all, just a short walk. But it offers such amazing views of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone; I feel like its worth mentioning.
Artist Point is located off South Rim Drive of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. From the parking lot, it’s just a 0.1 mile walk to see incredible views of the canyon and waterfall. If you’re looking for a longer hike, you can continue on the Point Sublime trail. Its 3 miles total and will give you different views of the canyon.
While these are a few of the easier hikes in Yellowstone, it’s important to always carry bear spray, water and be prepared for changing weather!
