Easy Hikes in Yellowstone: How To Hike Clear Lake & Artist Point Loop

After exploring the West Thumb Geyser Basin in the morning, head to the “Grand Canyon” and complete some easy hikes in Yellowstone. By using the Clear Lake Trail, connector trails, and the South Rim Trail, enjoy an afternoon hiking to see gorgeous waterfalls.

Start the Clear Lake Artist Point Loop at the Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone: Upper Falls Viewpoints Parking Lot along South Rim Drive. This post is part of our ultimate 10-day itinerary that visits Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Learn more below!

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Need to Know Info

• Make sure to carry bear spray while hiking the Clear Lake/Ribbon Lake portions of the loop.
• An entrance fee is required at Yellowstone National Park. We recommend getting an annual pass. The pass expires after one year, but it usually pays for itself if you visit enough parks in one year.
  • Visit our gear page to purchase your America the Beautiful Pass online at REI’s website. In some cases, you can purchase an annual pass at the entrance of most parks.
• It’s best to visit Yellowstone during late June, July, or August. During these warmer months, you can hit the trails, and everything should be mostly snow-free along the trails in the higher elevations. Depending on the snowpack from the prior winter, you may still see snow!
• Parking areas in the popular areas of Yellowstone can get crowded! We recommend arriving at your destination as early as possible. Plus, you may have a better chance at spotting wildlife out and about in the early morning hours.

Easy Hikes in Yellowstone: Clear Lake Artist Point Loop

Explore a few easy hikes in Yellowstone that make a nice loop trail to visit Clear Lake, Artist Point, the South Rim, and Lower & Upper Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. We recommend hiking this trail counterclockwise to save the best sights for last.

The loop begins at the start of the Clear Lake Trailhead on the southeast side of the Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone: Upper Falls Viewpoints Parking Lot. There are restrooms at this location, and we found it to be a bit less crowded around the peak hours of the day compared to other full parking lots we saw. If you complete this entire loop, it’s 4 miles in total with only 423 feet of elevation gain. Let’s hike! 

Clear Lake Trail to Clear Lake-Ribbon Lake Trail – 0.7 miles

First up, head out on the Clear Lake Trail and cross the road. This short section of the loop travels through meadows and up through some old groves of trees before it links up with the Clear Lake-Ribbon Lake Trail. At this junction, head to the left toward Clear Lake.

Clear Lake-Ribbon Lake Trail to Artist Point-Point Sublime Trail – 1.2 miles

After turning left at the first junction, you’ll reach Clear Lake after about a 10th of a mile. From the parking lot, it’s about 1 mile. From Clear Lake, continue on the trail as it wanders through trees to a white, moon-like landscape of steam vents and white boulders.

It really starts to look like another planet on this section of the trail, and please be sure to stay on the trail and not wander off. Eventually, after about 2 miles into the hike, the trail enters the trees where a connector trail branches off to the left. Take this trail and hike past Lilly Pad Pond on your left to the next junction. This part of the trail is a quick 0.3 miles.

⛰️ Another fun thing to see in Yellowstone is the West Thumb Geyser Basin. Get the details on visiting right here!

Artist Point-Point Sublime to Artist Point – 0.6 miles

Here comes the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone! When you reach the trail junction after Lily Pad Pond, turn left at the Artist Point-Point Sublime trail and follow the signs to Artist Point. The views along this part of the loop trail are stunning! It’s another 0.6 miles or so from here to Artist Point, and you’ll lose about 200 feet of elevation as you enjoy the views of the canyon.

Artist Point

One of the most popular spots at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is Artist Point. It’s safe to say you won’t be the only one here to enjoy the views. It was originally believed that this point was where Thomas Moran sketched his 1872 depiction of the waterfall, but it’s actually not the case.

That being said, it’s still a great viewpoint at Yellowstone National Park! Once you have taken 100 pictures like us, continue along the South Rim Trail to complete the loop.

Artist Point to Lower Falls Viewpoint – 1.1 miles

In our opinion, this section of the trail is probably the best for views! Keep hiking, and after a short distance, you’ll reach the Artist Point parking lot. This is a perfect place for a quick restroom stop as needed. Then, stay on the South Rim Trail.

Continue on the trail as you gain elevation to many more viewpoints and lookout spots of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, with the river below. The trail meanders along the cliffside until you reach the turnoff for the Lower Falls Viewpoint. At this point, it’s just a quick jaunt back to the parking lot.

Lower Falls Viewpoint to Upper Falls Viewpoint – 0.4 miles

Before you head out, we recommend checking out the Upper Falls Viewpoint. That completes the Clear Lake Artist Point Loop hike!

After this, we recommend heading to the North Rim to complete the Brink of Lower Falls Trail. This one is SO cool! With Uncle Tom’s Trail now closed, you can’t miss this quick hike down to the brink of the falls.

Brink of Lower Falls Trail

Finally, drive to the parking area along North Rim Drive. You’ll need to backtrack a bit from the South Rim parking area to Grand Loop Road. The North Rim Road is one-way, so don’t miss the first parking lot.

The Brink of Lower Falls Trail is 0.8 miles out and back and plunges 270 feet down using many steep switchbacks. At the bottom, the platform looks over the vast Yellowstone River that drops another 308 feet down to the river below. The views here are amazing, and you should add this to your Yellowstone bucket list!

Prepare for crowds here, as this is a very popular trail. The hike down may be quick, but going up will be a bit slower. Take your time and take plenty of breaks as needed.

Animal Safety in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park has a diverse range of animals living in the park. Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, mountain lions, bighorn sheep, moose, elk, bison, and mountain goats are just a few. Yellowstone is home to the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states!

Always carry bear spray while hiking in Yellowstone. Purchase your bear spray before entering the park, or rent it from somewhere if you don’t plan on keeping it. Bear spray is NOT allowed on aircraft in checked or carry-on luggage. Make sure to review the steps to take if you encounter a bear during your adventure.

Before hiking, learn how to spot the difference between grizzly and black bears and what to do if you see one. That being said, it’s unlikely that you will have an aggressive animal encounter, but always be prepared. Do NOT leave food in your car!

🌲 Are you looking for guided tours and hikes while leaving all the planning to someone else? Check out the fun options from Viator!

Safety and Weather in Yellowstone National Park

• Cell phone coverage could be spotty in certain areas of Yellowstone.
• Don’t forget your bug spray!
• Plan on letting a family member or friend who isn’t on the trip with you know where you’ll be each day while exploring. If you get lost, this will aid in your rescue.
• Water: Still using one-time-use plastic bottles? Let’s get more sustainable and carry a water bladder instead! It’s recommended to carry at least 1 liter of water for every 5 miles you are hiking.
• Food: There are limited food options in Yellowstone. If you are looking for food here, your best bet is to travel back to West Yellowstone, Gardiner, or Cooke City.
• Weather conditions can differ based on where you are in the park. Temperatures tend to be cooler at higher elevations, particularly in forested or shaded areas. In fact, snow may still be present at higher altitudes during the summer. From July to August, keep an eye out for afternoon thunderstorms and the risk of lightning. Check out the current conditions on the national park website.

Where to Stay While Visiting Yellowstone National Park

We recommend staying outside the park while exploring Yellowstone National Park, unless you are camping, of course. Check out some of the options that we recommend based on location below:

• Gardiner (North) – Yellowstone Village Inn: Clean, comfortable, and super convenient to the northern section of Yellowstone. Free coffee anytime and a chance to see wildlife on the huge front lawn. Indoor pool open seasonally with multiple room types available. Book a stay on Expedia or Booking.com.
• Cooke City/Silver Gate, MT (East) – High Country Motel & Cabins: We stayed here in a cabin for one night so we would be super close to Lamar Valley in the morning for the best chance of spotting Yellowstone’s wildlife. Super rustic and limited cell service. However, it is located in town and close to restaurants. We loved it! Check it out here on Booking.com.
• West Yellowstone, MT (West) – Alpine Motel: #1 in West Yellowstone and one of our favorite stays with super-friendly owners and competitive rates. Free parking and air conditioning. It might be a little dated, but it’s immaculately clean! Visit their website and give Brian and Patty a call!

Final Thoughts

The Clear Lake Artist Point Loop is really one of the easy hikes in Yellowstone National Park that you can miss. With meadows, forests, lakes, canyons, and waterfalls, you really can’t go wrong here. Plus, this one is definitely family-friendly as well.

Additionally, you definitely can’t miss the Brink of Lower Falls Trail. It really shows the raw power of nature as the water thunders beneath you. Plus, you may even see a rainbow, which can get you some pretty epic photos.

We ended our day by driving to Cooke City/Silver Gate, MT. This was a rustic location on the main street. Cell service was limited here, but we really enjoyed our dinner at the Miners Saloon. By staying here, we were able to check out Lamar Valley first thing in the morning on our way to Mount Washburn.

🛏️ Don’t wait, find a place to stay in Cooke City/Silver Gate, MT.