Description
The Avalanche Peak Trail in Yellowstone National Park is a steep hike up to Avalanche Peak and one of the easiest chances to do some elevation gain in Yellowstone. The first part of the trail is through beautiful forest and alpine meadows. The second part is a steep and rocky ascent to the top. At the top you can follow the ridgeline and have stunning 360° views of Yellowstone Lake and the surrounding mountains. The top and ridgeline are broad and flat (no steep cliffs etc.).
For those of you suffering from vertigo: The ascent and descent are on a steep trail, but no part of the trail is completely exposed. The ridge is broad and rather easy to navigate.
What to bring
- Bike and Hike essentials
- Bear spray - especially for groups consisting of less than 4. We saw a grizzly mother and “cub” (18 months old, same size) digging through some roots on our way there and were really happy to have some.
- Wind jacket as it gets very windy at the top
Tips
- The hike is perfect if you want to escape the crowds in Yellowstone National Park for a day — as usual in Yellowstone, after about 10min of walking into any direction off the main trail, you will be alone — we met a handful of people along the trail
- At the ridge there are manmade stone walls that provide shelter from the wind. Here you can have a break and enjoy the views.
- There is a parking lot (small but large enough) at the start of the trail.
