Backpack the Bechler River Traverse
Backpack the Bechler River Trail
Yellowstone Backpacking Tour
with Yellowstone Hiking Guides
The Bechler River Trail is a Yellowstone Hiking Guides favorite for many reasons. This hike has everything Yellowstone has to offer: from geysers and hot springs, to waterfalls and wildlife. Identify wild berries and sleep under the Rocky Mountain sky on the Continental Divide. Immerse yourself in a backcountry geyser basin and soak in a bubbling hot spring. Spend a week in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park with Yellowstone Hiking Guides. Enjoy a rare wilderness experience in Yellowstone’s Cascade Corner. This is a Rocky Mountain Rainforest Trek.
$1,950 per person
6 Days/5 Nights
30+ miles
6-8 miles per day
1,500-foot gain on hardest day
Group size 4-6
Top-of-the-Line Gear Provided
by Yellowstone Hiking Guides
Itinerary 2023
August 14-19 & August 21-26
Yellowstone National Park’s Backcountry
with Yellowstone Hiking Guides
August 13 & 20, Pre-Trip Meeting:
We meet in West Yellowstone, Montana at 6PM the night prior to trip departure for a pre-trip briefing. We will hand out food bags and gear.
Meeting Location: West Yellowstone, MT 6PM
Lone Star Geyser erupting in the evening
with Yellowstone Hiking Guides
August 14 & 21, Day 1:
We meet at 7:30 AM and drive 1 hour to the Old Faithful area. We begin this Yellowstone hiking trek at the Howard Eaton Trailhead, one mile from Old Faithful. It doesn’t take long to disappear into the endless pines as we hike up over a hill into the Firehole River. We camp next to the river near Lone Star Geyser, which erupts routinely.
Distance: 4 miles
Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone
with Yellowstone Hiking Guides
August 15 & 22, Day 2:
This morning we continue our hike up the Firehole River and over the Continental Divide to the shores of Shoshone Lake. We set up camp on the largest backcountry lake in the Lower 48 and explore the nearby Shoshone Geyser Basin. This a well-known, but rarely visited, backcountry location in Yellowstone.
Distance: 6 miles
River Crossings in Yellowstone’s Cascade Corner
with Yellowstone Hiking Guides
August 16 & 23, Day 3:
After a hot breakfast, we pack up camp and hike up and over the Continental Divide (again) into the Bechler River Canyon. The Bechler is famous for waterfalls and hot springs. We will encounter both throughout the day! We camp with a spectacular view of Albright Falls. This is a layover camp.
Distance: 12 miles
Camping among waterfalls on the Bechler River
with Yellowstone Hiking Guides
August 17 & 24, Day 4:
Today we do not have to pack up camp. Instead, after breakfast, we will day hike back up the Bechler River a short distance to the Ferris Fork. Up the river a little way is Yellowstone’s best backcountry soaking hot spring, Mr. Bubbles. You’ll see why! Don’t forget your suit. Opportunity to hike further up the Ferris Fork for more Yellowstone thermal features.
Distance: 4 miles
On the Trail in Yellowstone
with Yellowstone Hiking Guides
August 18 & 25, Day 5:
Today, we continue this epic trek in the Bechler River canyon past more waterfalls. Tonight we camp at Ouzel Falls, another one of Yellowstone’s famous backcountry waterfalls. This is your last chance to enjoy the waterfalls of the Bechler River canyon.
Distance: 6 miles
Water crossings in Yellowstone’s Cascade Corner
with Yellowstone Hiking Guides
August 19 & 26, Day 6:
Today after breakfast we break camp for the last time on this expedition. Emerge out of the Bechler River canyon into a classic Yellowstone meadow ecosystem with views of the Tetons to the south. You're heading for a hot shower! But first we will ford a slough and finish the hike through the pines. Say good-bye to the backcountry, and the bears, the bugs, and the mud!
Distance: 6 miles