Running in Yellowstone

Plenty of bearless trails/fireroads etc. Just check in with the closest ranger station. They will educate you w/ regard to bear activity (if any) near where you want to run. Don't run on the roads and miss out on some of the best trail running there is!!!!!!

I ran there a few years ago and got kinda close (within vision) to some wildlife on the trails, like dear and stuff. Nothing too bad on the trails from what I experienced, but I wouldn't do it again because I could easily imagine turning a corner into a bear or buffalo. And even on the roads - I've seen buffalo herds cross the roads and stop traffic for 20 minutes while some of them rub up against cars. It's pretty awesome. But Yellowstone isn't the best place to run. Definitely speak with a ranger to tell you where you should be okay.

I worked for a summer at Old Faithful a couple years ago and I ran on trails everyday and did not come across a single bear. The later the summer gets the more the bears head to the higher elevation (which is very far away from the trail access points). Grab a trail map and get ready for some spectacular views. All the tourists stay on/near the roads, most trails are practically empty. Best training of my life.

Have run there several times- roads are awful. Find a trail that goes out to some of the backcountry camping sites (probably the best way to experience the park- see the sites during the day, then hike out a few miles and have a quiet, peaceful night alone). Running there is fine, but certainly good to make noise going around corners, preferaby run with another person or two, and avoid trails that are posted with heavy bear activity.

Ran into a grizzly in Glacier doing this (didn't find out until later that the trail was having lots of bear sightings) and while it is now a great memory, it almost scared us shitless at the time- seeing a 500 pound grizzly 10 feet in front of you as you hit the brakes is not a good feeling. Enjoy the trip- we're going in early August.

everton6 wrote:

I'm going to be in Yellowstone for a week at the end of July and wondered if anyone has attempted to run in the park? I can't run on the trails because of bears, and the main roads are quite busy. I'm thinking I'm just going to get up early and try to run on the roads. If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated. Cheers.

Ryan

Hah, stayed there last august in Canyon area for a few days and ran 3 days. First 2 days, I took a flattish trail out to Grebe lake from tower area parking, and i believe that's ~ 6.5 miles of flat trail. 1st day I had to turn around just before Grebe though because the trail was decidedly blocked by bulls.

3rd day I ran Canyon rim along the Seven mile hole trail (http://www.americansouthwest.net/wyoming/yellowstone/seven-mile-hole-trail.html) this is gorgeous and lengthy and beware of the long descent on the way out - you have to climb it back! So worth it, though, and not crowded.

I visited the Park three years ago on a family vacation. I am a chemist, so I thought it would be neat to have the family hike up Bunsen Peak because it was named after the guy who invented the Bunsen burner (and studied thermal activity in Yellowstone). It was a great hike, but I kept thinking that it would be a better run. We made a loop of about 10 miles by going up the summit trail, over the top, down the back side, and then finishing up along a relatively flat trail around the south side of the mountain's base. No need to fear bears , because the terrain is wide open. You should see lots of bisen to the south of the mountain. I did run along the trail next to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone- lots of hikers to scare off bears. Also, there is a 300 meter rubberized track in the town of West Yellowstone is you want to test your speed at 6000+ feet! Good Luck!

Watch out for bears!

where are you going to be? the park is very big.

yellowstone river trail near Gardiner, just outside of the park. on the north side of the bridge outside of gardiner.

near canyon - run the trails that the horse rides go on. lots of horse traffic, nothing to worry about there.

also, there is a dirt road between mammoth and gardiner - but it is along uphill haul.

there is a nice run out to lonestar geyser ~5 miles round trip.

the run around the canyon rim is a good one ... canyon village out to artists point.

Don\'t run on the roads! Most of them have no shoulder, and drivers there are on the lookout for wildlife, not runners.

In most instances, you don\'t have to worry about bears. Leave your Ipod at home and be aware of the environment, and you should be fine.

Here are some trail suggestions around Old Faithful

Old Faithful Geyser Basin

Fairy Falls

Mallard Lake

Lone Star Geyser

All of these are populated enough that you don\'t really have to worry about bears.

Other Parts of the park:

Elephant Back

Purple Mountain

Yellowstone River Trail

I worked out there last summer and it wasn't the best summer for training (I was in the Roosevelt/Tower area...bad roads, many bears and unpleasant hills). As the others have suggested, the Canyon/Old Faithful areas are excellent places to run with some pretty nice trails. Also, if you really want a challenge, there's Mt. Washburn with approximately 2000 ft elevation change. As for roads, there are some good shoulders down in the Old Faithful area...otherwise, it's best to stay off of them (particularly with those damned RVs driving around all day).

When it comes to bears, they really aren't the issue--it's the bison. Steer clear of those beasts.

I have been there at least 10 summers and could not explain how incredible it was. The trails are amazing to put it mildly. The bear fear is over rated. Most of the Griz are well back in the high country. The black bears are no worry as long as you don't get between them and their young. In the 10 summers I was there I saw a few bears but they were never an issue. Get some balls and run the trails. You will not be disappointed unless you are a city boy that can't stand being away from the pavement.

back when I was a retarded druggie deadhead, I smeared raw hamburger on myslef and ran naked through the woods near Garberville, California on a bet with some "friends". I was not attacked by bears, but did get SAVAGED by insects. I ended up at the ER and looked like a mutant. I'm gald Jerry died so I could wake up.