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- Dec 23, 2013
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Finishing off my third Pop-tart, I opened the door of the car to a chilling 17 degree morning at the pullout near Trout Creek in Hayden Valley. As I try to bend my cold knees to limber them up a tad, I gaze to the west amazed that this will be my seventh substantial hike into Hayden Valley over the years. After doing the Mary Mountain Trail years ago, I never really thought that I would return, but all my time in Yellowstone has told me that this valley is the heartbeat of the Park, and if I am lucky enough, I will return hopefully another seven times to feel its pulse over and over again.
This day hike was a 21 mile loop that started and ended at Trout Creek essentially. We would head west, following the old stagecoach road up Trout Creek on the south end of the valley. Once we reached the western end of the valley, we would then make our way off-trail to explore Alum Creek as we headed northeast. At the point where Alum Creek almost meets up with the Mary Mountain Trail, we hopped on the trail and headed east on the north end of the valley. Before reaching the road though, we broke off to the south and made our way to Crater Hills and the thermal area located there.
This was @TractorDoc and @wsp_scott 's first time doing a hike in Hayden Valley and I sort of promised them that they would get to see a grizzly or two, but that never panned out for us on this day. Sorry guys!
This trip turned out to be all about the bison as we ran into four separate herds, along with multiple lone bulls. It will be interesting to hear my two hiking partners impressions of the valley. It certainly is a lot to take in in a singe day. Maybe they will do it again with me sometime in the future.
I had four goals for this hike, the first being to find the old Army snowshoe cabin, second, to revisit Larry's Lunch Counter, third, to explore Glen Africa Basin, and last, to pick up the stagecoach road that runs north and south to Crater Hills. Fortunately for us, we were able to do all three.
Overview map of our 21 mile loop through Hayden Valley
On the old road before the sun has come up. Hint for the day - Frozen sagebrush is hard on the shins.
Ah, some sunshine at last. The sun angle brings out the old ruts pretty well in this shot. Heading west though the southern end of the valley
Just think what it must have been like to ride a stagecoach across the valley 140 years ago.
One of the casualties in the valley
This one is more recent
Mount Washburn to the north
This Bull ponders our intent
Gives one the extent of the valley
I always love this view of the old stagecoach roadbed cutting through the hillside
We'll be heading up through the trees ahead, just left of the upper center of this shot
Well, no grizzly sighting on this hike, but we did run into some scat along our way
Watching our every move
The lovely rolling hills of Hayden Valley with Violet Hot Springs off in the distance to the north.
A small piece of a dish or bowl perhaps at Larry's Lunch Counter. Larry's is where stagecoach riders would stop for lunch on their way from Lower Geyser Basin to Lake as they made their way across the Park
Some thick colored glass
The old Army snowshoe cabin
Heading towards Glen Africa Basin
There has been lots of death in the basin. Bones were strewn everywhere.
Thermal feature in Glen Africa
Thermal feature
Thermal feature in the basin
Next up is Alum Creek
Absolutely loved the hike down Alum
The meandering Alum Creek
Alum Creek
Bison at Alum Creek
Alum Creek
More Alum
A collared bison. For those who have hiked/backpacked with me can attest, I don't go around the herds, I make my way through them. This might have made Dave and Scott a bit nervous at first, but they caught on quickly.
Approaching another herd and the Mary Mountain Trail
Bison in Hayden - it doesn't get any better than that.
A lone bull
Alum Creek viewed from the Mary Mountain Trail
Getting ready to ford Alum Creek on our way to Crater Hills
Picking up the old stagecoach road just to the north of Crater Hills. In the distance, you can make out the ruts crossing the valley
Arriving at Crater Hills
Violently, bubbling thermal pool at Crater Hills
View from the top of Sulphur Mountain
Looking west from up high
View of the old stagecoach road, heading up the hillside, running to the southeast from Crater Hills
Leaving Crater Hills on the old roadbed
The bluffs above Trout Creek and traffic at a bison jam on the Grand Loop Road
Trout Creek and the Yellowstone River flowing through Hayden Valley near the hikes end.
Trout Creek signpost with @wsp_scott walking the road back to the pullout where we began at the crack of dawn earlier in the day.
Well, this ended a spectacular ten days in Yellowstone for me. I did have one more day hike before heading back to Salt Lake though, as I had left my Steripen at the campsite on Gneiss Creek a week ago and I wanted to go back to see if it was still there.
In my opinion, this is the quintessential day hike in the Park. If you are heading to Yellowstone to backpack, or maybe just hit the tourist spots, set aside a day for an exploration of Hayden Valley. I don't think that you will be disappointed.
Dave and Scott, please add some truth, humor and your perspective to this report when you get a chance. The BCP audience needs an accurate account of this, and since you both seem to be facts driven, I will leave it in your hands to sort the chaff from the wheat so to speak.
The End
This day hike was a 21 mile loop that started and ended at Trout Creek essentially. We would head west, following the old stagecoach road up Trout Creek on the south end of the valley. Once we reached the western end of the valley, we would then make our way off-trail to explore Alum Creek as we headed northeast. At the point where Alum Creek almost meets up with the Mary Mountain Trail, we hopped on the trail and headed east on the north end of the valley. Before reaching the road though, we broke off to the south and made our way to Crater Hills and the thermal area located there.
This was @TractorDoc and @wsp_scott 's first time doing a hike in Hayden Valley and I sort of promised them that they would get to see a grizzly or two, but that never panned out for us on this day. Sorry guys!
This trip turned out to be all about the bison as we ran into four separate herds, along with multiple lone bulls. It will be interesting to hear my two hiking partners impressions of the valley. It certainly is a lot to take in in a singe day. Maybe they will do it again with me sometime in the future. I had four goals for this hike, the first being to find the old Army snowshoe cabin, second, to revisit Larry's Lunch Counter, third, to explore Glen Africa Basin, and last, to pick up the stagecoach road that runs north and south to Crater Hills. Fortunately for us, we were able to do all three.
Overview map of our 21 mile loop through Hayden Valley
On the old road before the sun has come up. Hint for the day - Frozen sagebrush is hard on the shins.
Ah, some sunshine at last. The sun angle brings out the old ruts pretty well in this shot. Heading west though the southern end of the valley
Just think what it must have been like to ride a stagecoach across the valley 140 years ago.
One of the casualties in the valley
This one is more recent
Mount Washburn to the north
This Bull ponders our intent
Gives one the extent of the valley
I always love this view of the old stagecoach roadbed cutting through the hillside
We'll be heading up through the trees ahead, just left of the upper center of this shot
Well, no grizzly sighting on this hike, but we did run into some scat along our way
Watching our every move
The lovely rolling hills of Hayden Valley with Violet Hot Springs off in the distance to the north.
A small piece of a dish or bowl perhaps at Larry's Lunch Counter. Larry's is where stagecoach riders would stop for lunch on their way from Lower Geyser Basin to Lake as they made their way across the Park
Some thick colored glass
The old Army snowshoe cabin
Heading towards Glen Africa Basin
There has been lots of death in the basin. Bones were strewn everywhere.
Thermal feature in Glen Africa
Thermal feature
Thermal feature in the basin
Next up is Alum Creek
Absolutely loved the hike down Alum
The meandering Alum Creek
Alum Creek
Bison at Alum Creek
Alum Creek
More Alum
A collared bison.
For those who have hiked/backpacked with me can attest, I don't go around the herds, I make my way through them. This might have made Dave and Scott a bit nervous at first, but they caught on quickly. Approaching another herd and the Mary Mountain Trail
Bison in Hayden - it doesn't get any better than that.
A lone bull
Alum Creek viewed from the Mary Mountain Trail
Getting ready to ford Alum Creek on our way to Crater Hills
Picking up the old stagecoach road just to the north of Crater Hills. In the distance, you can make out the ruts crossing the valley
Arriving at Crater Hills
Violently, bubbling thermal pool at Crater Hills
View from the top of Sulphur Mountain
Looking west from up high
View of the old stagecoach road, heading up the hillside, running to the southeast from Crater Hills
Leaving Crater Hills on the old roadbed
The bluffs above Trout Creek and traffic at a bison jam on the Grand Loop Road
Trout Creek and the Yellowstone River flowing through Hayden Valley near the hikes end.
Trout Creek signpost with @wsp_scott walking the road back to the pullout where we began at the crack of dawn earlier in the day.
Well, this ended a spectacular ten days in Yellowstone for me. I did have one more day hike before heading back to Salt Lake though, as I had left my Steripen
at the campsite on Gneiss Creek a week ago and I wanted to go back to see if it was still there.In my opinion, this is the quintessential day hike in the Park. If you are heading to Yellowstone to backpack, or maybe just hit the tourist spots, set aside a day for an exploration of Hayden Valley. I don't think that you will be disappointed.
Dave and Scott, please add some truth, humor and your perspective to this report when you get a chance. The BCP audience needs an accurate account of this, and since you both seem to be facts driven, I will leave it in your hands to sort the chaff from the wheat so to speak.
The End
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