Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ninety-minute ranger walks leave from the Liberty Cap daily at 9:30am and there are
short talks nearby at 1pm, 1:30pm and 2pm.
MAMMOTH TO TOWER-ROOSEVELT
The 18-mile road to Tower-Roosevelt Junction heads east from Mammoth over the Gard-
ner River Bridge, where the Gardner River meets the Yellowstone River. By the roadside,
just over 2 miles from Mammoth, is pretty three-tiered
Undine Falls
, aptly named for an
alluring water nymph. For your own private views of the falls from the north side of the
river, hike less than half a mile along Lava Creek trail from the nearby Lava Creek Picnic
Area.
The easy 1-mile round-trip walk to
Wraith Falls
is a good family hike through pretty
meadows and fire-burn patches. The trail begins at the pullout east of Lava Creek Picnic
Area, 5 miles from Mammoth, and follows Lupine Creek for 15 minutes to the base of a
79ft cascade.
Just past
Blacktail Ponds
(good for spotting muskrats and waterfowl) is the Blacktail
Trailhead, where trails lead down Rescue Creek or into the Black Canyon of the Yellow-
stone near Crevice Lake.
Two miles past here, the 0.5-mile
Forces of the Northern Range Self-Guiding Trail
is
an accessible boardwalk that teaches kids about the environmental forces of this part of
the park. Kids will get a kick from placing their hand on a wolf print.
The 6-mile one-way
Blacktail Plateau Dr
detours off the main highway to offer
glimpses of gorgeous summer wildflowers (June and July) and golden fall colors (Septem-
ber). The road follows part of the Bannock Trail, a hunting route taken by Bannock Indi-
ans in the mid-19th century. The trail originated in Idaho, crossed the Yellowstone Valley
at the Bannock Ford (
Click here
)
and continued through the Lamar Valley to Soda Butte
Creek before leaving what is now the park at its northeast corner and continuing to Big-
horn Valley. Along the second half of this drive, near Crescent Hill, is the spot where Tru-
man Everts was finally discovered after wandering lost in the park for 37 days (see the
boxed text,
Click here
)
. RVs and trailers are not allowed down the rough, unpaved road
but bikes are an option if you have someone to pick you up at the other end.
Instead of taking Blacktail Plateau Dr, continue east on the main Grand Loop Rd.
You'll pass
Phantom Lake
(one of three interconnected lakes that are normally dry by
July) and an unsigned
scenic overview
of Hellroaring Mountain, Garnet Hill, and the Yel-
lowstone River and Hellroaring Creek Valleys. A couple of miles further is the
Hellroar-
ing Trailhead
, a short drive down a dirt road and popular with horse packers. Half a mile
past here,
Floating Island Lake
is dense with vegetation, making it a good place to spot
birds.
