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- Dec 23, 2013
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On August 30th, a group of four of us which included a forum poster @Joey , began an eight day backpacking trip into Yellowstone National Park. We started by hiking into Ribbon Lake on the first night, on the second night we camped at Moss Creek before moving on day three to Wapiti Lake. We stayed at Wapiti for two nights with an off-trail hike to the Hot Spring Basin Group which is located a few miles north of Wapiti Lake. Day five took us to our campsite on Broad Creek where again we camped for two nights. The second day on Broad Creek took us on a day hike to explore the White Lake / Tern Lake area of the Park. Day seven was a bushwhack down Sour Creek to Wrangler Lake. On day eight we completed the loop, hiking from Wrangler Lake back to the trailhead. Total mileage, including day hikes, was approximately 53 miles.
Day 1 – Wapiti Lake Trailhead to campsite 4R2 on Ribbon Lake (3.3 miles)
We reached the Wapiti Lake Trailhead at approximately 11:00 am to pouring rain. After waiting about fifteen minutes, we agreed to head back to the Canyon Village lounge to wait out the storm. At 2:30 in the afternoon we were staring out the window to a rain/snow mix. My morale for the trip was beginning to sink a bit as I really didn’t want to start the trip in a hard rain. At 3:30 the intensity of the rain slowed dramatically and we decided to go for it and drove back to the trailhead. By the time we got all our gear organized and ready if was 4:00 pm and the rain had stopped. We hiked on a muddy trail, passing Clear Lake, a thermal area just east of the lake and a glimpse down into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone before reaching Ribbon Lake. It took us an hour and a half to reach Ribbon Lake and once there we hurriedly set up camp and started dinner. About fifteen minutes into dinner, the sky cut loose again and it would rain hard until 11:00 am the next morning.
My partners in crime
Clear Lake
Ribbon Lake
Day 2 – campsite 4R2 on Ribbon Lake to campsite 4M2 on Moss Creek (6.2 miles)
We didn’t emerge from our tents until 11:00 in the morning when the rain finally let up. We ate breakfast then broke down a wet camp before hitting the trail around 1:00 pm. We hike in light rain a good portion of the way to Moss Creek. After my last trip a couple of weeks earlier across the Pitchstone Plateau with consecutive days of endless rain, I begin to wonder if I’m cursed this summer when it comes to the weather. We trudge on and finally make it to 4M2 on Moss Creek. To our surprise, the campsite is occupied with six people from Kansas City, who were supposed to move on to the campsite a Joseph Coat Springs but did not due to the weather. In Yellowstone, there are only a couple of sites where they let multiple parties stay together overnight and 4M2 was not one of those sites. The folks from KC were nice enough though and they shared their fire and grain alcohol with us. Early in the night, it began to rain hard again and would not let up until around six in the morning.
On the trail to Moss Creek
Day 3 – campsite 4M2 on Moss Creek to campsite 4W2 on Wapiti Lake (8.0 miles)
After the rain stopped in the morning, it remained overcast for the first part of the day but the rain held off as we hiked towards Wapiti Lake. I enjoy the hike today to Wapiti, we start off hiking through the lodgepole forest before breaking out of the trees and catching a glimpse of the Absarokas to the east before beginning to drop down to Broad Creek and its lovely meadows. We reach Broad Creek and have our first ford of the trip. The ford is only knee deep and we take our time putting our boots back on on the north side of the creek because the sun has popped out. At this point it is only a couple of miles to Wapiti and we hurry to get to camp. Campsite 4W2 is a wonderful site located on a small peninsula that juts out into north side of the lake. We set up our camp and grab a bite to eat before it gets dark. A bull moose beds down just to the north of our campsite and we will share the lake with him for two days.
View before dropping down to Broad Creek
Wapiti Lake
Day 4 – Day hike from campsite 4W2 on Wapiti Lake to the Hot Spring Basin Group (approximately 8 miles)
Today we follow Shallow Creek north to the Hot Spring Basin Group which is a large thermal area that includes numerous hot springs, mud pots and Fumaroles, of various sizes and shapes. On our way to the Group, we find a bison skull next to Shallow Creek. We spend the whole day exploring the area and on our way back to camp we cross a set of bear track along Shallow Creek that were not there when we hiked in. Back at camp, the moose is grazing along the northwest end of the lake. I could watch him all night, but I eat dinner and then call it a day.
Shallow Creek
Mud pots in the Hot Spring Basin Group
Bear track in the gravel along Shallow Creek
Day 5 – from campsite 4W2 on Wapiti Lake to campsite 5B1 on Broad Creek (3 miles)
This is an easy day, essentially following Broad Creek most of the way to campsite 5B1. At the campsite, we have to ford Broad Creek for the second time. After setting up camp, I walked to the meadows north of our tent sites and sit down to watch the wind moving through the long grasses of the meadows and hillsides that surround Broad Creek. I spend a couple of hours just enjoying the silence and remoteness of the area before heading back to camp for dinner.
Broad Creek and meadows
Day 6 – a day hike from campsite 5B1 to White Lake and back (9 miles)
We woke up to frozen water bottles this morning. My thermometer says 27 degrees, and there is frost on the meadows. We eat breakfast and are off, hiking south to White Lake along the Astringent Creek Trail. Once the trail begins to leave Broad Creek, it is time to off-trail hike to White Lake to the west. We find a location where wildlife have been fording Broad Creek and decide this is where we will. The water is very dark, full of organic matter, and it is hard to judge how deep the crossing will be. We all cross without incident and proceed up a small hill that overlooks White Lake. We drop down to the lake and hike up the east side. There are a lot of bones along the shoreline of the lake and the sun has gone behind a cloud that keeps us in the shade for most of our time on the lake. Because of the bones and the chill in the air, this lake has a rather eerie feeling to it. We stop along the north side and eat a late lunch. There is an Island on the north side of the lake that has at least two elk on it. I wonder what made them cross the water to the island, wolves perhaps. After finishing lunch, we head to an unnamed pond between White Lake and Tern Lake. We then hiked to Tern Lake where we followed the western and northern shores. We saw Pelicans, ducks and swans on Tern Lake. After hiking along the north side of the lake we had to ford Broad Creek once again. This crossing turned out to be waste deep through black mucky water. After crossing, we hop back on the Astringent Creek Trail and head back to camp. We eat and turn in early for our big day tomorrow.
White Lake
Day 7 – campsite 5B1 on Broad Creek to campsite 4W1 on Wrangler Lake, off-trail along Sour Creek (approximately 11.5 miles)
Another frozen morning! I set out ahead of the rest of the group this morning. I ford Broad Creek, leaving my Tevas on as I hike down the trail another ten minutes before fording it again. My feet are frozen and I search out a patch of sunlight to help me warm up as I dry my feet and put my socks and boots back on. The rest of the group catches up to me and we make our way to Fern Lake. After stopping to take a few pictures of the lake, we follow the trail for another half mile to the headwaters of Sour Creek. At this point we begin our off-trail portion of the day. The meadows along the headwaters are gorgeous and there are a few lone bull bison that we have to maneuver around. We pass through an area with a bunch of thermal features collectively known as Ponuntpa Springs. After leaving the springs, we head into the trees where we are able to pick up a game trail that we follow for a bit. Eventually the trail heads into a burn area on the north side of Sour Creek where it becomes virtually impossible to follow. We cross the creek to stay out of the burn but it eventually overtakes us on the south side of the creek. At this point the going gets awfully slow. We proceed through the burn trying to choose the path of least resistance. Occasionally this puts us down by the creek, while at other times we would have to gain the ridge above the creek, all the time climbing up and over endless downfall. Open areas soon became extremely marshy and difficult to traverse. Some missteps put us up to our waists in water and mud. There were large mossy areas that were very spongy. It felt like you were trying to run through very deep, soft sand for extended periods of time. All in all, it took us 10.5 hours to hike the 11.5 miles to Wrangler Lake. We had wanted to investigate Dewdrop Lake and the area around Bog Creek but just flat ran out of time. We were worn out by the time we reached Wrangler Lake but thankful that we reached it just before dark. We ended up crossing Sour Creek seventeen times along the way.
Sour Creek
Sour Creek
Wrangler Lake
Day 8 – campsite 4W1 on Wrangler Lake to the Wapiti Lake Trailhead (4 miles)
We slept in on our last day before starting back to the trailhead. We had to ford Sour Creek one last time and ran into many bison on the way out.
Bison along the Wrangler Lake Trail
Thoughts - Another great trip. A pretty easy backpacking trip except for the day down Sour Creek. Wildlife seen included : elk, deer, moose, bison, pelicans, swans, hawks, eagle, geese, osprey, sandhill cranes, ducks. The Hot Spring Basin Group is definitely worth seeing.
To those who want to see all my images, here is the link
Wapiti Lake / Sour Creek Images
Enjoy.
Featured image for home page:
Day 1 – Wapiti Lake Trailhead to campsite 4R2 on Ribbon Lake (3.3 miles)
We reached the Wapiti Lake Trailhead at approximately 11:00 am to pouring rain. After waiting about fifteen minutes, we agreed to head back to the Canyon Village lounge to wait out the storm. At 2:30 in the afternoon we were staring out the window to a rain/snow mix. My morale for the trip was beginning to sink a bit as I really didn’t want to start the trip in a hard rain. At 3:30 the intensity of the rain slowed dramatically and we decided to go for it and drove back to the trailhead. By the time we got all our gear organized and ready if was 4:00 pm and the rain had stopped. We hiked on a muddy trail, passing Clear Lake, a thermal area just east of the lake and a glimpse down into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone before reaching Ribbon Lake. It took us an hour and a half to reach Ribbon Lake and once there we hurriedly set up camp and started dinner. About fifteen minutes into dinner, the sky cut loose again and it would rain hard until 11:00 am the next morning.
My partners in crimeClear Lake Ribbon LakeDay 2 – campsite 4R2 on Ribbon Lake to campsite 4M2 on Moss Creek (6.2 miles)
We didn’t emerge from our tents until 11:00 in the morning when the rain finally let up. We ate breakfast then broke down a wet camp before hitting the trail around 1:00 pm. We hike in light rain a good portion of the way to Moss Creek. After my last trip a couple of weeks earlier across the Pitchstone Plateau with consecutive days of endless rain, I begin to wonder if I’m cursed this summer when it comes to the weather. We trudge on and finally make it to 4M2 on Moss Creek. To our surprise, the campsite is occupied with six people from Kansas City, who were supposed to move on to the campsite a Joseph Coat Springs but did not due to the weather. In Yellowstone, there are only a couple of sites where they let multiple parties stay together overnight and 4M2 was not one of those sites. The folks from KC were nice enough though and they shared their fire and grain alcohol with us. Early in the night, it began to rain hard again and would not let up until around six in the morning.
On the trail to Moss CreekDay 3 – campsite 4M2 on Moss Creek to campsite 4W2 on Wapiti Lake (8.0 miles)
After the rain stopped in the morning, it remained overcast for the first part of the day but the rain held off as we hiked towards Wapiti Lake. I enjoy the hike today to Wapiti, we start off hiking through the lodgepole forest before breaking out of the trees and catching a glimpse of the Absarokas to the east before beginning to drop down to Broad Creek and its lovely meadows. We reach Broad Creek and have our first ford of the trip. The ford is only knee deep and we take our time putting our boots back on on the north side of the creek because the sun has popped out. At this point it is only a couple of miles to Wapiti and we hurry to get to camp. Campsite 4W2 is a wonderful site located on a small peninsula that juts out into north side of the lake. We set up our camp and grab a bite to eat before it gets dark. A bull moose beds down just to the north of our campsite and we will share the lake with him for two days.
View before dropping down to Broad CreekWapiti LakeDay 4 – Day hike from campsite 4W2 on Wapiti Lake to the Hot Spring Basin Group (approximately 8 miles)
Today we follow Shallow Creek north to the Hot Spring Basin Group which is a large thermal area that includes numerous hot springs, mud pots and Fumaroles, of various sizes and shapes. On our way to the Group, we find a bison skull next to Shallow Creek. We spend the whole day exploring the area and on our way back to camp we cross a set of bear track along Shallow Creek that were not there when we hiked in. Back at camp, the moose is grazing along the northwest end of the lake. I could watch him all night, but I eat dinner and then call it a day.
Shallow CreekMud pots in the Hot Spring Basin GroupBear track in the gravel along Shallow Creek
Day 5 – from campsite 4W2 on Wapiti Lake to campsite 5B1 on Broad Creek (3 miles)
This is an easy day, essentially following Broad Creek most of the way to campsite 5B1. At the campsite, we have to ford Broad Creek for the second time. After setting up camp, I walked to the meadows north of our tent sites and sit down to watch the wind moving through the long grasses of the meadows and hillsides that surround Broad Creek. I spend a couple of hours just enjoying the silence and remoteness of the area before heading back to camp for dinner.
Broad Creek and meadowsDay 6 – a day hike from campsite 5B1 to White Lake and back (9 miles)
We woke up to frozen water bottles this morning. My thermometer says 27 degrees, and there is frost on the meadows. We eat breakfast and are off, hiking south to White Lake along the Astringent Creek Trail. Once the trail begins to leave Broad Creek, it is time to off-trail hike to White Lake to the west. We find a location where wildlife have been fording Broad Creek and decide this is where we will. The water is very dark, full of organic matter, and it is hard to judge how deep the crossing will be. We all cross without incident and proceed up a small hill that overlooks White Lake. We drop down to the lake and hike up the east side. There are a lot of bones along the shoreline of the lake and the sun has gone behind a cloud that keeps us in the shade for most of our time on the lake. Because of the bones and the chill in the air, this lake has a rather eerie feeling to it. We stop along the north side and eat a late lunch. There is an Island on the north side of the lake that has at least two elk on it. I wonder what made them cross the water to the island, wolves perhaps. After finishing lunch, we head to an unnamed pond between White Lake and Tern Lake. We then hiked to Tern Lake where we followed the western and northern shores. We saw Pelicans, ducks and swans on Tern Lake. After hiking along the north side of the lake we had to ford Broad Creek once again. This crossing turned out to be waste deep through black mucky water. After crossing, we hop back on the Astringent Creek Trail and head back to camp. We eat and turn in early for our big day tomorrow.
White LakeDay 7 – campsite 5B1 on Broad Creek to campsite 4W1 on Wrangler Lake, off-trail along Sour Creek (approximately 11.5 miles)
Another frozen morning! I set out ahead of the rest of the group this morning. I ford Broad Creek, leaving my Tevas on as I hike down the trail another ten minutes before fording it again. My feet are frozen and I search out a patch of sunlight to help me warm up as I dry my feet and put my socks and boots back on. The rest of the group catches up to me and we make our way to Fern Lake. After stopping to take a few pictures of the lake, we follow the trail for another half mile to the headwaters of Sour Creek. At this point we begin our off-trail portion of the day. The meadows along the headwaters are gorgeous and there are a few lone bull bison that we have to maneuver around. We pass through an area with a bunch of thermal features collectively known as Ponuntpa Springs. After leaving the springs, we head into the trees where we are able to pick up a game trail that we follow for a bit. Eventually the trail heads into a burn area on the north side of Sour Creek where it becomes virtually impossible to follow. We cross the creek to stay out of the burn but it eventually overtakes us on the south side of the creek. At this point the going gets awfully slow. We proceed through the burn trying to choose the path of least resistance. Occasionally this puts us down by the creek, while at other times we would have to gain the ridge above the creek, all the time climbing up and over endless downfall. Open areas soon became extremely marshy and difficult to traverse. Some missteps put us up to our waists in water and mud. There were large mossy areas that were very spongy. It felt like you were trying to run through very deep, soft sand for extended periods of time. All in all, it took us 10.5 hours to hike the 11.5 miles to Wrangler Lake. We had wanted to investigate Dewdrop Lake and the area around Bog Creek but just flat ran out of time. We were worn out by the time we reached Wrangler Lake but thankful that we reached it just before dark. We ended up crossing Sour Creek seventeen times along the way.
Sour CreekSour CreekWrangler Lake Day 8 – campsite 4W1 on Wrangler Lake to the Wapiti Lake Trailhead (4 miles)
We slept in on our last day before starting back to the trailhead. We had to ford Sour Creek one last time and ran into many bison on the way out.
Bison along the Wrangler Lake TrailThoughts - Another great trip. A pretty easy backpacking trip except for the day down Sour Creek. Wildlife seen included : elk, deer, moose, bison, pelicans, swans, hawks, eagle, geese, osprey, sandhill cranes, ducks. The Hot Spring Basin Group is definitely worth seeing.
To those who want to see all my images, here is the link
Wapiti Lake / Sour Creek Images
Enjoy.
Featured image for home page:
We didn't hike all the way to the Yellowstone along Sour Creek. We turned up a drainage and came up along the backside of Wrangler Lake, then hiked out on the normal trail the next day.
