Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A little over a mile from the road the trail levels out and emerges at the base of a huge
amphitheater-like bowl. Here, the third signed revegetation area marks a junction: a steep-
er, more exposed route heads off to the left (west) and a more gradual unmaintained route
veers off to the right around the back side of the bowl. The main trail to the left climbs
along open talus slopes to arrive at the mountain's south ridge.
Above the glacial cirques and well above the tree line, panoramic views extend north to
the Beartooths and south to the Tetons. Thousands of acres just west of the peak were
burned in the summer of 2003 after a lightning strike. The true
summit
(10,566ft) sits to
the northeast along the narrow ridge beyond a series of talus wind shelters. After a summit
picnic, either retrace your steps or follow a steep, unstable talus trail down the east arm of
the peak to the saddle shared with jagged
Hoyt Peak
(10,506ft), at the Shoshone National
Forest boundary. The latter is only for the sure-footed.
Descend through a series of sparsely forested rolling hills to rejoin the main trail at the
foot of the bowl.
Other Lake Country Hikes
South of Grant Village the 5-mile round-trip
Riddle Lake Trail
traverses the Continental
Divide and drops down to the lake and its marshy meadows, a favorite of moose. The
trailhead is off the South Entrance Rd 3 miles south of Grant Village. Bear activity closes
the trail from April 30 to July 15.
Shoshone/Dogshead Trailhead offers two ways of getting to lovely Shoshone Lake, the
biggest backcountry lake in the lower 48. Popular with anglers, the 6.5-mile
Shoshone
Lake (Lewis River Channel) Trail
follows the north shore of Lewis Lake, along the
Lewis River Channel, to Shoshone Lake. Return the same way or via the shorter (4.7
miles) forested
Dogshead Trail
.
Norris
Check out backcountry thermal features and fine views on this short but uphill hike.
Monument Geyser Basin
Duration
2 hours
Distance
2 miles
