[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Yellowstone Up Close and Personal Chat Page Version 1.60 ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Ballpark Frank (66.58.238.35) on 13:58:43 07/17/12
In Reply to: Requesting Hiking Suggestions posted by Yellowbelly
Yellowbelly,
You don't have a lot of on-trail options for the front end of the hike. You are probably already aware that you can't legally start walking until 9:00 a.m., and you must be back at the trailhead by 7:00 p.m., but I'm mentioning it for the benefit of anyone else reading this, who might not know of this restriction.
Once you reach the old vehicle bridge (3.4 miles in), which is not useable, even on foot, these days, you have a decision to make. Most folks stick to the Pelican Valley trail, which stays on the east side of the valley. There is an area where the creek comes fairly close to the forest (along the east edge of the valley) at about the 5.5 or 6 mile mark. When we were in there 4 or 5 years ago, we watched otters playing in the creek just below our lunch location. The Pelican Springs cabin is reached at about the 8 mile mark, which is where we typically turn around.
One variation you could countenance would be doing a loop of the upper valley. If you head west from the cabin, you will eventually encounter Raven Creek, which must be forded. In late August, especially this year, that should be an easy crossing. Don't let the murky water spook you. The bottom is solid. You can always test it with a hiking pole or stick. Keep walking west until you reach the Astringent Creek/Broad Creek/Wapiti Lake trail. When you hit that, hang a left, and head south, back down the valley, on the west side, to where you have to ford Pelican Creek at the site of the old vehicle bridge.
There is a side trip you can do. At about the 2 or 2.5 mile mark, you come to the spur trail that goes off to the right to Turbid Lake. It's a short distance to the lake, maybe a half mile to a mile. I have not been to the lake, but others on this page have. There is a 5 mile trail that accesses Turbid Lake from the Nine Mile trailhead, that Mark Marschall talks about in his trail guide, but I have no firsthand knowledge about it.
I average at least one grizzly sighting each trip up the valley. There has only been one trek where I didn't see one, but I'm sure they saw me. The valley is the traditional homeland of the Mollie's Pack of wolves.
It is not always easy to combine flora, fauna, and scenery all together in late August, but here are some of the better options:
1.) Avalanche Peak: 2 miles and 2,000 vertical feet, with killer views
2.) Howard Eaton trail from Canyon to Fishing Bridge: about 16 or 17 miles (most books and signs have the distances too short), been closed most of the summer and early fall in recent years, due to the Canyon wolves rendezvous site
3.) Mt. Washburn Loop: It takes two vehicles, someone dropping you off, or a willingness to hitchhike. You can do Washburn by the route of your preference. Once on top, you take the Washburn Spur trail down to Glacial Boulder trailhead.
4.) Observation Peak: 10 mile roundtrip. After doing the flat 2 miles to Cascade Lake, you do 3 miles of up, with the approximately same vertical gain as doing Washburn. You just typically have the place to yourself.
5.) Specimen Ridge: You don't have to do the entire 18 mile one-way jaunt (although it is well worth the endeavor). Just go as far as you want from the trailhead, and do a 180.
6.) From the Hellroaring trailhead: Go down to the suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River gorge, then ad lib. You can go right (off-trail) and explore up Little Buffalo Creek. Once up there, you can continue toward Mom's Ridge. You can stay on the main trail to where it intersects Hellroaring Creek. If you hang a left, you can follow the creek down to its confluence with the Yellowstone River, which is one of the prettiest backcountry places in the park. Hang a right at Hellroaring Creek, and you can take the Hellroaring trail or the Coyote Creek trail as far as you are in the mood to go. Lots of critters and views up those hills!
7.) Bighorn Pass: GREAT hike in late August and September. You just have to do two fords (Indian Creek at 2.5 miles and Panther Creek at 4.5 miles). It is 8.5 miles to the Pass. It gets better and better the farther you go. I have been up there at least 5 or 6 times, maybe more, and I average more bear sightings per trip on this trek than any other in the park. Watch for bighorn sheep and mountain goats on the flanks of Bannock Peak, on your right.
The hiking is outstanding in late August. The trails are dried out. Most snow is gone; and the mosquitoes are minimal, if not gone altogether. Have a great trip!
Ballpark
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Yellowstone Up Close and Personal Chat Page Version 1.60 ] [ FAQ ]