Hiking The Lamar River Trail In Yellowstone National Park
The Soda Butte/Lamar River Trailhead is nestled in the stunning Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park.
From this trailhead, you can embark on various adventures, including the Lamar River Trail, Specimen Ridge Trail, Cache Creek Trail, and Miller Creek Trail.
All of these trails begin and end at the same point (44.86933, -110.16635), right along the Northeast Entrance Road. Just three miles north, you’ll find the Trout Lake Trailhead which I highly recommend.
This is a popular spot in the park and the parking lot isn’t that large so early risers will have an easier chance of grabbing a spot.
Luckily, many visitors just take a quick photo at the bridge and move on, so parking spots tend to open up frequently.
Lamar Valley is famous for its abundant wildlife, offering visitors the chance to see bison, elk, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, mule deer, prairie dogs, and even wolf packs.
During our drive through the area, we saw around 1,000 bison, and they eventually halted our hike.
Once we reached the trailhead, we took a short walk to the bridge for some pictures before beginning the trek.
Shortly into the hike, we encountered a small herd of bison, but they were far enough from the trail that we could pass easily.
A little later, we encountered a much larger herd. At first, we managed to slip by, but then the bison became agitated, moving closer to the trail and making a lot of noise.
I decided it was best to turn back because being up close and personal with a hundred bison didn’t seem like a smart idea.
We carefully made a wide detour off the trail to avoid getting too close to the bison to safely pass.
Later, a ranger told us it was the end of the rutting season, and the bison were more on edge, so my decision to turn back was the right one.
The trail mostly traverses open prairie, offering breathtaking views of the Absaroka Mountains and Lamar Valley.
Although we didn’t make it a full mile due to the bison encounter, I’ve read that the Lamar River and Cache Creek are particularly beautiful further along.
I wish I could share more about the hike itself, but when 100 bison tell you to stop, you listen! My husband, however, had fun chatting with some prairie dogs along the way.
I provided some links below for more information on the hikes.
Despite the shortened hike, what we did explore was absolutely worth it.
Just a heads-up: there’s no shade, so wear sunscreen and be ready for windy conditions.
Grizzly bears are also known to frequent the area, so it’s important to carry bear spray.
Trails range from 7.4 to 37.6 miles in length and you can learn more specifics of each trail here.
Hikers can walk as little or as much as they want. Because the trails are so lengthy backcountry camping is available for those looking to explore further.
You’ll need a permit to camp and you can learn more specifics here.
Fishing is another popular activity in the area, and we saw some fishermen catch impressive fish during our hike.
Like camping, fishing requires a permit, and you can find more details here.
