A ranger told us fewer than 10 percent of visitors go hiking in Yellowstone, which is such a shame! While there are plenty of other things to see and do in the park, our hikes were some of our favorite activities. I wanted to share them and some of the others we considered, so here is my list of top ten yellowstone hikes for families! I picked hikes ranging from 1-6 miles that didn’t have any particularly challenging elements; while we didn’t hike all of these ourselves, I read lots of reviews on the ones we didn’t! Please let me know if you have any I missed, or comments on the ones I included!
Be sure to read about the more general top 10 mistakes to avoid when planning a national park trip, too!
If you’re planning a trip to Yellowstone, you’ll want to check out these other posts too!
- 7 steps to plan a family vacation
- National park books for kids
- Important tips for visiting Yellowstone with kids
Tips for hiking in Yellowstone:
- Always carry bear spray! Know how to use it and have it easily accessible/unwrapped.
- Download GPS maps & take a paper map with you (find them in visitor centers!); cell service is limited.
- Popular trailheads will be crowded unless you’re on the trails early! Consider taking the shuttle if not or be prepared to wait.
- Trails may be closed due to weather or bear management, your best bet is to call or visit a ranger the night before and ask.
- Pack layers! Be sure to bring sunscreen, snacks, bug spray, and extra water.
- You can’t just hop in the water when you see it! Swimming is limited to a few places in the park and only ‘open’ if the water levels are safe, check the official website before you go and check out this post on yellowstone white water rafting to experience wild water!
Pin this list of top ten yellowstone hikes for families with this link or collage photo:
Top ten yellowstone hikes for families
These are presented in no particular order of quality, but organized by region in the park!
Family hikes in the Old Faithful area of the park
1. Fairy Falls – we absolutely loved this hike. The distance sounds long but it is very flat and very easy to get out there, through a wooded forest with lots of stumps that my kids pretending were power sources, ha! It is an out & back trail to a beautiful 200 foot waterfall with an optional side trail to see the Grand Prismatic Spring (adding roughly .5 mile total) and/or Imperial Geyser (pictured above, adding 1.4 miles total).
Distance: 5.4 miles (although you probably want to take the short but steep detour up to see the Grand Prismatic Spring overlook. See more details on this hike and a huge tip about how to get the best view!
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2. Beaver Ponds – a loop trail around peaceful ponds with wildlife aplenty. Trail reviews suggest doing this counter clockwise so the big climb is at the beginning, this has a bit of elevation change and a few bridges but comes with plenty of family friendly recommendations.
Distance: 5 miles
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3. Lone Star Geyser – The geyser goes off about every three hours; you can check in at the Old Faithful Visitor Center to see when the last reported eruption was. This is an old road turned into a trail and also open to bikes if your kids need a change of pace.
Distance: 4.8 miles
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4. Mystic Falls – An out and back trail with a big waterfall at the end, this trail goes through forests and over boardwalk portions with beautiful views.
Distance: 2.4 miles
Family hikes in the Yellowstone lake area of the park
5. Storm Point Trail – Our first hike in the park, this easy and flat trail crosses through meadows, forest, and beaches. Get a beautiful look at Yellowstone Lake with snowcapped mountains in the background!
Distance: 2.3 miles
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6. Elephant Back Trail – This is a loop trail that a ranger recommended to us but we didn’t get to; it goes through a pine forest and out to a beautiful overloop of Lake Yellowstone.
Distance: 3.5 miles
Family hikes in the Madison area of the park
7. Fountain Paint Pots – This is a “trail” almost entirely on a boardwalk but has a few incline/step sections. We were so delighted by all the different colors, and you could see other park landmarks in the distance from the top.
Distance: .5 mile
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8. Harlequin Lake – an easy out and back to a pretty little lake, this looks like a wonderful trail for little legs.
Distance: 1 mile
Family hikes in the Lamar Valley area of the park
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9. Trout Lake – A semi-step but family friendly hike up to a serene lake. Keep an eye out for the trout spawning in late spring/early summer and otters year round!
Distance: 1.2 miles
Family hikes in the Mammoth Springs area of the park
10. Mammoth Hot Springs Trail – Another boardwalk trail, this one explore the beautiful Mammoth Hot Springs! A few stair sections are involved, but it’s a beautiful loop to walk. There are multiple spurs and loop options, we walked roughly a mile before we headed out.
Distance: 1 mile
Honorable mentions with super short hikes for super short legs:
- Pelican Creek Nature Trail, .6 miles, in the Lake Village area
- Wraith Falls Trail, .6 miles, in the Mammoth Hot Springs area
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