The Hellroaring Creek trail starts at an inconspicuous turnoff between the Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction areas. It gets relatively little traffic, but a short and steep hike gets some remarkable views. From the trailhead you start down into the valley of the Yellowstone River.

Drizzly, but actually spectacular day

After a series of switchbacks, you come to the gorge of the Yellowstone River. It’s narrow, steep-sided, and the water rushes through it.

It’s loud, too.

You’d have no way of crossing it, but fortunately there’s a sturdy suspension bridge. There are signs saying how many cattle can be on the bridge at once (eight, I think), and there are droppings to prove that large creatures do use the bridge.

I’ll spare you the droppings.

Frankly, the gorge and the bridge are the highlights of the hike. This is the same Yellowstone River that forms the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone a few miles away.

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Everybody takes this picture.

After the bridge, there is a large prairie with views for miles and miles.

Walking across the prairie for about a mile brings you to Hellroaring Creek.

Pretty, but the Yellowstone is more “hellroaring”.

We turn around and head back to the trailhead. Unfortunately, we discover that a prairie is a poor place to be if it starts to rain heavily.

One more view of the Yellowstone.

Anyway, a very nice hike. About 4 miles roundtrip, with a climb of about a thousand feet. Away from the crowds.