North Rim Trail
| Trail Features: | Outstanding Views, Waterfalls |  |
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| Trail Location: | Canyon Village | ||||
| Roundtrip Length: | 8.2 Miles | ||||
| Trailhead Elevation: | 7740 Feet | ||||
| Total Elevation Gain: | 1495 Feet | ||||
| Avg. Elev Gain / Mile: | 365 Feet | ||||
| Highest Elevation: | 7865 Feet | ||||
| Trail Difficulty Rating: | 11.19 (strenuous) | ||||
| Parking Lot Latitude | 44.70804 | ||||
| Parking Lot Longitude | -110.50118 | ||||
Trail Description:
Why hike the North Rim Trail when you can drive to most of the scenic overlooks along the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone? In my view, the slower pace of hiking allows you to immerse yourself in all the majestic views the canyon has to offer. It also allows you to see sights you may not see in your car, such as Crystal Falls dropping towards the Yellowstone River above the Lower Falls, or the two moose we spotted meandering near the trail between Grand View and Inspiration Point. Moreover, I would argue, it’s more convenient to make one continuous hike instead of getting in and out of your car and worrying about parking at each overlook.
This hike description assumes an out and back hike of 8.2 miles. If you have two vehicles in your party you could make this a one-way hike, ending at Inspiration Point, which would make this a 4.8-mile hike that includes all of the side trails into the canyon.
The hike along the North Rim Trail begins from the Wapiti Lake Trailhead, located on South Rim Drive just east of the Chittenden Bridge spanning across the Yellowstone River. Look for a paved path on the west side of the parking lot which leads down to the road. After crossing over to the west side of the Chittenden Bridge look for an old gated road immediately past the bridge. The North Rim Trail begins by following along this road.
At roughly one-half mile from the trailhead hikers will arrive at the short side trail that leads down to the Brink of the Upper Falls. This perch offers hikers a chance to see, hear and feel the Yellowstone River as it plunges 109 feet over the edge of a precipice. After soaking in the scenery here the hike continues by following the old road north to reach the overlook parking area. Hikers should proceed by walking through this lot. A short distance beyond the parking area a footpath will branch off to the right to continue along the rim of the canyon. After walking a couple hundred feet the trail reaches the viewing point for Crystal Falls, a spectacular waterfall that drops 129 feet.
At 1.3 miles hikers will arrive at the steep side trail that leads down to the Brink of the Lower Falls. Though only three-tenths of a mile in length, the trail plunges roughly 600 feet to reach this dramatic vantage point. The platform just above the falls offers one of the most spectacular views in the entire park. In addition to an up-close view of the Yellowstone River plunging 308 feet into the canyon, the platform also provides a stunning panorama of the canyon itself.
After soaking in the magnificent scenery simply retrace your steps back up to the rim, and then turn towards the right to pass through the parking area to continue towards Lookout Point.
At 2.6 miles hikers will reach the side trail that leads to Lookout Point and Red Rock Point. Though Lookout Point is much easier to reach, I highly recommend traveling down to Red Rock Point for arguably the finest views of Lower Yellowstone Falls. Like the previous side trail, the Red Rock Point Trail drops roughly 500 feet in just under four-tenths of a mile. After descending along a series of switchbacks, the lower portions of the route descend along a series of wooden steps and boardwalks.
As you proceed along the rim you may want to keep an eye out for ospreys and their nests atop the hoodoos and pinnacles in the upper reaches of the canyon.
At 3.5 miles hikers will arrive at Grand View, which offers sweeping views of the lower canyon. In all, the canyon stretches for roughly 24 miles, is nearly 1200 feet deep in some areas, and has a width of 1500 to 4000 feet. The colorful canyon walls are mostly made of rhyolite, altered rhyolite and tuff.
The last segment of the hike, from Grand View to Inspiration Point, is the most quiet and least traveled section of the trail, mainly due to its distance from the road. Many portions of this segment travel through the forest. It was here that we quite unexpectedly ran into two moose passing through the area.
At 4.8 miles hikers will finally reach Inspiration Point, another vantage point that offers panoramic views of the lower canyon. The park website notes that “The original Inspiration Point overlook tumbled into the Canyon during an earthquake in the 1970s. Recently, because of unsafe conditions, the walkway has been shortened once more.” From here the Yellowstone River continues to run freely on a northeasterly course. Overall, it flows 671 miles before emptying into the Missouri River in North Dakota, making it the longest free-flowing river in the lower 48.
Depending on your situation, Inspiration Point is either the end of your hike, or the spot where you turnaround and return back to the Wapiti Lake Trailhead. Assuming you won’t be taking any of the side trails down into the canyon again; the return trip travels roughly 3.35 miles back to the trailhead.
Additional Resources:
* Yellowstone National Park website
* Trail Map (trails are not included on the official park map)
* Lonely Planet Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks