Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Yellowstone is indeed a hiker's paradise, with ubiquitous brown signs pointing to trail-
heads. Look for them anytime your legs need a stretch. In the northern loop, there are some
fantastic trails in an otherwise nondescript stretch between Norris and Canyon. Drive east
of Norris Junction 3.5 miles (or 8.5 miles west of Canyon Junction) to the
Ice Lake
Trail-
head on the north side of the road. It is a fairly popular 4.5-mile loop with minimal eleva-
tion gain. In fact, the entire trail to Ice Lake is wheelchair accessible and leads to the only
wheelchair-accessible backcountry campsite in the park. Avid hikers will want to continue
on to
Little Gibbon Falls,
a 25-foot waterfall that is not even on the USGS topographic
map. Another way to see this hidden gem is to find the Little Gibbon Falls Trailhead 0.4
mile east of the Ice Lake Trailhead. There is a small pullout on the south side of the road.
The trail starts about 100 feet east of the pullout on the north side of the road. From here,
Little Gibbon Falls is a 1.2-mile out-and-back hike.
There are three accommodations in the northern loop. The largest is the
Mammoth Hot
Springs Hotel and Cabins
(mid-May-mid-Oct. and mid-Dec.-early Mar., $87 budget cab-
in, $130 cabin, $123 mid-range room, $229 hot tub cabin, $495 suite), which has 211
spartan but perfectly decent guest rooms and another 116 cabins, some with hot tubs. Set
amid historic Fort Yellowstone, Mammoth provides convenient access to restaurants, gift
shops, a gas station, and the visitors center, but visitors may not have the sense that they
are out in the wild. Despite human and car traffic in Mammoth, wolves have been known
to sneak onto the green watered lawns at night to take down an unsuspecting well-grazed
elk. You can imagine the surprise when early risers spotted the carcass on their way to get a
breakfast burrito.
Named for Yellowstone champion Theodore Roosevelt, the
M
Roosevelt Lodge Cabins
(mid-June-early Sept.) offer a timeless rustic setting reminiscent of a great old dude ranch
in a quiet corner of the park. The Roughrider Cabins (from $69) usually offer double beds
and a wood-burning stove. What they lack in amenities they make up for with charming au-
thenticity. Toilets and communal showers are available nearby. The Frontier Cabins (from
$115) are slightly larger and include a private bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink.
Set adjacent to the spectacular Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone,
Canyon Lodge &
Cabins
(early June-late Sept.) were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and the two lodges offer
more than 80 guest rooms ($185). All guest rooms and cabins have private baths. The mod-
est Western Cabins ($188) are basic motel-style units with private full bathrooms, and the
