I will be visiting a friend in Yellowstone for a few days in late August. This will be my first time there as an adult (I was there when I was 5 on a family trip). Anyone have favorite day hikes or not-to-be-missed sights there to recommend? Logistics of planning an overnight backpack will just be too complicated, unfortunately.

Another friend highly recommended doing at least a day in the Grand Teton park; how far away (in hours) is that and what would be a good day hike there if I only could pick one day's worth?

Edited by dkramalc on 07/26/2012 18:15:46 MDT.

In the Tetons There are great hikes from Jenny Lake.

What are you interested in? If you can say more about that, it would help tailor recommendations. Wildlife? Particular animals? Wildflowers? Landscape/scenery? Waterfalls? Thermal features? Fishing?

D K,

Some suggestions:

Slough Creek - easy hike, great scenery, world class fishery

Mt. Washburn - easy day hike, spectacular views all the way to the Tetons.

Various day hikes from the top of the Jackson Hole tram (Saves climbing 4000 feet)

Dunanda/Silver Scarf Falls - long day hike (easy overnighter), wonderful soaking pools, beautiful area of the park. Long drive to the trailhead though.

Scenery and wildlife, particularly larger animals, I'd say.

Do Slough Creek. Good chance of a wolf and a griz

Thanks for all the suggestions!

You may also like walking up the Lamar River beginning from where Soda Butte Creek flows into the river. That's a little bit less of a fishing mecca than Slough Creek, so you might see fewer hikers, if you care about that.

You can do day hikes in the Lamar Valley or up in the Soda Butte Creek valley also. It's enjoyable walking in those areas and I've seen wolves and bears as well as lots of bison and elk, of course.

If you do hike Slough Creek, after you get over the hill and drop into the first meadow, make sure you go over and have a look at the creek up close, I think you'll like seeing all the fish there even if you aren't a fisherman. There's another big meadow a few miles above the first one, but going to the second meadow would be a long day hike.

Edited by djpfive on 07/30/2012 14:34:09 MDT.

At Washburn, there are really some nice views. I also saw a griz and walked right through a herd of sheep butting heads.

I really liked the grand canyon of Yellowstone too. Nice falls and canyon buts lots of people there.

If you've never been to the Tetons, you should not miss them. Lots of moose there too. Not sure how much time you have though.

Edited by alexdrewreed on 07/30/2012 14:49:33 MDT.