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Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Looking for the best backpacking in Yellowstone National Park? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Yellowstone National Park. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

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Top Backpacking Spots in and near Yellowstone National Park

  • Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    Stand Up Paddle Lewis Lake to Shoshone Lake

    5.0
    It is something fantastic if you know how to use a standup paddle board. Being able to paddle from one lake to another where no roads can reach via a small channel with natural geysers going off and trout rising to morning and afternoon flies. The water being, in some parts, very warm because of...
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  • Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    Cascade Lake Trail

    5.78 mi / 404 ft gain
    The out-and-back Cascade Lake Trail starts from the Cascade Creek Trailhead off of Norris Canyon Road in Yellowstone National Park. The trail passes through open meadows as you hike to Cascade Lake where wildflowers abound and wildlife is often seen.You will need a wilderness permit to backpack a...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Union Falls and Scout Pool

    5.0
    15.42 mi / 1755 ft gain
    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...
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  • Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    Dunanda Falls via Boundary Creek Trail

    4.5
    16.56 mi / 771 ft gain
    You'll start at the Bechler Ranger Station and take the Boundry Creek Trail. Depending on which camp site you reserve your hike will be anywhere from 5-9 miles. We camped at site 9A1 5 miles from the ranger station. Hiking to waterfall is 16+ miles round trip Your feet will get wet on this hike,...
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  • Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    Lamar River Trail

    5.0
    33.2 mi / 3304 ft gain
    Lamar River Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a river located near Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
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  • Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    Backpack to Slough Creek's Backcountry Campsites

    20.49 mi / 1286 ft gain
    Access to Slough Creek is via the Slough Creek Road that starts 6 miles east on the Northeast Entrance Road from Tower Junction. It is 2.5 miles to the Slough Creek Campground located at the end of the road. Starting at the Slough Creek Trailhead you will find a small parking area and a restroom...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Mount Moran

    10 mi / 5500 ft gain
    Mount Moran’s CMC Route is best climbed by starting at String Lake’s boat launch. From here, pack up your overnight and climbing gear into your kayak or canoe and start your journey north on String Lake. At the end of the lake, portage a few hundred yards to Leigh Lake and continue your paddle no...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Paintbrush and Cascade Canyons Loop

    5.0
    18.77 mi / 4088 ft gain
    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,...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Leigh Lake via String Lake Trailhead

    4.8
    2.84 mi
    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...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Paintbrush Canyon Loop and Leigh Lake Overnight

    5.0
    22 mi / 4400 ft gain
    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...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Cascade Canyon Trail

    8.92 mi / 1128 ft gain
    This is a really scenic trail in the Grand Teton National Park. If you follow the trail all the way it will lead you to Lake Solitude.  This hike about 12+ miles round trip, depending on if you get the ferry across Jenny Lake (less with ferry). The actual hike begins on the west side of Jenny la...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Backpack the Teton Loop

    34 mi / 7000 ft gain
    For our loop traveling around the Grand Teton, we started at the Lupine Meadows TH going counterclockwise and that was where we finished as well. We heard that other people start other trailheads, like Death Canyon TH or Taggart Lake TH. Our goal was to finish the loop in just 2 days and 1 night,...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Surprise Lake via Lupine Meadows

    9.69 mi / 2946 ft gain
    Getting Started There is a good amount of parking at the Lupine Meadows Trailhead but on weekends and nice days it will fill up quickly so it is best to arrive as early as possible.  The Trail The trail to Surprise Lake starts relatively level before quickly beginning to ascend after about a t...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Backpack the South Fork of Garnet Canyon

    5.0
    11 mi / 4682 ft gain
    To start this trip you will need to go to one of the local ranger stations for a backcountry permit, Jenny Lake, Colter Bay, etc. Or if you like to plan ahead, you can make a reservation January through May on  https://www.nps.gov/grte/plany... …When you get to the ranger station to pick up your ...
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  • Alta, Wyoming

    Summit Table Mountain

    4.8
    11 mi / 4000 ft gain
    To climb Table Mountain you begin at the Teton Canyon Trailhead near Driggs, Idaho. The trailhead sits at about 6,800 feet elevation and from there you have two options to reach the 11,106 ft. peak -neither of which are technical, and both of which are dog-friendly.The first option, named Huckleb...
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Let Adventure be your Destination in Wyoming

Wyoming’s wide-open spaces make it easy to get off the grid and on a trail, through a park, into a forest, up a mountain or down a river. During your journey through Wyoming’s Black to Yellow Region, discover geologic marvels, dense evergreen forests and sprawling prairielands.

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