Mallard Lake Trail

Needing to escape the July madness of Yellowstone, Bill and I searched out a lightly-used hiking trail. Perusing through our hiking guides, I came across the Mallard Lake Trail, a 6-mile round-trip hike that leads out to Mallard Lake and back. The trail head is located near the cabins in the Old Faithful area.

When we arrived at Old Faithful, the famous geyser was about to erupt, and the parking lot looked like a parking lot at a major shopping mall the week before Christmas. I wondered if we had made a mistake in selecting this hike. After finding a parking space, which was a major accomplishment in itself, we started out.

Turns out, the hike was just what the doctor ordered! We saw no one, not one person, on our hike out to the lake. Once we got just a few steps down the trail, it was hard to imagine the chaos we left behind.

This was a very diverse hike. We hiked through forests, open meadows, and rocky areas before reaching our destination: Mallard Lake.

It was a perfect spot to relax and enjoy our lunch of PB&J. On our return hike, we couldn't help but notice the wildflowers. Here is Columbine, one of my favorites.

Hiking is such a great way to get away from the crowds in Yellowstone. Our frame of mind improves dramatically when we spend just a few hours in the backcountry. But wouldn't you know it, we timed our return perfectly...Old Faithful had just erupted, and the masses were now exiting the area. The traffic was horrendous! If any of you has ever attended the July 4th fireworks at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia, you will understand how horrible this traffic was. At least we had a few hours of nature's solitude before facing this madness:


Yes, July is a crazy month in Yellowstone. But, just knowing we can get out on a trail and leave it all behind, helps me to keep my sanity.