Snake River Lollipop Loop - Yellowstone National Park

Man, you are bringing back lots of memories. I did a version of this that took about 3 and 2/2 days. I found people to cover shifts at Canyon Village where I worked, so I had 3 days to hike, plus a head start prior and a half day after.

My route also started at the South Boundary entrance. On that first half day, I hiked to the campsite near the Snake River Hot Springs. The 3 following days took me on the South Boundary trail over Two-Ocean Plateau and over to Bridger Lake near the SE corner of the park. I then backtracked to the Snake River near where it enters the park, and followed it downstream on the Snake River Trail all the way back to the South Entrance. I camped again at the hot springs before hiking out that last morning.

Big problem, though, as I had two days of fairly heavy rain as I went down the Snake River. That ford looked like your picture when I started. At the end of the hike the rain had raised it to thigh-deep and swift. And, it was murky, so I couldn't see the river bed as I crossed. It took me 3 tries before I made it across. What really made me mad, though, were the tourons watching me with binoculars from the overlook. If any one of them had come down, I could have tossed them a rope that I had so that they could belay me across.