Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
| GPS: |
44°54'59.9"N 110°24'1.4"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Wyoming |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.3 mi |
Restrooms Rivers Streams Trails Wildflowers National Park
Hike
The Yellowstone River Picnic Area trail is 3.9 miles loop trail. It is called the Yellowstone Picnic Area trail because the beginning of the trail is in a picnic area.This hike features a beautiful river, and is a great hikers of all ages. You will gain 450 ft of elevation on this hike. Most of the elevation will be gained on the fairly steep incline at the start of the hike. When you find yourself at the top of the ridge, that is where the trail begins to ease up.Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail includes a beautiful lookout, and displays exquisite views of the canyon. The canyon exposes the ridges and carvings due to years of erosion.This hike is fairly popular, which is why during nicer weather the trail can be very crowded. The trail is on the cliff side of the canyon following the Yellowstone river. Dependent on the season, you can expect to have many wildlife sightings. Having many opportunities for wildlife sightings is always fun for adults, but can be an incredible learning opportunity for children.
There is a portion of the hike that leads you through meadows. This is where you will see the majority of the wildlife. As you hike along the rim of the canyon, it is free of trees allowing into view the steam vents down by the river. In all, this hike is a beautiful beginner friendly hike. It features many beautiful animals and an amazing scenery.
More Information
Yellowstone National Park Itinerary
This Yellowstone National Park Itinerary will help you get started as you plan your vacation to Yellowstone National Park.
https://www.justgotravelstudios.com/collections/national-park-itineraries/products/yellowstone-national-park-itinerary?ref=9zpxis0diinBackcountry Conditions - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
The Backcountry Conditions Map and Area Condition Details are not updated during the winter season. Check back in late-April for current conditions.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/situationreport.htmYellowstone River Picnic Area Trail, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
The 2 mile Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail follows the east rim of the end of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, to an elevated viewpoint opposite Tower Falls and the Narrows
https://www.americansouthwest.net/wyoming/yellowstone/yellowstone-river-picnic-area-trail.htmlBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read MoreDirections
From Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
- Head east on Grand Loop Rd toward US-212 EToll road(299 ft)
- Turn left at the 1st cross street onto US-212 EToll road(1.2 mi)
- Turn right (98 ft)
- Slight right (187 ft)
1.25 miles NE of Tower Junction on the road to the NE Entrance.
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Agate Creek Trail
Tower Junction, Wyoming
0.0 miles NA moderately difficult 7.3-mile hike along Yellowstone River with colorful cliff overlooks, the Narrows, and a primitive riverside campground at trail's end.
Hike 8.2 mi
Garnet Hill Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
0.7 miles WA 7.6-mile loop through Yellowstone meadows, sagebrush, and riverside forest with exceptional wildlife — wolves, bears, bison, moose, elk, and badgers all roam this area.
Hike 16.9 mi
Specimen Ridge Trail (2K4)
Buffalo Ford, Wyoming
0.7 miles SEA challenging 17-mile remote hike ascending 3,000 feet to Amethyst Mountain and descending into Lamar Valley — ending at a river ford that may require turning around if uncrossable.
Hike 2.4 mi
Lost Lake Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
1.0 miles WAn easy 2.8-mile loop behind Roosevelt Lodge, winding through forest, meadows, and along the shores of Lost Lake — open year-round and finishable in under two hours.
Hike
Tower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
1.9 miles STower Fall plunges 132 feet off Tower Creek in Yellowstone, framed by dramatic rock pinnacles — located about 3 miles south of Roosevelt Junction.
Camp, Hike
Hellroaring Creek Trail
Yellowstone National Park
2.8 miles NWA suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River leads to sandy creek-side beaches and a mild backcountry trail past Yellowstone's largest granite slab — great for all ages.
Camp, Hike, Swim 4.0 mi
Specimen Ridge Day Hike and Fossil Forrest Trail
Buffalo Ford, Wyoming
3.6 miles EA strenuous 4-mile hike to Specimen Ridge with rewarding views, plus a side route to an outcropping of fossilized trees visible from the ridge — rugged and unmarked, but worth it.
Hike 8.5 mi
Slough Creek Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
4.9 miles EAn easy 3.4-mile historic wagon trail follows Slough Creek through sweeping meadows in Yellowstone — a peaceful summer and fall walk with beautiful open views.
Hike 4.4 mi
Chittenden Road - Mount Washburn Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
8.4 miles SA steady, well-packed 5.8-mile out-and-back on the former Chittenden service road to Mount Washburn's summit, with bighorn sheep, wildflowers, and sweeping Yellowstone views at the top.
Hike 16.3 mi
Mount Washburn Spur Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
8.4 miles SAn 8-mile descent from the peak of Mount Washburn through bighorn sheep country, wildflower meadows, and forests to Canyon Village — with sweeping Grand Canyon of Yellowstone views from the top.
Hike
Forces of the Northern Range
Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park
8.6 miles WA half-mile boardwalk on Yellowstone's Blacktail Deer Plateau with mountain peak displays, a wildlife primer, and a view-packed introduction to the Northern Range's forces of nature.
Hike 3.4 mi
Dunraven Pass - Mount Washburn Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
9.4 miles SA 6-mile Yellowstone hike via Dunraven Pass through quiet forests to the summit of Mount Washburn — a panoramic perch with bighorn sheep in summer and grizzlies near pine nuts in fall.
Hike 7.4 mi
Blacktail Deer Creek to Yellowstone River Trail
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
9.9 miles WA 7-mile out-and-back trail dropping through green fields and boulder formations to waterfall views along the Yellowstone River, with a suspension bridge connecting onward trails.
Hike 0.8 mi
Wraith Falls Trail
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
11.1 miles WA less-than-a-mile family-friendly hike near Mammoth Hot Springs to the unique fan-shaped 79-foot Wraith Falls — open year-round and easy for all skill levels.
Hike 7.6 mi
Observation Peak Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
12.1 miles SA nearly 10-mile Yellowstone hike that eases through meadows and past beautiful Cascade Lake before a strenuous 1,400-foot climb to a spectacular panoramic peak.
Hike 2.4 mi
Cascade Lake Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
12.1 miles SAn easy, well-marked 4.5-mile out-and-back hike through meadows and forest to Cascade Lake near Canyon Village, with wildflowers in summer and frequent wildlife sightings year-round.
Hike 9.0 mi
Seven Mile Hole Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
13.5 miles SA challenging 10-mile hike along the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone rim, then a 1,000-foot descent into the canyon for up-close Yellowstone River views and active hot spring sightings.
Hike 18.2 mi
Howard Eaton Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
13.5 miles SA 10-mile Yellowstone trail passing Cascade Lake, Grebe Lake, and Wolf Lake through forests and meadows — fish any of the lakes with a valid permit, or hike the full 20-mile out-and-back.
Hike 0.6-1.5 mi
Trout Lake and Buck Lake
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
13.6 miles EA steep half-mile through Douglas fir forest opens to beautiful views every direction — Mount Hornaday behind the lake, spring waterfalls from snowmelt, and cutthroat trout thick enough to give the lake its name.
Hike
Lower Falls of the Yellowstone
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
14.4 miles SAt 308 feet, the tallest waterfall in Yellowstone National Park towers over the iconic yellow canyon walls — taller than Niagara Falls, with multiple viewpoints and trails accessible even in winter.
HikeNearby Campsites
Tower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
1.9 miles STower Fall plunges 132 feet off Tower Creek in Yellowstone, framed by dramatic rock pinnacles — located about 3 miles south of Roosevelt Junction.
Camp, Hike
Hellroaring Creek Trail
Yellowstone National Park
2.8 miles NWA suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River leads to sandy creek-side beaches and a mild backcountry trail past Yellowstone's largest granite slab — great for all ages.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Slough Creek Campground
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
5.1 miles NEA small, popular Yellowstone campground right on Slough Creek where wolf packs are frequently spotted — sites fill fast, so arrive early.
Camp
Canyon Campground
Canyon Junction, Yellowstone National Park
13.3 miles SA popular Yellowstone campground of 300-plus sites just minutes from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Upper and Lower Falls, with hiking trails and North Rim Drive access right from camp.
Camp
Pebble Creek Campground
Northeast Entrance, Yellowstone National Park
14.0 miles EA quiet campground tucked in Yellowstone's far northeast corner near Trout Lake and world-class Lamar and Soda Butte trout rivers — arrive before 11 a.m. to secure a spot.
Camp
Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
14.9 miles WThe only year-round campground in Yellowstone, with 85 first-come sites at 5 miles from the North Entrance, walking distance to the famous Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces and nearby hiking and fishing.
Camp 0.1-5.3 mi
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park
15.3 miles WColorful limestone terraces covered in glistening hot-spring water, a 1-mile boardwalk with 300 feet of elevation, elk in the parking lot, and an easy family-friendly loop — Yellowstone's showiest geology.
Camp, Hike
Indian Creek Campground Yellowstone
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
16.5 miles WIndian Creek Campground is a quiet, wooded, tent-friendly Yellowstone campground near Mammoth Hot Springs, big on wildlife and peace.
Camp 0.8-3.8 mi
Little Gibbon Falls
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
18.0 miles SWA family-friendly 4.5-mile Yellowstone loop reaches fishing and swimming spots along Gibbon Creek, with kid-safe trail, canoeing options, and bearspray-worthy backcountry feel.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Norris Campground
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
19.1 miles SWCentrally located in Yellowstone NP, this campground puts you within a short drive of Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, Old Faithful, and Yellowstone Lake.
Camp
Fishing Bridge RV Campground
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
24.4 miles SAn RV campground near the mouth of the Yellowstone River where visitors can watch White Pelicans, waterfowl, and trout from the historic Fishing Bridge — fishing from the bridge is no longer permitted.
Camp
Bridge Bay
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
26.5 miles SA scenic campground on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake at 7,800 feet — wooded upper loops, open meadows, and a nearby marina store, though far from the park's main dining hubs.
Camp
Madison Campground
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
29.6 miles SWA partly wooded riverside campground at 6,800 feet in Yellowstone, close to Old Faithful and the geyser basins, with great fishing on the Madison River and 270-plus individual sites.
Camp
Grant Village
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
37.0 miles SNamed for President Grant near Yellowstone Lake's West Thumb, this village has lakeside dining, a geyser basin next door, campfire ranger programs, and tree-lined campsites steps from the water.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak 14.8 mi
Biscuit Basin to Fairy Falls and Firehole Meadows
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
39.6 miles SWA nearly 15-mile backcountry hike starting at Biscuit Basin passes turquoise pools, a 70-foot waterfall, Firehole Meadows, Imperial Geyser, and three stunning blue lakes with rust-red shores.
Backpack, Camp, Hike 25.6 mi
East Rosebud Lake
Roscoe, Montana
41.9 miles NEEast Rosebud Lake is the cliff-ringed gateway to the Beaten Path, one of the most beautiful backpacking routes in Montana's Beartooths.
Backpack, Camp, Canoe, Hike 6.9 mi
Heart Lake Trail
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
42.5 miles SAn 8-mile moderate hike to a remote backcountry lake with blue thermal pools, fumaroles, Rustic Geyser, and remarkable fishing for native cutthroat, mountain whitefish, and Arctic grayling.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Hot Springs 0.1 mi
Lewis Lake Campground
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
45.3 miles SYellowstone's third-largest lake draws canoeists, kayakers, and serious anglers, with a quiet campground open mid-June through early November on a first-come basis.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak