Skyline Trail - Yellowstone National Park

The Skyline Trail provides the best prolonged dose of mountain scenery in Yellowstone. As it follows the boundary ridge of the park the trail offers exciting views of mountain ranges in all directions, as well as traveling to the summit of two mountains itself. Be certain to bring plenty of water on this hike because the only source of water is mating snow, which may be gone by mid August. Several sections of this trail are steep and rocky. Watch your footing. Chances of seeing wildlife along this route are very good. Elk and bighorn sheep feed in high meadows visible from the trail. Ravens, hawks and eagles may be spotted soaring above or even below you. Marmots and pikes scurry among the rocks near the trail. From junction of Daley Creek Trail with Skyline Trail to: Bighorn Peak ( 6 miles or 9.5 km) Junction with Specimen Creek Trail (9 miles or 14.5 km) Sheep Mountain (10.5 miles or 17 km) Starting from the end of the Daley Creek Trail, at Daley Pass, the Skyline Trail begins climbing up the boundary ridge. The ridge consists of a series of small summits that must be ascended then descended. There are good views of the Gallatin Range and Ramshorn Peak to the north. After a final steep climb of 600 feet, the summit of Bighorn Peak is reached. The junction with the Black Butte Creek Trail is located here. From the summit the Skyline Trail descends and traverses three more small summits to the junction with the Specimen Creek Trail. (The Specimen Creek Trail travels 1/2 mile down to Shelf Lake and then 8 more miles out to Highway 191). From the junction, the Skyline Trail continues steeply up Sheep Mountain, climbing about 1,000 feet in one mile to the summit. When you first see the summit of Sheep Mountain you may wonder why a drive-in movie screen is sitting on top. Don't wait around for the show because that large object is actually a piece of radio relaying equipment. Look instead for the bighorn sheep that are occasionally spotted in this area.