Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From the South Entrance to West Thumb Junction
Along this entrance road, you'll find two fine waterfalls and views into Lewis River Canyon.
Just east of West Thumb Junction is West Thumb Geyser Basin.
Engineer Hiram Chittenden reported the South Entrance Road in 1900 as being “in a
wretched condition and a disgrace to the Government.” Improved very gradually, it was not
heavily used until after the establishment of Grand Teton National Park. It's now the second
most popular entrance.
It's about 21 miles (35 km) from the South Entrance to West Thumb Junction and the
Grand Loop Road.
Road Log
0.0/21.5
Yellowstone Park boundary.
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South Entrance station. Stop here to pay the entrance fee (see the Travel Tips for
fee information). For backcountry, boating, or fishing permits, visit the ranger station.
he
Snake River Ranger Station,
built in the 1990s, is at the right (east) just beyond
the entrance station.
To take the South Boundary Trail to the east, you must ford the river either near the
ranger station or south of the park boundary. Prospector Walter DeLacy wrote in 1863 of hot
springs with high cones near the junction of the Snake and Lewis Rivers, but access is diffi-
cult, so most of us will not see them. There used to be a hand-propelled cable ferry that park
personnel used in crossing the Snake River, until it was washed away in 1995.
he
South Boundary Trailhead
to the west is much more accessible. You can find it
by walking through the government housing area and going in a straight line from the north
edge of the horse corral, where you see a trail sign to Grassy Lake and “Bechler Ranger Station
24 mi.” In less than 1 mile (1.5 km), you glimpse Tanager Lake, but the trail bypasses it. The
lake was named after the official park bird, the western tanager. The most interesting feature
of this trail is the perfectly straight vista created by the downing of lodgepole pines, which are
still lying about. The pines were cut down in 1911 to mark the south boundary and have de-
composed very little. Even today, hunters need to know exactly where the boundary is. Moose
