Bighorn Peak Trail - Yellowstone National Park

The scenery varies from grass and willow rival valleys to dense forest, to high meadows. There is also a variety of wildlife, including grizzlies, to be seen along this trail. Because of the high concentrations of bears in the area there are special restrictions on hiking the Bighorn Pass Trail. Parties of 4 or more people are recommended and may be required for overnight trips. Off-trail travel is not permitted in some areas. Check at Mammoth Visitor Center for current regulations. This trail begins on the west side of the bridge on the Indian Creek Campground the Entrance road. The trail skirts south around the campground before paralleling Indian Creek for 2 miles through willow river meadows and lodgepole pine forest. This is a good area for a short morning or evening hike from the campground as there are almost always moose or elk feeding in these meadows. After a bridged crossing of Indian Creek the trail climbs a small ridge, then drops down to Panther Creek. The trail crosses Panther Creek by bridge and runs through a pine, spruce and fir forest. At about the 6 mile point the trail will break out of the forest. Look for evidence in this area of a fairly large avalanche that slid off Bannock Peak, north of the trail, in the early spring of 1986. Jumbled piles of trees from the slide litter both sides of the trail. As you near the pass, the trail gets steeper and climbs 1,100 feet in the last 2 miles. As you hike this section, watch the slopes of Bannock Peak. and Quadrant Mountain for bighorn sheep. From the pass, the view west of the Gallatin River Valley may prompt you to just sit back and absorb the scenery the rest of the day Length: 6.0 miles Trail Begins: Highway 191 Trail Ends: Big Horn Peak Area Map: Gallatin National Forest Visitor Map USGS Map1: Bighorn Peak (Montana - Wyoming) Township 9S; Range 5E; Section 21