Hi All,

Our GTT and YNP trip is coming up and wanted to get some hiking suggestions from you kind folks.

We're doing an overnight kayaking in GTT and doing the jenny Lake/hidden falls/inspiration point hike. Any other not so long hikes you recommend and why? something along the easy to intermediate levels.

Same for Yellowstone. We'll be doing the typical geysers/falls thing and we're doing a 1/2 day kayak in lake yellowstone to see geysers. any recommendation in the canyon and roosevelt areas?

many thanks!

For Grand Teton: the Jenny Lake/Hidden Falls/Inspiration Point hike is a bit challenging, but very much worth it. And feel free to hike on partway into the canyon, which is relatively level after Inspiration Point and very pleasant with nice views of upward cliffs. There are also some pleasant and fairly easy hikes at the Colter Bay section of Jackson Lake -- try the Lakeshore Trail, which has nice viewspots of the mountains across the lake; and the Swan Lake/Heron Pond loop section of the larger Hermitage Point Trail, which goes past these two lovely bodies of water.

For Yellowstone: any of the boardwalks around thermal features will be fascinating and quite easy. Of these, have been to: Fountain Paint Pots (in Lower Geyser Basin), Grand Prismatic Pool area (in Midway Geyser Basin), the Upper Geyser Trail that meanders between Old Faithful and the Biscuit Basin area, Mud Volcano area (a little south of the canyon), and all were great. The Norris Basin is also supposed to be excellent, but haven't seen this. A very good Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone hike is found on the south rim, starting at Artist's Point and going in a flattened circle route that allows viewpoints of the upper and lower falls, the canyon, some mud pots, Clear Lake, and some meadows -- parts are a little steep, but it's again well worth it.

Pack a picnic lunch and see Daisy Geyser, Riverside, and Castle. These take time to see as you have to wait on them. There are about 6 geysers they are able to predict. Old Faithful is every 90 minutes +/- 10 minutes. Old Faithful turned out to be our least favorite. Our favorite was Castle, but it only goes off every 13 hours or so and is +/- 2 hrs. It is worth the wait. You will be closer and there will only be a handful of people there to watch it. Do the inspiration point hike but be prepared for tons of people. Don't lay a thing down or the squirrels will be on it within seconds. We actually had two squirrels at different places jump on our laps as soon as we sat down. They are just to use to handouts. We didn't offer them any food and they still were eager to see what we had. You will love the area, we had a very good time and saw lots of wildlife including more bears than we counted. Part of Canyon area is closed so plan on hiking the rim to be able to see everything. It is a nice short hike.

In Grand Teton might want to consider Cascade Canyon. The first mile is steep but the views are spectacular.It is almost 5m one way to to top of the canyon but you don't have to go all the way. Can take the boat ride across the lake to cut off that distance instead of walking the 2 addtional miles.
Across from Jackson Lake Lodge is the 1.2m trail to Christian Pond. Usually a good spot to see a pair of swans. The lodge area is also excellent for moose both early and late as is the road from the intersection below the lodge towards the Oxbow Bend and the Oxbow itself always is a great area. Take the road to the right headed about 1.5m from the Oxbow. It leads back to a boat launch. Have seen beaver, bald eagles and moose back there. At Colter Bay could take the 3m loop around Swan Lake and Heron Pond. Is fairly flat and can sometimes see swans on Swan Lake.
In Yellowstone at Canyon area look on top of the hoodoos for the osprey nests. The young might have already fledged but the huge nests will still be there. The Uncle Tom's Trail has a lot of stairs but gives a great view of the lower falls. If you are in Old Faithful area at sunrise is spectacular seeing the sun light up the steam clouds to a golden color. Be on the boardwalk behind Old Faithful and Firehole River. In Old Faithful area are Fairy Falls a 4.5m round trip to a 200' falls. You walk through area which was burned in the '88 fires so you can see how nature is recovering. Mystic Falls 3m round trip goes to a 100' falls.
A lot of folks like to walk about .5m along the Boiling River (between the entrance station in Gardiner and Mammoth on the left. Park at sign that reads 49th Parallel) to an area where the hot water run off mixes with the cool river water. Rocks have been piled up so you can soak. While driving along the road from here toward Gardiner watch the bluffs as is favorite area for bighorn sheep.

Photodog wrote, "Park at sign that reads 49th Parallel) to an area where the hot water run off mixes with the cool river water."

The sign has been moved up the road

It is closer to where the actual 49th parallel is by .6 mile but it's still .2 mile from the actual parallel which is off the road.

Something about this tickles me...

-doo

Im gonna throw in...

Hike to Phelps Lake.. Its not really in GTNP, but just at the south enterance, outside of Jackson Hole.

You can do a nice easy short hike to see the lake from the top, or spend more time and hike all the way down... (what goes down must come up!)

But I think most of the prior postings cover the best spots...

Hi All! Haven't had a chance to log in and read so I'll do so tonight. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.

maria_so,
Be sure to check out the Norris Geyser Basin. Some incredible thermal features there - really great photo opps.

Normally my husband and I do lots of hiking on vacation but at Yellowstone we did lots of short walks through the thermal areas and lots of wildlife viewing and took tons of photos. We were planning on doing the hike up Mount Washburn but ended up watching Rosie and her 2 cubs (2006) climb trees after pine nuts for hours instead. Wish we were going back!

maria_so,

I just came back from Yellowstone and the Paradise Valley yesterday. The Swan Lake loop at Coulter Bay is also one of my favorites. You are nearly guaranteed to see the swans nesting and moose too, use caution.

As of Sunday, the Boiling River was still closed due to high runoff. The Yellowstone River has been flooding for the last 4 weeks! It's finally going down in the last couple of days and returning to blue, rather than muddy grey.

Hope you're going soon. The wildflowers are a peak right now and they are absolutely spectacular!

Have fun!

These are absolutely fantastic everyone!

Bachslunch, I've done the inspiration point, hidden falls hike but DH has not so I wanted to do that with him. That climb to inspiration point was indeed steep but everything to hidden falls wasn't so bad. We took the boat across to save time. Do you know if I have to reserve that? How much is that boat ride now and would it be easy to catch?

spirobulldog, is the castle geyser close to old faithfull inn? I kind of remember that I could see that from the inn deck area? or am I thinking of something else?

photodog, been to oxbow bend. love that area. i remember we stayed for hours watching a bever gather twigs to build it's dam. thanks for the tip about the osprey nests and the hike suggestions at the falls. i wanted to do the falls the last time i was there but didn't have time. now we stay overnight in the area so I'm hoping we'll have time to do that.

thanks doohickey. good note for the change in the signs. i don't want to miss boiling river!!!

Sharondi, definitely we will visit the geysers. We have 2 nights in Jackson Hole, 1 night overnight kayaking at GTTNP (grass island?), 2 nights at colter bay, 2 nights at OF Inn, 1 night at the canyon, 1 night at roosevelt tower, and 1night at mammoth before heading out to the beartooth hwy to red lodge then off to south dakota. We'll have some time to visit each area (we're doing a day in the lake area kayaking).

Dayle, I hope the river goes back to normal soon. One of the items on the must do list is take a soak at the boiling river area!!! We leave on Aug 22 so it has time to go back to normal. Should be in the area end of August (28th I think). Do you think it should be ok by then?

Maria_so--

For the boat across Jenny Lake: you can't make reservations for that, it's a "wait in line" kind of thing both ways. The cost is ca. $9.50 round trip -- they hand-stamp you as your "receipt" as proof of payment going back. You can also hike around the lake to avoid the cost and possible wait for the boat trip -- it's about 2 miles in one direction, 5 miles in the other.

Also, Castle Geyser is an easy walk from the Old Faithful Inn and may be visible from there when it erupts. Didn't get to see it when I was there, so I can't say for sure.

Thanks much. I guess we'll catch the boat if the line isn't too long otherwise hike up the 2 miles. You do mean I can choose eitehr 2 miles each way or 5 miles each way, right, depending on which side of the lake I take? I kind of remember going from the left of the boat was closer than the right of the boat (lake perimeter direction, that is).

Maria_so--

Sorry about not being clear. There's a trail that loops fully around Jenny Lake and connects up with both boat crossing stops. That circle trail is 7 miles total. If you're at the boat crossing stop nearest the parking lot and hike around the lake to the left, it's 2 miles to the other boat stop one way. If you hike around off to the right, it's five miles one way.

maria,

If you are going that late in the season, then yes, the Yellowstone and other rivers should be back to normal levels well before your trip.

Have fun!