Planning a Day Hike? The Best Park to Enjoy Your Day.
You can’t visit Montana and skip Yellowstone Park. Choose your trail according to your family’s interests and abilities. For young children or grandparents, or family member unaccustomed to hiking, rather than one long hike, plan a short hike, a lunch break, and another short hike or drive depending on energy levels. Don’t forget your camera.
Old Faithful Basin:
You can’t spend a day in Yellowstone without visiting the Old Faithful geyser basin. The 1-1.4 mile trail around Old Faithful makes a nice easy family walk, past many of the park’s geysers. The trailhead is near Old Faithful Lodge, if you want to stop for souvenirs or food.
Waterfalls:
Yellowstone has spectacular waterfalls as well as geysers. The 2.5 mile round trip to the 70-foot Mystic Falls has some steep sections, but is one of the easier waterfall viewing trips. The parking area gives access as well to Morning Glory Pool and Upper Geyser Basin trails. Fairy Falls is a 5-7 mile hike with a graceful 200-foot waterfall and an option of continuing to Imperial Geyser.
Canyon Area:
Avoid the crowds as you explore the hot springs and lakes on the longer and more strenuous trail systems in the Canyon Area.