The crew over here at Teton Backcountry Rentals/Bear Aware are excited for cool hikes and backpacking in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks when they open! We’re equally excited for our two new Bear Aware locations in Bozeman and Teton Village to open as well!
We wanted to highlight at least one cool hike close to each of our locations! Maybe we’ll focus a little more on the less popular spots because, you know, everyone knows that the Old Faithful geyser is near our Old Faithful location, uh doh! Either way, we’ll do our best to provide some recommendations to less traveled yet epic sights or hikes! It’ll be a tall order but we’ll do our best.
Let’s start from our headquarters in Jackson, WY and work our way north to Bozeman!
Jackson:
Jackson, WY is where TBR and Bear Aware headquartered. Jackson is an old west town that is pretty much the hub of the Jackson Hole Valley. Not only are there restaurants, shopping opportunities, grocery stores, etc but seemingly endless adventure and cool hikes as well.
The Ski Lake Trail is a moderately difficult trail and is about 5 miles out and back. It’s not actually in Jackson but being on Teton Pass, it’s close enough. With open meadows, pines and aspens to trek through, you get some shade but also some killer views! Ending up at Ski Lake makes it a great hike for a hot summer day!
Teton Village:
Teton Village is a cool little place! With restaurants, stores, great views and equally cool hikes! Cody Bowl is a popular trail, we tried to showcase a lesser known trail BUT it’s hard in a place as popular as Teton Village. The Cody Bowl hike is a moderate trail and is about 3 miles round trip so it’s perfect for a quick trip up the mountain after picking up your bear spray rental in the Village! You’ll drop about 800ft into the boulder-filled Cody Bowl. it’s one of the last places snow melts in the Village so hike and a snowball fight?? Bear Aware location announcement coming SOON!!!
Old Faithful:
Another hard place to find a lesser known trail is Old faithful. Yellowstone National Park sees about 4 MILLION visitors each year. I’m willing to bet each of them will go see Old Faithful at some point on the Yellowstone excursion; however, how many of those are willing to hike up to Observation Point to watch the famous geyser erupt? Whos to say. Observation point is an easy, well-marked trail that’s only about ½ mile long. This out and back trail gives you the best perspective of Old Faithful eruptions because you can see just how high it goes with an almost aerial view! The Bear Aware Old Faithful Location is at yurt #1 near the Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center!
Canyon Village:
Canyon Village is beautiful, it’s probably my favorite part of Yellowstone. There’s lots of cool hikes, killer views, and tons of wildlife! A very short drive from Canyon Village is Artist Point. Artist Point is beautiful and definitely worth a stroll but at the east side are a few trailheads. One of those trailheads is for Point Sublime. The trail is a fairly easy 2.6 mile out and back trail to the overlook of the South Rim.
In addition to Point Sublime, Ribbon Lake is nearby. Beautiful news, some Backcountry campsites, and links to other trails and POIs like Clear Creek, Wapiti Lake, and Surface Creek. The Bear Aware Canyon Village Location is the kiosk next to the Visitor Center!
West Yellowstone:
Right near downtown and almost right across the street from the Bear Aware West Yellowstone location at Free Heel and Wheel is the Riverside Ski Trail. The upriver and downriver loop is just less than 8 miles and is easy. Enjoy a leisurely hike along the Madison River for serene, vast views of the river and the Gallatin Mountain Range. Then finish up with lunch or dinner at one of the many great eateries in West Yellowstone. Make sure you stop by Free Heel and Wheel to get your bear spray before embarking on this trek!
Big Sky:
Near Bear Aware’s newer Big Sky, MT Location is the Lava Lake Trail (also known as Cascade Creek). Lava Lake is a 6 mile (round-trip, out and back) rocky trail, which makes it a bit more challenging but still moderate. The trail follows Cascade Creek through thick pine forest, past a handful of waterfalls, and ends up at a beautiful lake lined by trees and rock walls. The treeless mountaintops in view around the lake make the trek up with it. This backcountry trail will definitely require carrying bear spray! Make sure you stop by Hey Bear to say HEY and rent bear spray before your hike!
Bozeman:
If you’re starting or ending your trip around Bozeman, MT, a great first or last hike is the Hood Creek Trail. It’s about 4 miles round-trip and moderately challenging. The trail follows Hood Creek and ends at the Hyalite reservoir, which makes it perfect for a summer hike. Take in the views, get some hiking in, and go for a dip in the chilly water on a hot day. Bear Aware location announcement coming SOON!!!
