A Hike Down Firehole Meadows Trail in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park holds a special place in my heart. I spent a summer cleaning cabins at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. I've also visited the park two other times to hike. Like many popular national parks, Yellowstone is crazy busy during the summer. Don't let this deter you from making the trip. Most people stick to the main attractions and maybe the first mile or two of hiking trails. If you can get past that, you will find yourself alone in some of the most beautiful and awestriking wilderness in America.

Yellowstone National Park is jam-packed full of trails just waiting to be explored. The scenery within in the park is so diverse you could cater your travels around whatever you want whether it's mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, wildflowers, wildlife, or thermal activity. Yellowstone truly has it all. There are websites and guidebooks that can help you find the right trail. You could also go the local ranger station and see what they recommend. If you plan on camping overnight in the backcountry, make sure you get a permit in advance.

During my last trip to Yellowstone, my husband and I hiked the Firehole Meadows trail after spending the night at a campground near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The first part of the trail offered a gorgeous view of some falls, so there was quite a bit of traffic. As we hiked on, the crowd became nonexistant and we found ourselves alone in the forests with a breathtaking view of the park and the surrounding areas. The trail made its way deeper into the forests and we passed ponds and wildflowers patches. One thing I really enjoyed about this trail was the balance of elevation changes. I love climbing mountains, but it's also nice to hike trails that are not so gruesomely straight up. The end of the trail takes down you down into a breathtaking meadow with a quiet winding stream meandering through it. This is a great spot to get water. Make sure as always you treat it before drinking.

We camped in a little grove of trees a good distance from the water. Camping too close to water is not allowed at many parks. In Yellowstone, there are designated camping areas. We got our spot from the rangers at the park station. Despite being August, it got pretty cold that night.

It's always important to stay on designated trails when hiking in the backcountry. In Yellowstone this is especially the case. Thermal activity is what the park is known for. The last thing you want is for your last experience on Earth to be the discovery of a new hot spot or geyser. Also, take care when you are driving around the park. There is wildlife everywhere. Hitting a bison or elk will do serious damage to the animal and your vehicle. Remember that the wildlife is wild. A bison is not the backdrop you want for your child's Yellowstone picture.