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PARKS
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Top Ten Yellowstone Hikes for Families |
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By Bryan Oettel |
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Lone Star is a spectacular and easy-to-reach backcountry geyser |
Lone Star Geyser Trail
Old Faithful/Firehole Valley, 4.6 miles round-trip
The trailhead is located just south of Kepler Cascades, a few miles past Old Faithful. This five-mile route is partly paved and level, so mark this as one of the easier trails you will find in the park. Nevertheless, it's a lovely hike that winds along the picturesque Firehole River, with plenty of chances for bison and elk spotting. The reward is one of the more spectacular geysers in the area—Lone Star Geyser, which erupts about every 3 hours; 30-50 foot eruptions emanate from its 12-foot cone, followed by a roaring steam phase.
 GORP Trail Finder: Lone Star Geyser Trail
Artist Paint Pots Trails
Norris area, 1 mile round-trip
There are plenty of long, strenuous hikes to be had in Yellowstone, but if you are looking for something that's easy yet rewarding, try Artist Paint Pots Trail. It's really not much more than a stroll (partly on boardwalk), but this trail winds its way through an unburned lodgepole pine forest in Gibbon Meadows. Keep your eye out for wildflowers and elk. The level path eventually leads to small geysers, hot pools, steam vents, and the main attraction, a colorful mud pot atop Paint Pots Hill. You would be hard-pressed to find a more worthwhile short hike in the whole park.
GORP Trail Finder: Artist Paint Pots
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[from Outside magazine]
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