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2026 is the year of @scatman - at least as far as backcountry planning in Yellowstone was concerned. It was Hugh's turn to pick routes/destinations this year, and for our day hike he opted to tackle the Mary Mountain Trail. All 20 miles of it. I had trained for the backcountry portion of this year's trip, so I was not too concerned about carrying pack weight thru the backcountry. My training hikes topped out around 10 miles or so though, so I was not sure how I'd handle double the distance - even with just a day pack. Hugh said it would be an easy 20 miles. . . so who could argue with that? 
Banner Photo:
We left the Old Faithful area around 5:30am, dropped off my rental at the Nez Perce trailhead, then the Sube ferried us to the Mary Mountain trailhead on the northern edge of Hayden Valley. I believe we were on the trail at 6:45am, the temperature was a balmy 40 degrees, and we had packed for all types of weather. Days before the forecast called for a high in the 40s and potential for rain/snow showers, but changes in atmospheric conditions chose to favor us as we would have sunny skies and temps in the 60s - perfect hiking weather.
Hugh has posted his version of events which can be found here: Hugh's Perspective
So here we go. Full of spunk and optimism at the Mary Mountain Trailhead on the Eastern side. Should you want to see a spunky Scatman, all you have to do is place him in Hayden Valley.
Plenty of steam and a colorful sky before sunrise. This view looks South to the Crater Hills/Sulfur Spring thermal area.
The first bison sighting. Plenty of lone bulls hanging out, none of them seemed interested in Hugh and I.
Just before the sun crept over the Eastern horizon a golden glow blanketed the valley floor, and a veil of mist rose above Alum Creek.
I asked this bison nicely to pick his head up for the picture, but I was ignored and had to settle for a shot of him grazing in front of the rising sun.
@scatman is about to enter the fog. . . will he make it back out?
Water flowing. . . Steam rising. . . Bison munching. . . this hike would present a lot of memorable moments and imagery for me. This bison in front of a steamy Alum Creek was one of my favorites, but fair warning - there are a lot more favorite moments to come.
A mini pond presented nice reflections in the calm morning air.
Last year Hugh and I (with a couple of friends from home) hiked to Violet Springs from the Cygnet Lakes trailhead. We jumped on the Mary Mountain trail after the springs and hiked it back to the eastern trailhead. There was an interesting mini waterfall created by the outflow from the springs, and somewhere between three and four miles in we passed by the same waterfall again this year. A video short of the falls:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6hyOjOULbgM
Hugh found a sweet bison skull near the small cascade.
Most of the morning was spent hiking thru the open valley. We never managed to see the Grizzly that Hugh was hoping for, but we kept an eye on the distant hillsides and valleys. Hugh's spunk factor is on full display here as he moves ahead of me with a giddy twinkle in his eye.
The trail led us to this view of the valley, which is actually off the trail, but we managed to relocate the trail over a hill opposite this view. Bonus points for you if you noticed the bison in the picture.
Hugh looking back on Hayden not long before we merge onto the Buffalo Highway. I can almost make out the watchtower on top of Mount Washburn.
Just before entering the Buffalo Highway, we crossed paths with the only two people we would see on the trail the entire day. They were carrying full backcountry packs and neither they nor their packs had any sort of official park identification or markings. They claimed they were working on a few things at the Mary Lake Patrol Cabin (which they could have been) but Hugh and I were suspicious. We chatted briefly before they continued on towards the eastern trailhead - which when Hugh and I left had only the Subaru in the parking area (maybe they were picked up if it was official park business?). Whether they were legit or not they were at least kind enough to take our picture.
We stopped for our first snack break at seven miles/the entrance to the Buffalo Highway. We made it a quick stop as we planned to have lunch at the Mary Lake Patrol Cabin a short time later. Hugh's Scatty Senses must have been tingling as there were fresh bear tracks on the trail once we continued on towards the cabin.
The open valley quickly transformed to a wooded corridor the further we moved West.
Whenever I see a mushroom with a nibble out of it alongside the trail I often wonder who the nibbler might be. Squirrels must make a habit of it - this squirrel appears to have an entire (small) mushroom in its mouth as it watches us move up the trail.
Another bison casually resting in the sun not far from the trail. The bulls for the most part had been indifferent to us passing thru, but it seemed like the bison we would encounter later in the day had a bit more attitude.
In our discussions leading up to the up to this hike I could detect a sense of fondness and admiration in Hugh's words as he described Mary Lake and its surroundings. I could tell this area was special to him and it was obvious he was looking forward to returning to it.
Now I've seen backcountry lakes before and each one does tend to have its own pleasing qualities, but how unique could Mary Lake be? It was a lake surrounded by trees that most people never visit. If anything I knew it would be remote. . .
We hiked thru patches of forest and the occasional open meadow. There was a smattering of thermal activity as we skirted Highland Hot Springs. We found what we thought were ruts from the old stagecoach road across the valley. Then, between a scattered stand of trees, I caught my first glimpses of Mary Lake. . . and began to understand that there was something special about this place.
First, the color of the water caught my eye. It was not a faded blue, a dull blue-green, or an underwhelming gray, but more of a brilliant turquoise. Perhaps it was the angle of the sun, but it was an enchanting first impression. Then, as I moved closer, I noticed movement on the opposite shore of the lake. The movement turned out to be two bull elk bumping antlers while knee deep in the water. Their actions appeared to be more for fun/practice than they were aggressive/territorial. Now I understand that every time one approaches Mary Lake there is no guarantee to see two elk splashing around, but in terms of first impressions it would be difficult to top what we were seeing today. A bear rolling around in the water too perhaps? Now that is just getting greedy. . .
Here are a few images of the elk as they allowed Hugh and I to watch them for a good fifteen minutes before retreating beyond the lake's outlet.
@scatman and the ill-fated Plateau Trail. Or maybe that is him posing at the abandoned trail connecting Mary Mountain to Cygnet Lakes. We stopped to check that one out too. Spunk factor is high in this image; one can almost see the cracks of a smile trying to form at the commissures of Hugh's lips.
After being entertained by elk and searching out long lost trails Hugh and I found our way to the Mary Lake Patrol Cabin. As far as patrol cabins go the cabin at Mary Lake has to be at the top of the list in terms of location, view, amenities, etc. There is a large picnic table in front of the cabin and an inviting fire pit/ring nearby. A sturdily built outhouse is a short distance away; not quite as sturdy as a brick sh*thouse but likely close as it utilized the same log frame construction as the cabin. It was even a double seater - two seats side by side with matching symmetrical TP holders (which were empty by the way; if the two dudes with full packs were working at the cabin you'd think they would have stocked at least one of them!). Now, I'm not sure what conditions, relationships, or situations might call for a side-by-side bathroom break, but if that fits into your backcountry trip planning Mary Lake is the place to be.
The cabin sits on a small hill overlooking the lake; Hugh and I settled into the picnic table for lunch while enjoying this view.
View of the Mary Lake Patrol Cabin from the picnic table.
Did you notice the elk skull/antlers resting in front of the cabin? One of the locals certainly did. A squirrel had little interest in our presence as it scurried up the railing and began chewing on one of the antlers. Mary Mountain Magic comes in all forms, shapes, and sizes.
Not long after the squirrel scurried off Hugh did some wandering/picture taking of his own while I laid back on the picnic table bench and listened to the wind blow thru the treetops above me. After a minute or two I began to hear a new sound - a kind of sound friction might generate. Tree trunks rubbing against one another perhaps? It grew slightly louder and then I heard Hugh call my name from the left. I turned my head and could see Hugh, but could also see the giant bull bison that was walking the trail maybe 20 feet(?) from where I was dozing off. The friction noise was the sound of the bison breathing - air moving in and out of his nasal passages in a rumbling way. I suppose in hindsight I'm lucky it was a bison walking by and not a grizzly bear as we had quite a few food items sitting on top of the picnic table. More Mary Mountain Magic.
We enjoyed the rest stop, Mary Lake, and the patrol cabin, but we were only halfway done with the days hike so we knew we had to get back on the trail. A group shot at the cabin before we left.
The next three miles after the cabin were rather woodsy and mostly downhill as we dropped off the central plateau. It was a stretch that would have been a challenge for the stage coach drivers back in the day.
Once off the plateau we began to poke in and out of some meadows, crossed several small creeks, and passed several bison that kept an eye on our movements.
We found our way to Nez Perce Creek which wound its way thru golden grasses that flittered to and fro in a warm autumn breeze.
We had to cross the creek. The old bridge has seen better days but it was still plenty sturdy enough for Hugh and I to keep our feet dry. I know the park probably prefers things to go to a more natural state, but it sure would be nice if a bridge like this one (or the one in Pelican Valley) could get some help/attention one day.
Hugh promised thermally stuff not far from the Nez Perce trailhead, and sure enough we wandered by areas with hot springs, vents, and colorful thermal runoff.
This hot spring was one of the more impressive features. It might be close to the same size as Morning Glory Pool and might be closer to what Morning Glory looked like before it turned green and yellow.
Nez Perce Creek is still close by as we near the trailhead.
The trail took us thru a small corridor of trees less than a mile from the trailhead. The trees limited visibility ahead, but one could certainly hear the grunts and grumbles of many a bison on the trail in front of us. As we approached the herd I distinctly remembering Hugh saying "This is unfortunate."
We crept up on the group slowly. Eventually the herd must have noticed us as they all gathered up and stampeded away in a spectacular cloud of dust. (Hugh and I tend to have that effect on most groups of people too). We still had to circumnavigate what was an impressive number of bison in order to reach the trailhead, luckily there was just enough space between them and Nez Perce Creek to do so.
Bison as we approached:
Bison after we shimmied around them.
The trailhead was not terribly far from the bison herd, and Hugh and I reached it at 6:40pm - just about 12 hours trailhead to trailhead. According to the tracking app I was using we covered 20.75 miles over 10 hours of moving time, but who knows how accurate those things are.
Group shot at the trailhead on the Western Side. I'd say the optimism had been converted to satisfaction, but spunkiness was still ever present.
We zipped back down to the Old Faithful area as the sun was trying to set (we'd pick up the Sube tomorrow on our way to further backcountry adventures) and made it in time to partake in the cafeteria at the Old Faithful Lodge. I ordered up a plate of grub at the BBQ station, only to find out after everything was plopped on the plate that they were out of BBQ sauce. One of the disadvantages to end of season travel can come in the form of shortages. . . staff shortages, limited dining options, and apparently even a lack of sauces. Normally I have a better-than-expected experience at the OF Lodge Cafeteria than most reviews would suggest is possible, but this year was not high on my list of memorable events. The Mary Mountain Magic only travels so far it would seem.
The Mary Mountain Trail is a good hike. I'm glad we took on the challenge and would be open to walking it again should the opportunity ever present itself. The thing about Hayden Valley, maybe Mary Lake, and even Yellowstone in general is that while some things are a constant many other things are always different. A change in weather, wildlife sightings, seasons, maybe even thermal activity can transform the same hike into something completely new, and that is always something to look forward to.
Thanks again to @scatman for letting me tag along. . . hopefully we can get into something just as exciting our next time out.
Of course, for those that like a little more action than just words in a trip report alone. . . here is the video version of our hike across the Mary Mountain:
Banner Photo:
We left the Old Faithful area around 5:30am, dropped off my rental at the Nez Perce trailhead, then the Sube ferried us to the Mary Mountain trailhead on the northern edge of Hayden Valley. I believe we were on the trail at 6:45am, the temperature was a balmy 40 degrees, and we had packed for all types of weather. Days before the forecast called for a high in the 40s and potential for rain/snow showers, but changes in atmospheric conditions chose to favor us as we would have sunny skies and temps in the 60s - perfect hiking weather.
Hugh has posted his version of events which can be found here: Hugh's Perspective
So here we go. Full of spunk and optimism at the Mary Mountain Trailhead on the Eastern side. Should you want to see a spunky Scatman, all you have to do is place him in Hayden Valley.
Plenty of steam and a colorful sky before sunrise. This view looks South to the Crater Hills/Sulfur Spring thermal area.
The first bison sighting. Plenty of lone bulls hanging out, none of them seemed interested in Hugh and I.
Just before the sun crept over the Eastern horizon a golden glow blanketed the valley floor, and a veil of mist rose above Alum Creek.
I asked this bison nicely to pick his head up for the picture, but I was ignored and had to settle for a shot of him grazing in front of the rising sun.
@scatman is about to enter the fog. . . will he make it back out?
Water flowing. . . Steam rising. . . Bison munching. . . this hike would present a lot of memorable moments and imagery for me. This bison in front of a steamy Alum Creek was one of my favorites, but fair warning - there are a lot more favorite moments to come.
A mini pond presented nice reflections in the calm morning air.
Last year Hugh and I (with a couple of friends from home) hiked to Violet Springs from the Cygnet Lakes trailhead. We jumped on the Mary Mountain trail after the springs and hiked it back to the eastern trailhead. There was an interesting mini waterfall created by the outflow from the springs, and somewhere between three and four miles in we passed by the same waterfall again this year. A video short of the falls:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6hyOjOULbgM
Hugh found a sweet bison skull near the small cascade.
Most of the morning was spent hiking thru the open valley. We never managed to see the Grizzly that Hugh was hoping for, but we kept an eye on the distant hillsides and valleys. Hugh's spunk factor is on full display here as he moves ahead of me with a giddy twinkle in his eye.
The trail led us to this view of the valley, which is actually off the trail, but we managed to relocate the trail over a hill opposite this view. Bonus points for you if you noticed the bison in the picture.
Hugh looking back on Hayden not long before we merge onto the Buffalo Highway. I can almost make out the watchtower on top of Mount Washburn.
Just before entering the Buffalo Highway, we crossed paths with the only two people we would see on the trail the entire day. They were carrying full backcountry packs and neither they nor their packs had any sort of official park identification or markings. They claimed they were working on a few things at the Mary Lake Patrol Cabin (which they could have been) but Hugh and I were suspicious. We chatted briefly before they continued on towards the eastern trailhead - which when Hugh and I left had only the Subaru in the parking area (maybe they were picked up if it was official park business?). Whether they were legit or not they were at least kind enough to take our picture.
We stopped for our first snack break at seven miles/the entrance to the Buffalo Highway. We made it a quick stop as we planned to have lunch at the Mary Lake Patrol Cabin a short time later. Hugh's Scatty Senses must have been tingling as there were fresh bear tracks on the trail once we continued on towards the cabin.
The open valley quickly transformed to a wooded corridor the further we moved West.
Whenever I see a mushroom with a nibble out of it alongside the trail I often wonder who the nibbler might be. Squirrels must make a habit of it - this squirrel appears to have an entire (small) mushroom in its mouth as it watches us move up the trail.
Another bison casually resting in the sun not far from the trail. The bulls for the most part had been indifferent to us passing thru, but it seemed like the bison we would encounter later in the day had a bit more attitude.
In our discussions leading up to the up to this hike I could detect a sense of fondness and admiration in Hugh's words as he described Mary Lake and its surroundings. I could tell this area was special to him and it was obvious he was looking forward to returning to it.
Now I've seen backcountry lakes before and each one does tend to have its own pleasing qualities, but how unique could Mary Lake be? It was a lake surrounded by trees that most people never visit. If anything I knew it would be remote. . .
We hiked thru patches of forest and the occasional open meadow. There was a smattering of thermal activity as we skirted Highland Hot Springs. We found what we thought were ruts from the old stagecoach road across the valley. Then, between a scattered stand of trees, I caught my first glimpses of Mary Lake. . . and began to understand that there was something special about this place.
First, the color of the water caught my eye. It was not a faded blue, a dull blue-green, or an underwhelming gray, but more of a brilliant turquoise. Perhaps it was the angle of the sun, but it was an enchanting first impression. Then, as I moved closer, I noticed movement on the opposite shore of the lake. The movement turned out to be two bull elk bumping antlers while knee deep in the water. Their actions appeared to be more for fun/practice than they were aggressive/territorial. Now I understand that every time one approaches Mary Lake there is no guarantee to see two elk splashing around, but in terms of first impressions it would be difficult to top what we were seeing today. A bear rolling around in the water too perhaps? Now that is just getting greedy. . .
Here are a few images of the elk as they allowed Hugh and I to watch them for a good fifteen minutes before retreating beyond the lake's outlet.
After the elk's departure Hugh wandered into the trees to see if he could find the old Plateau Trail, and sure enough with very little effort he did. The Plateau Trail was designed to connect to Beach Lake and eventually West Thumb, but Hugh says the project was abandoned in the (19)20s. Wouldn't it be fun to try and follow it today? @scatman and the ill-fated Plateau Trail. Or maybe that is him posing at the abandoned trail connecting Mary Mountain to Cygnet Lakes. We stopped to check that one out too. Spunk factor is high in this image; one can almost see the cracks of a smile trying to form at the commissures of Hugh's lips.
After being entertained by elk and searching out long lost trails Hugh and I found our way to the Mary Lake Patrol Cabin. As far as patrol cabins go the cabin at Mary Lake has to be at the top of the list in terms of location, view, amenities, etc. There is a large picnic table in front of the cabin and an inviting fire pit/ring nearby. A sturdily built outhouse is a short distance away; not quite as sturdy as a brick sh*thouse but likely close as it utilized the same log frame construction as the cabin. It was even a double seater - two seats side by side with matching symmetrical TP holders (which were empty by the way; if the two dudes with full packs were working at the cabin you'd think they would have stocked at least one of them!). Now, I'm not sure what conditions, relationships, or situations might call for a side-by-side bathroom break, but if that fits into your backcountry trip planning Mary Lake is the place to be.
The cabin sits on a small hill overlooking the lake; Hugh and I settled into the picnic table for lunch while enjoying this view.
View of the Mary Lake Patrol Cabin from the picnic table.
Did you notice the elk skull/antlers resting in front of the cabin? One of the locals certainly did. A squirrel had little interest in our presence as it scurried up the railing and began chewing on one of the antlers. Mary Mountain Magic comes in all forms, shapes, and sizes.
Not long after the squirrel scurried off Hugh did some wandering/picture taking of his own while I laid back on the picnic table bench and listened to the wind blow thru the treetops above me. After a minute or two I began to hear a new sound - a kind of sound friction might generate. Tree trunks rubbing against one another perhaps? It grew slightly louder and then I heard Hugh call my name from the left. I turned my head and could see Hugh, but could also see the giant bull bison that was walking the trail maybe 20 feet(?) from where I was dozing off. The friction noise was the sound of the bison breathing - air moving in and out of his nasal passages in a rumbling way. I suppose in hindsight I'm lucky it was a bison walking by and not a grizzly bear as we had quite a few food items sitting on top of the picnic table. More Mary Mountain Magic.
We enjoyed the rest stop, Mary Lake, and the patrol cabin, but we were only halfway done with the days hike so we knew we had to get back on the trail. A group shot at the cabin before we left.
The next three miles after the cabin were rather woodsy and mostly downhill as we dropped off the central plateau. It was a stretch that would have been a challenge for the stage coach drivers back in the day.
Once off the plateau we began to poke in and out of some meadows, crossed several small creeks, and passed several bison that kept an eye on our movements.
We found our way to Nez Perce Creek which wound its way thru golden grasses that flittered to and fro in a warm autumn breeze.
We had to cross the creek. The old bridge has seen better days but it was still plenty sturdy enough for Hugh and I to keep our feet dry. I know the park probably prefers things to go to a more natural state, but it sure would be nice if a bridge like this one (or the one in Pelican Valley) could get some help/attention one day.
Hugh promised thermally stuff not far from the Nez Perce trailhead, and sure enough we wandered by areas with hot springs, vents, and colorful thermal runoff.
This hot spring was one of the more impressive features. It might be close to the same size as Morning Glory Pool and might be closer to what Morning Glory looked like before it turned green and yellow.
Nez Perce Creek is still close by as we near the trailhead.
The trail took us thru a small corridor of trees less than a mile from the trailhead. The trees limited visibility ahead, but one could certainly hear the grunts and grumbles of many a bison on the trail in front of us. As we approached the herd I distinctly remembering Hugh saying "This is unfortunate."
We crept up on the group slowly. Eventually the herd must have noticed us as they all gathered up and stampeded away in a spectacular cloud of dust. (Hugh and I tend to have that effect on most groups of people too). We still had to circumnavigate what was an impressive number of bison in order to reach the trailhead, luckily there was just enough space between them and Nez Perce Creek to do so.
Bison as we approached:
Bison after we shimmied around them.
The trailhead was not terribly far from the bison herd, and Hugh and I reached it at 6:40pm - just about 12 hours trailhead to trailhead. According to the tracking app I was using we covered 20.75 miles over 10 hours of moving time, but who knows how accurate those things are.
Group shot at the trailhead on the Western Side. I'd say the optimism had been converted to satisfaction, but spunkiness was still ever present.
We zipped back down to the Old Faithful area as the sun was trying to set (we'd pick up the Sube tomorrow on our way to further backcountry adventures) and made it in time to partake in the cafeteria at the Old Faithful Lodge. I ordered up a plate of grub at the BBQ station, only to find out after everything was plopped on the plate that they were out of BBQ sauce. One of the disadvantages to end of season travel can come in the form of shortages. . . staff shortages, limited dining options, and apparently even a lack of sauces. Normally I have a better-than-expected experience at the OF Lodge Cafeteria than most reviews would suggest is possible, but this year was not high on my list of memorable events. The Mary Mountain Magic only travels so far it would seem.
The Mary Mountain Trail is a good hike. I'm glad we took on the challenge and would be open to walking it again should the opportunity ever present itself. The thing about Hayden Valley, maybe Mary Lake, and even Yellowstone in general is that while some things are a constant many other things are always different. A change in weather, wildlife sightings, seasons, maybe even thermal activity can transform the same hike into something completely new, and that is always something to look forward to.
Thanks again to @scatman for letting me tag along. . . hopefully we can get into something just as exciting our next time out.
Of course, for those that like a little more action than just words in a trip report alone. . . here is the video version of our hike across the Mary Mountain: