Backpacking Yellowstone’s Rivers and Thermals

On By JulianneIn backpacking, Yellowstone

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert

August sun heated our skin each day as we hiked, carrying packs weighed down with 6 days of food. Nights chilled down, signifying an early notice of autumn’s impending arrival to Yellowstone, making me glad that I’d brought the 20 degree bag and a fleece hat.

Patty and I co-lead a group of six backpackers from the Lewis River Channel to the Mallard Creek Trailhead recently. The relaxed pace of our itinerary allowed us extra time to explore the Shoshone Geyser Basin, to wait for an eruption of Lone Star Geyser, and even to stop at Old Faithful for an early breakfast, for those inclined, as we hiked through the Upper Geyser Basin on our way to Mallard Lake.

Highlights:

Watching a black bear swim across Shoshone Lake, climb out onto the shore and shake like a dog before it lumbered off into the willows.

The luxury of spending relaxed time walking and appreciating the thermal features at Shoshone Geyser Basin.

Time spent sitting in the shade waiting for Lone Star to erupt, watching beautiful sprays over 20 feet high, listening to the roar of the water.

Evenings at our camps, talking and laughing.

Early morning hiking: cool and quiet on the trail.

Running into a number of Continental Divide Trail thru-hikers, chatting and learning their trail names.

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”                             Anonymous

11 thoughts on “Backpacking Yellowstone’s Rivers and Thermals”

    1. Thanks, Teresa. Nothing compared to your incredible photos!! The weather was amazing. Never a hint of rain, but the day we returned it rained and we’ve had a fair amount (comparatively speaking) since then. We were fortunate.

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