How to Hike the Mount Washburn Trail & Visit Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone

As the sun comes up, take a scenic drive through Lamar Valley on your way to Dunraven Pass to hike the Mount Washburn Trail. Lamar Valley is a great place to spot some Yellowstone wildlife, so it’s best to hit the road early.

There are two trails that summit Mount Washburn, and we’ll discuss more about this trail below, including what to do if the parking lot is full or if the trail is snow-covered. We’ll get you to the summit no matter what, so keep reading.

After a nice hike, head north to visit Mammoth Hot Springs. We’ll discuss some things to do in Mammoth Hot Springs, as time allows, during your adventure.

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Need to Know Info

• Always make sure to carry bear spray while hiking in Yellowstone.
• The parking area at Dunraven Pass is small and can fill up very quickly, so it’s best to get to this point as early as possible to hike the Mount Washburn Trail.
• An entrance fee is required at Yellowstone National Park. 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, but purchasing before might save you some time.
• 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!

Lamar Valley

From your accommodations in Cooke City/Silver Gate, MT, drive about 30 minutes through Lamar Valley. This is the first attraction in Yellowstone before the hike to Mount Washburn. Lamar Valley is one of the best places in Yellowstone National Park to spot wildlife.

Bears, wolves, bison, pronghorn, and many more animals might be present here! Depending on wildlife activity, the drive through here may be a bit slow due to photographers and bison blocking the road.

We saw lots of bison here as we drove through on the way to our hike. There were numerous cars and photographers present, and the area was extremely busy. However, no bison jams! Feel free to spend as little or as much time here as you want, viewing the wildlife.

As you exit Lamar Valley, continue the drive to the Dunraven Pass parking area, which is located along Grand Loop Road.

Dunraven Pass to Mount Washburn

As you reach the Dunraven Pass parking area, hopefully, you have planned to get there early enough to secure a parking spot. Luckily, we were able to do so, but this is a popular hike in the park, so expect some parking issues if you show up later. If you try to arrive there before 9 am, you should be good.

Just to note, there are pit toilets located here, and this is where the hike to Mount Washburn begins. This is a 7.3-mile out-and-back hike with an elevation gain of a little over 1,300 feet. Starting at 8,871 feet, it might take a little longer to hike than you expect due to less oxygen in the air. We could feel it!

Using the old stagecoach road, work your way up the trail through the pine forest. A series of switchbacks begins around 1.5 miles in, and you might even run into snow. In some cases, the snow might be pretty deep or might have even melted and refrozen, leading to a very slippery situation. 😂

Unfortunately, this was the case for us, and we had to turn around. It was SO slippery! We headed back down the trail and back to the car. If this happens to you, there is another route to take to the summit! Use the Chittenden Road Trail.

Chittenden Road to Mount Washburn

First off, we didn’t know exactly what to expect on this fire-road “trail” and figured it may also have some snow on the way to Mount Washburn, but we set out to hike it anyway. To hike this trail, head to the trailhead parking area off Chittenden Road, north of the Dunraven Pass parking area. This is a service road that’s used by NPS staff to reach the fire lookout station.

This trail is a little less steep than the actual trail to Mount Washburn, but the views are outstanding and panoramic on a clear day. You’ll feel like you are hiking right up near the clouds through the open meadows below.

As you approach the fire lookout station, expect to see some snow here. The road was mostly plowed, but some snow drifts were taller than Kathy, so that was a super fun sight!

⛰️ Don’t miss the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone!” Get the details you need on visiting and hiking this area of the park.

Mount Washburn Fire Tower

You made it! 10,219 feet, and the views go on forever! This is one of three fire stations/towers in Yellowstone National Park that are staffed from mid-June until the season ends. Rangers are always on the lookout for potential fires in the park, so a response can be initiated promptly.

Vault toilets for public use are available here, but no water services are present, so be sure to bring your own while hiking to Mount Washburn. After you have enjoyed some time above 10,000 feet, head back the way you came down the mountain to complete this awesome hike.

Things to Do in Mammoth Hot Springs

If you conquered Mount Washburn in the morning, we recommend heading north! Mammoth Hot Springs is about an hour northwest of Mount Washburn. A visit here is optional, but there are a few things to do in Mammoth Hot Springs if you have the time. Go for a quick hike along the Terraces Trail or a short scenic drive.

Hit the Trails

There are a few parking options here, including the Upper Terrace Loop Parking Lot, Lower Terraces, Middle Terraces, as well as the large parking lot closest to Mammoth along the northern section of Highway 89. This last parking lot is a great spot to hike a quick loop through Mammoth Hot Springs.

Once you head out on the boardwalk, you must stay on it as you explore Mammoth Hot Springs. There are plenty of sections that loop back to the parking lot, and you can spend as much time here as you’d like. It’s probably a little less than 2 miles of hiking on the boardwalks to visit, but there is some elevation gain here.

On the boardwalk trail, you’ll see Devil’s Thumb, Palette Spring, New Blue Spring, Canary Spring, and more! This area changes constantly and is super interesting.

Take A Scenic Drive

If you are finished hiking for the day or need a break, take the scenic Upper Terrace Drive. This one-way road travels 1.5 miles among hot springs and travertine formations. A perfect way to explore without leaving your vehicle!

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 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!

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Safety and Weather in Yellowstone National Park

• Cell phone coverage could be spotty in certain areas of Yellowstone.
• Get our favorite bug spray right here!
• 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: Invest in a water bladder so you never run out.
• 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 hike to Mount Washburn was very fun! We were not expecting an ice-covered trail, but it was great that we could pivot to another point of access to be able to finish the hike to the fire tower.

We really enjoyed the snow that was taller than Kathy, and the views from the summit were really outstanding! It was a little hard to breathe for us, who regularly live near sea level, but luckily, we had been pretty well acclimated to the area, having been there for about a week already.

We ended our day by heading to Mammoth Hot Springs for a short hike around the travertine terraces before ending the day in West Yellowstone, MT. This was one of our busier days in the park, but it all worked out great!

🛏️ Rooms book up fast in the summer, so book your stay now in West Yellowstone, MT.