West Yellowstone Hiking & Backpacking

With so much public land available in the West Yellowstone, Island Park, and Big Sky regions, there are naturally endless hiking opportunities.

Whether you plan to journey into Yellowstone National Park, Targhee National Forest or any of the local state parks (Harriman State Park, Henry's Lake State Park), you will find a large variety of trail options to suit your sense of adventure.

Yellowstone National Park

In 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park in both the U.S. and the world, and ever since people from all over have flocked to this incredible area to explore the otherworldly hot springs, geysers and thermals. With a long, rich history of public use and enjoyment, it’s no wonder that Yellowstone has over 1,100 miles of hiking trails exploring 2.1 million acres of public land. And with its varied visitor population (everything from senior groups to families to avid backpackers), the Park has seen fit to provide every type, difficulty and length of trail imaginable.

Targhee National Forest

National Forests may not get as much publicity as National Parks, but that only means that you’ll share trails through the same great areas with fewer people. The Targhee National Forest is no exception to this rule – over 2.6 million acres of land spreads across Idaho and Wyoming, with 1,600 miles of trails accessing forests, mountains, meadows and rivers. Targhee National Forest is also an excellent place to spend some time backpacking – the large acreage and lower user population makes escaping and losing yourself in the mountains a cinch. National Forests also have the advantage of being subject to less regulation and restrictions, making backpacking easier than in National Parks.

Harriman State Park

While backpacking isn’t really an option in Harriman State Park, the 20-plus miles of trails do explore some picturesque lakes, plains and overlooks. The wildlife viewing, especially bird viewing, is also very good at Harriman State Park.

Henry’s Lake State Park

Similar to Harriman State Park, Henry’s Lake State Park doesn’t really have backpacking options, although the hiking trails and car-accessible campsites are great for day use.

Fees

While State and National Parks have daily and/or entrance fees ($4 and $5 per day for Henry’s Lake and Harriman, respectively; $25 entrance fee for vehicles at Yellowstone), National Forests do not, making hiking and backpacking in them more affordable. Be sure to plan the length of your trip and ensure that your vehicle is paid for in advance if you decide to spend multiple days hiking and backpacking in Yellowstone National Park or one of West Yellowstone’s nearby State Parks.

Guides

While there are hiking and backpacking guiding companies in the West Yellowstone area, guides for longer backpacking trips should be arranged in advance.