Waterfalls were perhaps the first natural landform that truly fascinated me. There was something about the phenomenon of water travelling so fast, so abruptly, and so seemingly endlessly that captured my attention in a profound way. I remember being amazed by them as a child during camping trips with my parents, with Cumberland Falls in Kentucky and Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee being the ones that made the biggest impression. As a young adult, I sought out waterfalls specifically during the backpacking trips I made along the Cumberland Plateau and Southern Appalachian Mountains. Along with natural arches, the Cumberland Plateau contains an impressive amount of waterfalls and I stayed busy seeking out new ones to visit and returning to old favorites.

Once I moved out West, in addition to alpine lakes and lofty mountain summits, I quickly added hot springs to my list of favorite natural features. There’s something transcendental, primal, and inexplicably uplifting about soaking in a wilderness setting in a natural hot spring pool. Something about it seems too good to be true – water, emanating from the ground at a perfect temperature, often containing soothing minerals, contained by a lovely pool to soak in for as long as you desire. It’s nearly impossible not to have a smile and a deep sense of satisfaction when soaking in a natural hot spring.

One area famous for its thermal features in the West is of course, Yellowstone National Park. In early April, I received my confirmation e-mail from Yellowstone National Park that secured my reservation for a late August hike through the park – and in an area known for good camping and in close proximity to some of the park’s waterfalls and hot springs.

A Yellowstone National Park Backpacking Trip Begins

After camping out in the nearby Caribou-Targhee National Forest and enjoying the sight of Cave Falls the previous day, my partner and I began our hike on a Monday morning with a small amount of haze from wildfires in the air. Despite this minor aesthetic irritant, it was without a doubt better than a Monday morning at work. Our first day would be almost too easy given the reward that awaited us. Less than eight miles of hiking and only 500 feet of elevation gain would take us to our campsite, where we would spend the first two nights. Having an entire day to enjoy the hot springs, waterfalls and nearby trails without having to set up or pack up camp would be a true vacation day within a vacation.

Winding through meadows, lodgepole pine forest, and with only one major creek ford, our first day was a mellow introduction to backpacking in Yellowstone National Park. Although wildfire haze obscured the views somewhat, it didn’t prove to be too irritating to our lungs. After a trip in North Cascades National Park in 2017 in which smoke was the defining characteristic, I was a bit worried about having a repeat of such unpleasant circumstances on this trip.

Thankfully, the forecast held and the haze never thickened into true smoke and blew out entirely by the morning of our third day. Also working in our favor was the fact that most of the scenic highlights of our trip didn’t require miles of clear sky to appreciate. As long as we could see the waterfall from the hot springs, there wouldn’t be much to complain about. If this had been a trip focused on a long ridge walk above treeline with views of distant mountain ranges and valleys as the main attraction, then we would’ve been a bit less optimistic about our chances for a positive outcome.

By late afternoon we arrived at our campsite which, in addition to its proximity to the hot springs and a waterfall, was in general one of the nicer campsites we passed on the hike in. Like most national parks, Yellowstone requires backpackers to camp in designated sites. Sometimes these sites are wildly scenic and other times they are just a convenient place to pitch your tent in a nondescript setting. Our campsite was somewhere in the middle. But as realtors say, “location is everything”, and the location of our campsite left nothing to be desired.

Once camp was set up, with proper food storage being the first priority followed by pitching the tent and filtering water, an exploration of the hot springs and waterfall was in order. On our way down, an NPS invasive weeds crew was leaving the general area and noted that we would have the hot springs to ourselves, which was music to our ears. Although our camp was the closest one to the hot springs, the ranger who issued our permit let us know that groups from nearby campsites and even ambitious dayhikers would visit the hot springs during the day. While this proved to be true, with some large groups stopping by, we had the hot springs to ourselves each morning and evening which were the best times to soak, given that temperatures were a few degrees warmer than average during our visit. As much as I love hot springs, sitting in 104-degree water when it is 84 degrees outside just isn’t as relaxing.

It’s impossible to describe how beautiful it is to see water tumbling over a cliff and steam from hot springs mixing with the mist created by the impact. During the times the sun beamed into the canyon, small rainbows would form as well. To call the area “paradise” would be an understatement. There were almost 10 pools that we identified in the hundred feet or so downstream from the waterfall, each varying in temperature. Some were perfect for an extended and relaxing soak, whereas others were a test of endurance to remain in for more than a few minutes.

The best pools that we found were those closest to the base of the waterfall. Three distinct pools gave us more than enough room to spread out and enjoy the waters. Two of the pools were fairly consistent temperatures, while the third and deepest had a mixture of warm and cool water flowing through it, which made it a great place to cool down after soaking in the hottest pool. In addition to having such warm and soothing waters, the hot spring pools allowed for an intriguing and unique eye-level view of the creek as it tumbled downstream from the waterfall.

Our soak served as a great post-hike and pre-dinner activity, and our appetites were noticeable when we returned to camp. My partner and I shared a delicious and fresh pasta salad. Green peppers, tomato, and tri-color pasta noodles were doused with a salad dressing packed in using a small Nalgene bottle (in fact, you can find the recipe in this issue of TrailGroove). Bits of mozzarella cheese and summer sausage completed the dish, which paired well with glasses of rose wine. The waterfall and hot springs were impossible to compete with, but the meal was certainly one of the highlights of the trip and one of the better meals I’ve had when backpacking (coincidentally it was also one of the heavier meals, ingredients-wise).

On our full day at the campsite, we explored around camp, relaxed in a hammock, and just generally appreciated the beauty of where we were and the opportunity to allow ourselves to be immersed in the landscape. A nearby waterfall occupied our attention for a bit as we hiked alongside it and looked around its bends, hoping for another divine soaking spot. An overlook above the waterfall with hot springs also provided us with a different vantage point that made us appreciate the beauty of our campsite and the hot springs even more. In the heat of the day, a small swimming spot well downstream of the thermal activity (but still warmed up a bit by it) and a flat rock provided us with a great spot to cool off and appreciate the creek.

We returned for a soak on the second evening after day visitors had exited and aside from a brief thundershower with a burst of lightning nearby the soak was just as good as the first evening. A dislodged stake on our shelter during the thundershower created a few minor hassles as the water had to be sopped up and a few items rearranged, but we were both in such a good mood after the soak that this minor inconvenience barely phased us. The nighttime lows were only in the 50s, so even though my down bag got some rain on it there was no real cause for concern.

I never have an easy time leaving a campsite, but leaving this one was particularly difficult. I’m tempted to fax a permit request in next year simply asking for as many nights in a row at this spot as is legally allowed. On the bright side, we departed under clear skies and had another relatively easy day ahead of us. Other than a ford of the Bechler River there were no major obstacles on the stretch of trail between us and our next campsite, which was conveniently located between two wonderful waterfalls.

A Last Night and Back to the Trailhead

Overnight, the thunderstorms that had been predicted rolled in and dumped a lot of rain and lightning lit the sky up intermittently during the three or so separate storms that seemed to pass through while we tried to sleep. The storms ended well before daybreak, but the wet tent and overcast morning sapped our motivation to get as early a start as we’d hoped.

After breakfast, we continued along the loop we’d planned. Our fourth day was much longer than the previous days, but was still relatively flat. It was just over 12 miles to our campsite and from there we would hike another 4.1 miles roundtrip after setting up camp to swim in a warm spring below a small waterfall and enjoy dinner at stunning Union Falls. Union Falls couldn’t have been a better waterfall on which to end the trip, as three separate streams all joined to create a massive waterfall that cascaded over exposed rock for over 200 feet.

Our hike out the next day was just over 10 miles and had the most crossings of any day on the trip. A creek, a beaver pond, and the river all caused us to take off our shoes, slip on our Crocs, and grip our trekking poles as we sauntered across them. Arriving back at the ranger station on Friday, we saw a trailhead noticeably fuller than when we had started on Monday. Despite the packed trailhead, we didn’t find crowds to be a distinguishing feature of our trip. Other than a few groups here and there that we would pass each day, the trails were remarkably quiet for one of America’s busiest national parks.

Each backpacking trip I go on is special in its own right, as any time I’m lucky enough to be outdoors deserves to be appreciated. But this trip certainly was in a class of its own and, with any luck, I hope it is a class I can be a student in again next year. I’ve always enjoyed returning to the same places multiple times and there’s a high likelihood that this trip will become an annual or bi-annual event for me. It never hurts to be reminded on a regular basis that even if something seems too good to be true, it can actually exist and nowhere have I found that to be more often the case than in the great outdoors.

Need to Know

Information

Permits are required for backpacking in Yellowstone National Park. Reservation requests can be made in advance, which is your best way to secure the itinerary you want. Permit details and other information about backcountry camping is available here.

Best Time to Go

Because of numerous fords that typically remain high from snowmelt well into the season and could interfere with a planned trip, unfathomably large and vicious swarms of mosquitoes in early summer, and chilly nighttime lows year-round (it hit 26 degrees at night during a late August backpacking trip I was on in 2019), the best time to go is a pretty short window for most trips in Yellowstone National Park. To increase your chances of avoiding the aforementioned unpleasantries, timing your trip from mid-August through September is usually a good window in most years.

Getting There

From the small town of Ashton, Idaho take ID-47 east of town just over 5 miles and turn right onto Cave Falls Road. Follow this road, which is initially paved then gravel (aside from a few potholes, the road is in good condition), it becomes Forest Road 582 (this area of the park is bordered by the Caribou-Targhee National Forest). At just under 17 miles, you take a left onto a road that leads 1.5 miles to the Bechler Ranger Station and its accompanying trailhead. You can pick up your permit here and access trails from this location. Another trailhead is located at the end of Cave Falls Road and is another option for accessing trails in the area.

Maps and Books

The Trails Illustrated Yellowstone maps are an option for navigating on trails in the national park. They are especially helpful for trip planning as they include mileages between junctions and campsites. Also available are the Trails Illustrated Yellowstone overview map, the Beartooth Publishing Yellowstone overview map, and the Beartooth Publishing Yellowstone North and Yellowstone South maps. The guidebook Backpacking Idaho by Douglas Lorain features a description of a trip in southwestern Yellowstone and the guidebook Hiking Yellowstone National Park by Bill Schneider is an excellent resource for details about trails in the park.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 48 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.