THE BECHLER REGION - Yellowstone Treasures - page 121

II. THE BECHLER REGION
Proceeding counterclockwise from the West Entrance, the next roads that go into the park are
two very short ones branching off Green Timber Road (see map) that don't connect with any
other Yellowstone roads. This corner of the park is often called the Bechler Region, but its of-
ficial name is Cascade Corner. It is well supplied with water and contains a great many water-
falls. It's a great place for backpackers and horsepackers (and recently llama packers) who want
to escape the crowds, but a long trip for most day visitors.
Access to the Bechler Ranger Station and Cave Falls is on good paved and gravel roads from
southeastern Idaho or via a very poor and primitive dirt road called Grassy Lake Road (or
Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road), which runs outside the park to Flagg Ranch (see page 126 ) . We'll
only describe the better route here. If you want to take the Grassy Lake Road, inquire locally
about its current condition before starting on it. From Idaho Falls to Ashton is 53 miles (85
km); from Ashton (population 1,100) to the Bechler Ranger Station is 23 miles (37 km); from
West Yellowstone to Bechler is about 80 miles (130 km).
FROM WEST YELLOWSTONE OR ASHTON TO THE BECHLER
REGION
Not far west of West Yellowstone, Montana, on U.S. Highway 20 is Targhee Pass, used by the
Bannock tribe on their annual trek to hunt buffalo. South of the pass is a wide fertile valley,
a checkerboard of private and national forest lands. State parks near Henrys Lake and Island
Park Reservoir offer camping and hiking possibilities and fishing for trout and whitefish. Har-
riman State Park on Island Park Reservoir is an important wintering spot for trumpeter swans
and home to a variety of other wildlife. The park also has a visitor center and over 20 miles (32
km) of trails.
For years this edge of clear-cut forest outside the park's west boundary was the second most
visible man-made feature, besides the Great Wall of China, as seen from outer space. However,
the Forest Service has done considerable replanting in Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
Traveling along U.S. 20 between West Yellowstone and Ashton, Idaho, you might take one
or both of the following side excursions in the national forest.