Yellowstone Part II - from Lamar Valley to Madison Campground
- David Maiwald
- May 29, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Dec 7, 2024
Part II of the Yellowstone Series
In this article:
Quick facts about the area in between Lamar Valley and Madison Campground:
top activities: wildlife viewing, hiking, camping, sightseeing
best hikes: Slough Creek Trail, Garnet Hill Loop Trail, Bighorn Pass Trail
campsites: Slough Creek, Indian Creek, Madison
lodging: Roosevelt Lodge Cabins
villages / visitor centers: Mammoth Hot Springs
accessibility: Northeast / North / West Entrances
good to know: Gardiner to Cooke City is the only road open year-round!
Lamar Valley & Tower Junction
The region between the Northeast Entrance and the North Entrance is an area that is most renowned for its abundant wildlife spotting opportunities. It also is the only section of Yellowstone National Park that is open to private vehicles year round. Lamar Valley and the surrounding areas are particular hotspots for the park’s most famous residents. In my own experience I found the area around Slough Creek Campground and Tower Junction to be incredibly exciting wildlife viewing spots! Here I had a couple of close encounters with black bears and got to hear and see the park’s beautiful gray wolf! Besides that I also spotted elk, some of the park’s largest bison herds, coyotes, pronghorn, river otters, and even moose!
This area also offers great hiking trails with Slough Creek Trail being one of the most popular and in my opinion also one of the most scenic full-day or multi-day (backcountry permit for overnight stays required) out-and-back hikes of the park, leading through open plains, alpine meadows, and dense forests. When I hiked this trail in the early June of 2023, I found many opportunities to pause and take in the surrounding alpine landscape all by myself with only a few other hikers going all the way to the Slough Creek backcountry campsites. Once I returned to the trailhead I was greeted by a group of people who asked me if I saw the two bears walking alongside the trail. Apparently I hadn’t noticed that I had company on my way back! And soon enough - just minutes after I arrived at the trailhead - two black bears appeared near the treeline next to the trail.
Another great hike that can easily be done in one afternoon is Garnet Hill Loop Trail leading through open prairie-like plains, dense woods, and rolling hills. And this is where I encountered a lone wolf right on the trail when I was hiking here in late January of 2024. I was all alone hiking along the trail - there was some talk about a group of wolves roaming the area amongst the wildlife viewers that day. And after a while I came across the first set of fresh wolf tracks in the snow. Still eager to continue my day hike I suddenly heard the wolves howling in the distance. It was a beautiful moment, but after a while I considered turning around. That’s when I saw him sitting there watching me - I just froze and we both stared at each other seemingly forever. Hypnotized by the yellow eyes of this beautiful creature some 200 meters ahead I was just stunned. After a couple of minutes the wolf got up and disappeared into the woods. A true once in a lifetime experience!
When it comes to lodging, Slough Creek Campground and Roosevelt Lodge Cabins each offer beautiful but also extremely popular options for an overnight stay in this area. While Slough Creek is a simple campground that only offers basic facilities such as vault toilets and trash collection it is at the same time the ideal spot to experience the pristine Yellowstone wilderness without actually requiring a backcountry permit. The 5 minute drive over a 2 mile dirt road from the park’s major traffic arteries made me feel like I was off the grid and in the middle of nowhere. Roosevelt Lodge Cabins resembles more of a tiny village with all the amenities of civilization - including a store, restaurant, bathrooms and showers with hot water, power for your electronics, and a gas station. However, this location is unlike any other, offering little cozy cabins that come with a wood stove and complimentary firewood. All in all I have stayed twice in this section of the park. Once in late spring when I set up camp at Slough Creek Campground and the Roosevelt Lodge, and once in the middle of the winter where I stayed just outside the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City - both incredibly rewarding experiences!
Hiking / Fishing around Lamar Valley & Tower Junction:
Slough Creek Trail: 20 miles (32 km) out-and-back / moderate to difficult / full-day or multi-day with backcountry permit for Upper, Lower Slough Creek Campsites (view map on alltrails.com / For more details on backcountry permits visit recreation.gov)
Garnet Hill Loop Trail: 10 miles (16 km) loop / moderate / full-day (view map on alltrails.com)
Fishing opportunities in Lamar Valley, near Slough Creek Campground, and along Slough Creek Trail - check recreation.gov for rules and regulations
Lodging / Food / Shopping around Lamar Valley & Tower Junction:
Slough Creek Campground: open mid June thru Mid October / sites get released 6 months & 14 days in advance via recreation.gov (be flexible with your dates & have alternatives ready as sites fill up fast!)
Roosevelt Lodge Cabins (TOP PICK!): individual cabins that can be booked via xanterra.com (try to make reservations as far in advance as possible as this is a very popular location!)
Restaurant, general store, and other services available at Roosevelt Lodge (most close at 5 PM) or outside the Northwest Entrance
Mammoth Hot Springs & Norris Geyser Basin
The area in between Gardiner and West Yellowstone contains Mammoth Hot Springs, the Norris Geyser Basin, and parts of the wild and rugged Gallatin Mountain Range which is another great and promising wildlife hotspot. I myself have seen numerous bears in this densely forested area. I also got to see the occasional bison and small herds of them crossing the road. The area in and around Mammoth Hot Springs is by far the best spot to experience countless elk up close. Here I also passed by the terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs - a surreal landscape of bright and colorful limestone formations formed by the countless steaming hot and mineral springs in the area.
I explored the section in between Gardiner and West Yellowstone mostly during my June visit in 2023 when I set up camp for a couple of nights in the Indian Creek Campground. Right here I had some of my most terrifying but also exciting bear encounters in all of Yellowstone when I was hiking the Bighorn Pass Trail which starts at Indian Creek and traverses the Gallatin Range. The trail led me through beautiful open meadows and into some dense forests. After less than a mile on the trail I suddenly heard some noise nearby. I stopped and scanned the area around me. That’s when I noticed a black bear roughly 15 meters from me in between the trees. Motionless. Just staring at me. I immediately got my bear spray out and slowly backed away while the bear just stood there and watched my every move. I just kept backing away, letting the bear know that I am neither a threat nor a prey with a calm voice. After a while I lost sight of her and started my way back down the trail - an intense moment that felt like it was going on forever, but at the same time was over in an instant. I could hardly contain my excitement once I was back at the campground. I let the camphosts know about the encounter and went back to my car to go for a drive instead. Little did I know that this was not the last time that I would see her.
Most of the geothermal features in the area between Gardiner and West Yellowstone are concentrated around the Norris and Gibbon Geyser Basins, located about halfway between the two. That was where I was headed, with my first stop 6 miles south of Indian Creek at Roaring Mountain - a bright-white slope named for its countless steaming and hissing fumaroles. Another 6 miles further down the road lies Norris Geyser Basin which is one of the park’s largest and most popular attractions. While finding a parking spot can be tricky at times, this is well worth a visit! Here I explored countless geysers, steaming hot springs, colorful pools, and bubbling mud pots via a number of loop trails that led me through an otherworldly landscape! Among all of them Steamboat Geyser stood out as one of the loudest and one of the world’s tallest geysers. However, I wasn’t fortunate enough to catch one of its eruptions which occur every couple of decades or so. After that I left the crowds behind once again and made my way back to Indian Creek. I paused along the way to enjoy the beautiful scenery when I noticed something moving in the far distance. With my zoom lens I was able to make out a Grizzly that wandered down the hills of the Gallatin Range. I couldn’t believe it - two bear encounters in one day! Filled to the brim with lasting memories I returned to the campground - and that’s where we met again. Just before the campground and right next to the road the same black bear from earlier that day appeared - trailed by her little cub! This time I was able to take my time and enjoy the two of them from inside my car while capturing this incredible moment with my camera! One of the most memorable encounters of my entire trip!
After another day of exploring the forests, lakes, and trails in between the Norris Geyser Basin and Canyon Village I left Indian Creek behind and made my way further down south where I passed by a few more of the park’s countless geysers at Artists’ Paintpots and Gibbon Geyser Basin before concluding my June 2023 visit to Yellowstone National Park. While there are plenty of lodging opportunities at Mammoth Hot Springs, which is the park's largest village and offers a visitor center, a general store, restaurants, gas station, and post office, Indian Creek Campground is - in my opinion - one of the most beautiful campgrounds the NPS has to offer.
Hiking / Sightseeing in between Mammoth Hot Springs & Madison Campground:
Bighorn Pass Trail: 20 miles (32 km) out-and-back / moderate to difficult / full-day (view map on alltrails.com)
Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces: Set of easy loop trails / 1 - 2hrs / further details: nps.gov
Roaring Mountain: Stop along the road / 0.2hrs / further details: nps.gov
Norris Geyser Basin: Set of easy loop trails / 2hrs / further details: nps.gov
Artists’ Paintpots / Gibbon Geyser Basin: Short walk from parking / 0.5hrs / further details: nps.gov
Lodging / Food / Shopping in between Mammoth Hot Springs & Madison Campground:
Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel: Large hotel complex offering all amenities / book via xanterra.com
Indian Creek Campground (TOP PICK!): open beginning of June thru beginning of September / sites get released 6 months & 14 days in advance via recreation.gov
Madison Campground: open May thru October / one of the park’s largest campgrounds / book via xanterra.com
Restaurants, general store, and other services available at Mammoth Hot Springs (most close at 5 PM) or outside the North & West Entrances
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