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Fall into the Backcountry

If you ask a local, they’ll tell you fall is their favorite season of the year. The traffic has dwindled and the days get shorter but there’s nothing like aspens reflecting in the water as the sandhill cranes and geese ready themselves to take flight.

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Fall Hiking and Wildlife Viewing at Harriman State Park

Head up to Harriman State Park for the last weeks of access and enjoy the crisp fall foliage with late season hiking, bike riding and horseback riding before seasonal closures begin. winter snow closures begin.

Quaking aspens are prime time for the elk rut viewing in large meadow areas like the Meadow Loop or Big Bend Loop which offer great viewing at dawn and dusk (maintain a safe distance of at least 75 feet). Wildlife observers can also spot moose, bald eagles, and migrating Trumpeter Swans in the area most days.

Harriman State Park lies within an 11,000-acre wildlife refuge in the greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with one of the best fly-fishing streams in the nation, the Henrys Fork meandering for eight miles through its protected wildlands. Providing over 20 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and cross county skiing, park goers can enjoy views of the Tetons, making clear the geology of the caldera and surrounding area.

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Fall Adventure

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Fall Hiking at Henrys Lake State Park

The just a short drive further north, Henrys Lake State Park also boasts gorgeous hiking trails and views of Sawtell Peak. Located just 16 miles from West Yellowstone, it’s easy to squeeze in a hike as part of a larger fall trip. The park’s namesake lake covers 6,000 acres, and is fed by several streams and springs.

Two easy trails to add to any itinerary at Henrys Lake State Park:

Outlet Overlook Trail

The Outlet Overlook Trail is the park’s newest trail, and it showcases stunning views of the outlet. Begin at the Jack Fence Gate and hike up “The Shortcut”—an old road—for 0.3 miles, veering right at the intersection for gorgeous views of the water, sagebrush, aspens, and mountains. The trail rises in elevation slightly for great views overlooking the area. Hikers can either hike the trail as an out-and-back or combine it with part of the Aspen Loop Trail (both options are about 1.6 miles).

Aspen Loop Trail

Hike over rolling hills through quaking aspen, Douglas fir, and lodgepole pine on the Aspen Loop Trail. If you time it just right, a carpet of gorgeous golden fallen leaves will be underfoot as a canopy of autumn hues frames your walk overhead. This trail includes numbered interpretive signposts, so be sure to grab a trail brochure so you can learn about the area and ecosystem as you go. The full loop is around a mile (not including “The Shortcut” spur to reach it), though it can be combined with other trails for a longer hike.