The following tour suggestion comes from Cathy Shill, owner of Hole Hike Experience, a great local company specialized in guided natural history tours around the region.
Fall Tour Suggestion: Boiling River in Yellowstone
A fall favorite of mine is a visit to the Boiling River in Yellowstone. It is a natural hot springs where the hot boiling river from the Mammoth Terraces mixes with the Gardiner River. You relax and soak where the hot and cold waters meet. It is very refreshing and natural with the feeling of touching the center of the earth. Yellowstone is geologically active with the hot spot beneath it so you are soaking in waters heated deep within the earth. It is wonderful.
To reach this special spot, you drive out of Mammoth towards Gardiner, MT. As you leave the town, you wind down near employee housing, as the road turns north look for your next pull out on the right. It is a parking area with an informational sign about the hot water. You walk down the path along the Gardiner River and you can’t miss the hot water seeping out of the earth, the alluring steam, or the happy faces of fellow soakers. All you need are river shoes, bathing suit and towel. It’s a bit slippery when you climb in but there is plenty of space. This is a great fall adventure since the water is too high in the spring to enjoy safely. Have fun and listen for the elk bugle while travelling through the park.
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