Southern Central Plateau - YNP - September 11, 2022
Nov 7, 2022 6:54:01 GMT -8
MTalpine, rangewalker, and 3 more like this
Post by scatman on Nov 7, 2022 6:54:01 GMT -8
Squeezed in between my two September backpacking trips in Yellowstone was a 17 mile day hike. The hike began at the Cascade Picnic Area; followed the transmission line into Hayden Valley; hiked up the finger meadow along Trout Creek; bushwhacked our way to the headwaters of Alum Creek and then on to Beach Lake, and took the old Plateau Trail from the lake back to West Thumb.
Overview map of our day hike
After my Grizzly Lake trip, I stayed at the frontier cabins at Old Faithful for the night
Making our way along the transmission line corridor to Hayden Valley
Cold, foggy and frosty in the morning to start out. As the fog began to lift a
little bit later, a pack of wolves began to howl just inside the southern tree line.
We stopped and listened to them for a few minutes before they stopped as
quickly as they had begun.
Our first stop was a thermal area down in the southeast corner of the valley
A number of thermal features ahead
An impressive large frying pan
Another thermal hot spring
A mud pot
View across Hayden Valley, with Mount Washburn in the far distance
Bull bison were plentiful on this hike
Heading towards the hilly country as we made our way towards Trout Creek
Looking back towards Crater Hills and Sulphur Mountain
Crossing Elk Antler Creek
More bull bison
This guy was suspicious of us.
Bison
Protectorate of Trout Creek
Entering the Trout Creek drainage, with views out into Hayden Valley, with Violet Hot Springs in the distance across the valley
Trout Creek
Heading into the finger meadows of Trout Creek
The meadows along the creek were just beautiful
This guy had a bad limp, something was wrong with one of his rear legs
A lot of marshy areas throughout the meadows
Nearing the end of the Trout Creek meadows and beginning our bushwhack to
Alum Creek
Heading through the fairly recently burned area
Reaching Alum Creek Drainage
At the headwaters of Alum Creek
Bushwhacking to Beach Lake
Arriving at Beach Lake, view to the south
Beach Lake, view to the north
An old trail marker for the old Plateau Trail. The trail used to run from the Cygnet
Lakes Trailhead all the way south to West Thumb, passing Mary Lake and Beach
Lake along its way. The trail is no longer maintained, but with some time and
patience can still be followed.
Old sewn logs along the old Plateau Trail
Rough going at some points
The trail is difficult to follow through the burn areas, but it can be done
Reaching the upper meadows of Arnica Creek
Another Plateau Trail trail marker, the old trail hugs the western side of the
meadows next to the forest
Looking back towards the burned area that we had hiked through
Arnica Creek
The Plateau Trail heading back into the trees at the south end of the meadows
We popped out of the trees on a service road
The gated service road, and arriving at the Grand Loop Road, and West Thumb.
The End.
Overview map of our day hike
After my Grizzly Lake trip, I stayed at the frontier cabins at Old Faithful for the night
Making our way along the transmission line corridor to Hayden Valley
Cold, foggy and frosty in the morning to start out. As the fog began to lift a
little bit later, a pack of wolves began to howl just inside the southern tree line.
We stopped and listened to them for a few minutes before they stopped as
quickly as they had begun.
Our first stop was a thermal area down in the southeast corner of the valley
A number of thermal features ahead
An impressive large frying pan
Another thermal hot spring
A mud pot
View across Hayden Valley, with Mount Washburn in the far distance
Bull bison were plentiful on this hike
Heading towards the hilly country as we made our way towards Trout Creek
Looking back towards Crater Hills and Sulphur Mountain
Crossing Elk Antler Creek
More bull bison
This guy was suspicious of us.
Bison
Protectorate of Trout Creek
Entering the Trout Creek drainage, with views out into Hayden Valley, with Violet Hot Springs in the distance across the valley
Trout Creek
Heading into the finger meadows of Trout Creek
The meadows along the creek were just beautiful
This guy had a bad limp, something was wrong with one of his rear legs
A lot of marshy areas throughout the meadows
Nearing the end of the Trout Creek meadows and beginning our bushwhack to
Alum Creek
Heading through the fairly recently burned area
Reaching Alum Creek Drainage
At the headwaters of Alum Creek
Bushwhacking to Beach Lake
Arriving at Beach Lake, view to the south
Beach Lake, view to the north
An old trail marker for the old Plateau Trail. The trail used to run from the Cygnet
Lakes Trailhead all the way south to West Thumb, passing Mary Lake and Beach
Lake along its way. The trail is no longer maintained, but with some time and
patience can still be followed.
Old sewn logs along the old Plateau Trail
Rough going at some points
The trail is difficult to follow through the burn areas, but it can be done
Reaching the upper meadows of Arnica Creek
Another Plateau Trail trail marker, the old trail hugs the western side of the
meadows next to the forest
Looking back towards the burned area that we had hiked through
Arnica Creek
The Plateau Trail heading back into the trees at the south end of the meadows
We popped out of the trees on a service road
The gated service road, and arriving at the Grand Loop Road, and West Thumb.
The End.
