Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GEYSER COUNTRY
The Madison and Gibbon Rivers offer some of the park's best and most scenic fly-fishing.
The Firehole (between Biscuit and Midway Geyser Basins), Madison and Gibbon (down-
stream from Gibbon Falls) Rivers are open for fly-fishing only and lots of pullouts offer
access. During hot summers the Firehole is often closed completely to fishing because of
the high water temperatures.
The pullout beneath Mt Haynes on the Madison River between Madison Junction and
West Yellowstone offers a good, wheelchair-accessible, riverside fishing spot.
ROOSEVELT COUNTRY
Slough Creek is the sweetest fishing spot in the northeast (closely followed by Pebble
Creek and Soda Butte Creek), which is one reason why the park's Slough Creek Camp-
ground is regularly the first to fill up. Ensure that you make your backcountry reservations
early if you want to overnight in any of the Slough Creek backcountry campsites. Other
good places include the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Lamar River.
Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing
All backcountry trails are marked with orange markers, so you can theoretically ski or
snowshoe most of the backcountry trails described in this chapter.
Once in the park, use skier shuttles to get to and from trailheads, where you can take a
trail or just ski back. Shuttles operate from Mammoth to Bunsen Peak Rd and Indian
Creek ($15 round-trip, five per day) and from Old Faithful Snow Lodge to Fairy Falls or
Divide Trailheads ($15 one way; you must ski back).
Combined snowcoach and ski tours run from Mammoth and Old Faithful to Canyon
($140) once or twice a week. You can ice skate in Mammoth and Old Faithful (free skate
rental).
Cross-country ski ($18.50 per day, includes equipment) and snowshoe ($15) rentals are
available, as are snowmobile tours ($275 per day) and ski instruction ($23 for two hours,
$35 with equipment).
MAMMOTH & ROOSEVELT COUNTRY
The north of the park remains logistically easier to visit in winter because the road
between Mammoth and Cooke City remains open year-round.
Around the Mammoth region it's possible to ski from
Indian Creek Campground
to
Sheepeater Cliffs and then along a backcountry trail to Bunsen Peak Trail and left to the
Mammoth-Norris road (5 miles) or right down the Bunsen Peak Rd to Mammoth. There
