Ann Vinciguerra: Thermal Magic in Yellowstone

For those living far from Yellowstone, a trip to the park can be the highlight of the year. For Bozemanites like myself, who have two park entrances within 90 miles of home, Yellowstone is one of many nearby outdoor playgrounds. With wildlife, sweeping vistas, thermal areas, mountains, rivers, and more, there is an almost endless landscape to explore. At the same time, summertime crowds and the stop-and-go-traffic are a hassle making it is easy to get jaded about the park. With several mountain ranges an easy drive from Bozeman many locals avoid the chaos of Yellowstone in the summer. I had long done the same but over the past handful of years, I have developed a fondness for backpacking in the park.

The National Park Service estimates that 98% of Yellowstone’s four million+ annual visitors never explore further than half a mile from their car. With over 900 miles of trails and over 290 backcountry camp spots, it’s easy to get away from the crowds. My most recent trip in August was the first time I backpacked beyond Yellowstone’s marked trails to a land few people visit. I came away with an even deeper appreciation for the park, its special features, and how lucky I am to have it close to home. Yellowstone is popular for a reason, but those wishing to put in the time and travel beyond the known will be rewarded for their efforts.

A Backpacking Bushwhacking Adventure
Yellowstone National Park, August 2023

The thermal feature we named Four Sisters

For this backpacking trip, Jodi, Lynda, Michele, and I headed out for three days and two nights. Days one and three were on marked trails but day two was an off-trail bushwhack to a seldom visited thermal area. It is always wild to see thermal features beyond the park’s roadside boardwalks, and the prospect of visiting this area was especially exciting as there was no marked path leading the way.

When I suggested this trailless adventure, Jodi, Lynda, and Michele agreed with little hesitation. As we drove to the trailhead, I wondered if it was a good idea. Of the several friends I asked, only one had heard of it but had not visited. A ranger friend of Michele’s didn’t know much about it and a web search revealed little. I thought back to my trip to No Man Lake in 2016 when I couldn’t find much info ahead of time and ended up navigating hundreds of downed trees. After that I was convinced that if you can’t find good trip reports for an area, it’s probably for a reason. It seems as if nothing is secret anymore and almost everything worth doing has been written about. Were we setting ourselves up disappointment or worse?

My unease was heightened by the fact that I have a bad sense of direction and it doesn't take much for me to feel lost. But Jodi and Lynda had the Gaia app on their phones and were skilled at using it. Plus, there were four of us to survey the landscape and take part in the decision making.

On the second morning of the trip a waft of Sulphur floated into our camp, a reminder that thermal features were nearby. I assessed my pile of gear while packing up and was satisfied to know that everything I needed (And not a bit more) was in front of me. A profound sense of excitement helped alleviate my doubts.

Our quartet set out by following a trail from the campsite. It faded quickly and we began bushwhacking through the timber. Downed trees were scattered along our route, but they were single logs that were easy to step over, not piled pick-up-sticks style like the ones I found on the trail to No Man Lake. It was a pleasant woodland with nicely spaced trees, not scraggly and monotonous like Hyalite Canyon, and carpets of whortleberries and interesting fungus lined the forest floor. It was straightforward travel, and we reached the thermal area by mid-morning.

Fun fungi

To the right, squalls of steam rose from the ground, but a ruckus drew us to the left. As we followed a thermal creek with lime green water, the noise grew into the dull persistent rumble of a small aircraft. Soon we arrived at a bland, rough, rocky hillside.

Following the poison green trickle

Jodi, Lynda, Michele, and I stood staring as we watched the steam vents that constantly puffed, wheezed, and whistled. It wasn’t a traditionally pretty setting, but the slope was booming, and we were captivated. After exclaiming banalities like “wow” and “amazing,” I knew had a take short video, something I seldom do. We named the feature Four Sisters after the four of us and the four vents that spoke to us constantly.

Next, we headed towards the smoke we noticed when we first arrived and rambled through an area dressed in subdued gradations of white, tan, and grey. In this muted landscape the brightest thing was our spirits.

Fumaroles and thermal vents bubbled and splashed. A small mucky mud pot spewed grey and white glop. Between the hissing of the thermal features, the burble of the creek, and the soft crash of a few small waterfalls, we were surrounded by a constant dull roar. It was a backcountry landscape and soundscape like no other.

Cascading waters

Another feature that bubbled and spewed

Wandering, snapping photos, taking a lunch break, sitting silent and taking it in made the afternoon whoosh by and it was time to leave this wonderful and other-worldly place. More stark hillsides tumbled down to the creek, but soon tufts of verdant grass and evergreen trees began working their way back into the panorama. Another creek flowed up the valley, the one that would lead us to our backcountry home for the night.

Magical landscape

A few campsites are scattered along this creek so we thought the second part of our journey would be easier than the first. Park Service put backcountry campsites here so a steady stream of people must visit the area. A social trail must exist. Right?

Meandering with the creek

We knew our route followed the creek, but we weren’t prepared for the curvy, grassy, marshy landscape in front of us. Random animal paths and corridors of trampled grass crisscrossed the area, but these never lasted long. Only occasional piles of scat plus a few human footprints let us know this area sees few visitors. The sense of remoteness was palpable, almost eerie.

This guy had seen better days

Soon Jodi, Lynda, Michele, and I came to our first creek crossing. We navigated it with river sandals, which we kept on as we knew that there would be more fords. In a few spots, jumbled piles of logs served as bridges. A bloody toe forced me to put my shoes back on, but the creek crossings kept coming so the four of us decided to save time by clomping through in our hiking shoes. In a few places, the creek curtailed our pathway forcing us up a steep slope to skirt it. Numerous ups and downs like this slowed our progress.

The creek crossings did not let up

The bushwhacking was tough but not demoralizing, the temperature was cool and perfect, the rain held off, and the sense of discovery kept us (mostly) perky. Nine hours after we set out and two hours before dark, we found our camp, a lovely spot at the edge of a wide meadow. It was a long day, and we were happy to be done with it.

Autumn is upon us

The next morning rain began as we started the 16 mile trek back to our car. More open meadows, meandering creeks, uninterrupted vistas, a small thermal area. A few bushes and patches of grass were starting to turn yellow and red; a reminder that autumn was on its way. About 15 minutes from the trailhead, we came across the first people we had seen since day one of our trip, a mother, father, and small child decked out in raincoats. They asked how long we’d been out and were impressed with our accomplishment. Validation from this trio helped puff up my ego, and I felt like a badass.

This is what a "badass" looks like.

In the rainy parking lot, we changed into warmer, dry clothes and dumped our soggy gear into a big plastic bag. Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, I couldn’t stop smiling. This trip was magic.

Our last creek crossing!

We hear there is another even more magical off-trail thermal area beyond the one we explored. Even fewer people visit, and a web search reveals little. Those who write about it say it’s hard to get to and piles of downed trees make for a slow and arduous journey. We are tempted but perhaps this trip is enough.

As time goes on and my memory of the challenges begins to fade, will this other thermal area and its anticipated grandeur fill my thoughts? Will I be content with this one random trip, or will I aim for the sense of discovery that comes from visiting another seldom visited site? A place few people have been to and most will ask “Where is that?” when I mention it; a place to renew my sense wonder and wow over Yellowstone if I again get jaded with the crowds and traffic.

We will see...

More about Yellowstone

Skiing

Backpacking

https://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2015/08/an-overlooked-gem-sky-rim-trail-in.html

9.29.2023

Thermal Magic in Yellowstone

2 comments: