Slough Creek

Hike Name: Slough Creek Location: northwest WY Length: 22 Submitted by: Richard Date Submitted: 0/0/00 Rating:	more Wyoming trail reviews Wyoming national parks Wyoming state parks
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Description
Slough Creek in Yellowstone National Park is a world-famous flyfishing river. It's less known as a hiking trail, but for a backpacking angler or beginner backpacker it's one of the great hikes in the Park. The trail is an old wagon road running 11 miles from Slough Creek Campground to the Park's northern boundary. The road is still used by wagons that bring guests and supplies to the Silver Tip Guest Ranch, just outside the Park. From the campground you climb about 500 vertical feet in the first 1.5 miles, then the trail is more or less flat to the Park boundary, passing through three long, wide meadows with scenery that is the very essence of Yellowstone. The creek meanders through the meadows at a very low grade, meaning slow-moving water and wary cutthroat trout. At two points (2 and 8.5 miles from the trailhead) the trail intersects other major Parktrails, offering day hiking routes for those camping along the trail. There are five or six backcountry campsites along Slough Creek available for backpackers; should you wish to camp at one you need to get a permit from the Park Service in advance. These are among the most popular campsites in the Park and it's wise to reserve early. Anglers need a Park fishing license and special catch-and-release regulations apply. This is a great trail for a day hike or overnight, whether fishing or not. It is prime grizzly habitat, so take the usual precautions -- bells, hang your food, camp apart from the cooking area, etc.

Directions to Hike
From Tower Junction take the road toward Cooke City about ten miles to the road (on the left) to the Slough Creek Campground, about 2.4 miles on a dirt road. The trailhead is on the right side of the parking area. Be sure to sign the log.

Contact Information
Any Yellowstone Park Ranger Station. Or go to Yellowstone's pages at nps.gov and follow the links to "Backpack Camping."

Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
phone: 307-344-7381
fax: 307-344-2005

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