Wyoming

Ah...the Observatory. This is not its actual name, but the nickname it has earned over many years of use by the seasonal employees. This is an amazing site to camp at, just on the edge of the Bridger-Teton forest right outside of the park. This area overlooks the entire valley and Teton range. Th...

Day 1: This trip begins at the Death Canyon Trailhead. Try to arrive early, as it gets crowded and various groups day hike from here. After the first few miles, you’ll encounter Phelps Lake. You’ll have several opportunities for photos, and they will all be beautiful. As you continue on, be on t...

The typical approach to the SE Buttress is from Indian Basin, probably because it is easier, provided you plan on going to Indian Basin anyway. However, if you plan on visiting Titcomb or climbing Gannett peak via Bonney Pass, I suggest approaching from Lower (Southern) Titcomb Lake. I thought it...

This is a great spot to camp if the park campgrounds are full (particularly in the summertime). There is a designated camping area at Gros Ventre Campground, but if you're a little too late on the reservations or, like me, would prefer to get away from the crowds, head out into the National Fores...

Take highway 89 out of Jackson, headed north, and turn on to Gros Ventre Rd. This will take you right past the campground, wild rivers, and ample hiking. Keep driving for about 20 miles as views of the Tetons appear behind you, and ample backcountry camping options become available.

This is one of the most picturesque and popular overnight trails in the Tetons for a reason. The trailhead is located at the String Lake parking lot. The trail constantly changes at every turn; be ready to experience a wide variety of gorgeous scenes from lush dense forests, scattered waterfalls,...

Shirley lake is a beautiful and not heavily traveled area in the Winds. To get there, you start at the Green River Lakes trailhead (8,000 ft) and head out on the Western shore of the lower lake. You can shave off three miles by canoeing to the end of the lake, if you like. But I prefer the hike. ...

The Teton Crest Trail has several variations that allow the hiker to enter and exit through different canyons. The classic trail begins at the Phillips Pass Trailhead and comes to a close at Paintbrush Divide. Many hikers choose to take the Teton Village Tram up to Marion Lake and join up with th...

Of a summer spent living in Yellowstone, and many overnight trips in the park, the trek to Union Falls and Scout Pool ranked at the top of my list. (Many of my fellow gas station employees agreed!) The hike itself is nothing spectacular, but takes you to two of the most beautiful places in the pa...

Death Canyon Trailhead is easily accessed by heading south on Moose-Wilson Rd. from Grand Teton National Park Headquarters for 3 miles. Once at the junction turn right onto an uneven dirt road and go north 0.7 miles to the parking area.Day 1: (8.3 miles) From Death Canyon Trailhead hike west for ...

Big Sandy Lake is beautiful. You'll turn at Boulder, WY and head about an hour to Big Sandy Campground. You'll want to get there as early as you can as it fills up fast, when we arrived at about 10:30pm on a Friday there was no sites or parking, but don't worry. The surrounding area is National ...

Leigh Lake is absolutely stunning with about as many recreational activities as you can imagine for a lake. It is a short flat one mile hike from the trailhead at String Lake to Leigh. Once you get there can go as far along as you wish along the 2 mile lakeshore. You can also Kayak, Canoe, or SUP...

Indian Creek Campground is located inside Yellowstone National Park, closest to the northern entrance of the park and just eight miles from Mammoth Hot Springs. It's open from mid-June through mid September and is just $15 a night to camp at. The campground itself is very well maintained and kept...

Coming out of Cooke City, MT follow the Beartooth Highway (named the most scenic byway in the U.S.) toward Beartooth Pass. Go about 8 miles.Once you drop back down into Wyoming and pass the Fox Creek campground on your left, start looking for the small break in the trees on your left. There is ...

There are many ways to access the Teton backcountry. However, one of my personal favorites is from Leigh Lake via the String Lake trailhead. From the backcountry office obtain a backcountry permit for 2 nights at Leigh Lake. Site 12 has some of the more impressive beachfront views of the Front Ra...

You have two options when starting from Green River Lakes Campground, located 52 miles north of Pinedale, WY, (21 of these miles are on a washboard dirt road). The first option is to start backpacking from the campground and follow the trail that runs alongside the first lake, up the river and pa...