Gneiss Creek - Yellowstone - September 8, 2021
Oct 8, 2021 14:28:50 GMT -8
absarokanaut and nickhowes like this
Post by scatman on Oct 8, 2021 14:28:50 GMT -8
I completed a four day backpacking trip into the Gneiss Creek area of Yellowstone back in September. The goal of the trip was to make it to the Cougar Creek Patrol Cabin on a long day hike from camp.
Gneiss Creek is located in the Madison Valley, which consists of large meadows and willow lined streams that flow to the west though the valley.
The first couple of days were smoky, while the last two were much better. On our first night we had wolves howling throughout the night which I thought was really neat, and on our last night in camp, we got quite a bit of rain.
Overview map
Day 1 - Information sign for hunters - the first part of the trail is on Forest Service land
Information sign for the Gneiss Creek area
On our way to campsite WA1
The aspen were changing early this year
Yellow aspen
Typical views along the trail
More aspen
Wolf track
Willow lined beaver ponds on Campanula Creek
Getting closer to camp
Campsite signpost for WA1
Gneiss Creek
Our tent setup
Smoky sunset on Gneiss Creek
Sunset on our first night
The bear pole at WA1
Day 2 - The willows along Gneiss Creek
Looking down on the beaver ponds along Maple Creek, on our way to the Cougar
Creek Patrol Cabin
We passed through a few large meadows on our way to Cougar Creek
More meadow hiking
And more
After turning east up the Cougar Creek Valley, we ran into this bull bison
Cougar Creek
A bear had dug up a yellow jackets' nest
Heading east up the Cougar Creek Valley
The Cougar Creek Patrol Cabin comes into view
Bison skull at the cabin
Enjoyed our lunch on the front stoop
Cougar Creek near the cabin
Wolf track
Lots of snags to the north of our route
Heading back to camp now
Mount Holmes can be seen in the distance
Fording the beaver ponds of Maple Creek again
Sunset on night number two
Day 3 - Day hike to the top of the ridge east of camp to explore a bit - looking
north from the ridge
Looking south towards the Madison Valley
Night three's sunset
Day 4 - A smoke free day - the willow along Gneiss Creek
The aspen were still looking good on our way out
The lone hill along the trail
Aspen
Back on the beaver ponds of Campanula Creek
Pretty
View to the north from the trail
Back at the Park Boundary
Stopped in West Yellowstone for burgers and a beer at the Slippery Otter Pub
to celebrate a wonderful trip
The End
Gneiss Creek is located in the Madison Valley, which consists of large meadows and willow lined streams that flow to the west though the valley.
The first couple of days were smoky, while the last two were much better. On our first night we had wolves howling throughout the night which I thought was really neat, and on our last night in camp, we got quite a bit of rain.
Overview map
Day 1 - Information sign for hunters - the first part of the trail is on Forest Service land
Information sign for the Gneiss Creek area
On our way to campsite WA1
The aspen were changing early this year
Yellow aspen
Typical views along the trail
More aspen
Wolf track
Willow lined beaver ponds on Campanula Creek
Getting closer to camp
Campsite signpost for WA1
Gneiss Creek
Our tent setup
Smoky sunset on Gneiss Creek
Sunset on our first night
The bear pole at WA1
Day 2 - The willows along Gneiss Creek
Looking down on the beaver ponds along Maple Creek, on our way to the Cougar
Creek Patrol Cabin
We passed through a few large meadows on our way to Cougar Creek
More meadow hiking
And more
After turning east up the Cougar Creek Valley, we ran into this bull bison
Cougar Creek
A bear had dug up a yellow jackets' nest
Heading east up the Cougar Creek Valley
The Cougar Creek Patrol Cabin comes into view
Bison skull at the cabin
Enjoyed our lunch on the front stoop
Cougar Creek near the cabin
Wolf track
Lots of snags to the north of our route
Heading back to camp now
Mount Holmes can be seen in the distance
Fording the beaver ponds of Maple Creek again
Sunset on night number two
Day 3 - Day hike to the top of the ridge east of camp to explore a bit - looking
north from the ridge
Looking south towards the Madison Valley
Night three's sunset
Day 4 - A smoke free day - the willow along Gneiss Creek
The aspen were still looking good on our way out
The lone hill along the trail
Aspen
Back on the beaver ponds of Campanula Creek
Pretty
View to the north from the trail
Back at the Park Boundary
Stopped in West Yellowstone for burgers and a beer at the Slippery Otter Pub
to celebrate a wonderful trip
The End
