Posted by Mark Linville on August 24, 1997 at 21:44:51:
In Reply to: Top 10 Hikes in Yellowstone/Tetons posted by Emily Nagan on August 11, 1997 at 12:13:08:
Top ten? Well, some of the other responses describe hikes that
are probably more spectacular than this one. But
here's a less obvious hike of 2 to 3 hours:
Head for the Lamar Valley. Just west of the
entrance to Slough Creek Campground, you'll see
an unnamed trailhead (marked appropriately,
"trailhead.")
Follow this trail up the hill (the going gets steep here
and there) and you will discover a storehouse of
petrified wood up on the brow of the hill. (Just
resist the natural urge to pocket some for the
fireplace mantle!) If you stick to the north side
of the hill (where you have a grand view of the
valley and the main road far below), you will
come to several *massive* specimens: petrified
tree trunks with the diameter of Oldsmobiles!
This trail links up to the Specimen Trail (which never
really passes by the specimens themselves!) and you
can follow that trail on up to its trailhead if you wish.
(It's about a 3 mile hike on the main road between trailheads,
though.)
We hiked this trail in the fall during the elks' rutting
season. I could not count the number of elk on
the opposing slope and down in the valley (actually
the Tower end of the Grand Canyon) on the other
side.
Mark