The Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trail is a chance to explore unique and beautiful travertine terraces in Yellowstone National Park.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trail Basics
1 – 2 Hours
2.5 Miles Round Trip
Out-And-Back
383 Feet
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Plan to spend about 1-2 hours in the Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trails.
Distance: 2.5 Miles Roundtrip
Walking the entirety of the Mammoth Hot Springs area is about 2.5 miles.
Type: Out-and-Back Trail
This is a strange trail because there’s a section of it that makes a loop, but overall you walk to the end of the terrace trail and then back to the parking lot.
Elevation Change: 383 Feet
On this trail, you will be walking up and down the lower terraces on a boardwalk with many steps. The 383 feet elevation change is drastic in some areas.
Season: Any
As long as the roads are open, the Mammoth Terraces can be done any time of the year. In general, this part of Yellowstone National Park is open year-round.
Time of Day: Any
Oftentimes the crowds are thinner in the morning or evening making that the best time of the day to visit, but the trail can be walked any time of the day.
Amount of Shade: None
There is almost no shade throughout the entire Mammoth area, including the trails on the terraces.
Difficulty: Moderate
Seeing the thermal features of the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces is a moderate hike, mostly due to the amount of stairs along the boardwalk.
What Makes Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trail a Great Hike?
Both the lower terraces and upper terraces give a unique view of the thermal areas around Mammoth. Most of the features here have hot water spilling over the travertine formations, which is different than the majority of the rest of the park.
The travertine terraces here are formed by calcium carbonate limestone. The water rises up carrying high amounts of calcium carbonate that gets deposited on the surface as carbon dioxide is released, forming a deposition of travertine. Thermophiles, microscopic organisms, live in and near the hydrothermal features and are responsible for the different colors to the terraces.
Scenery on the Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trail
Start of the Trail
The trail starts in the parking lot with a boardwalk to take you to the main terrace area. From here, depending on which lot you parked in, you may see Liberty Cap and Palette Spring. You can also see the colors of the terraces from the parking lot.
On the Trail
While walking along the trail, you will pass many hydrothermal and geological features including:
- Liberty Cap
- Devil’s Thumb
- Palette Spring and Terrace
- Mound Terrace
- Jupiter Terrace
- Minerva Terrace
- Cleopatra Spring
- New Blue Spring
- Canary Spring
- Dryad Spring
- Grassy Spring
It’s not uncommon to see wildlife such as elk, bison, and bears in the area. Watch for them in the surrounding mountains as you walk along the trail.
End of the Trail
The trail ends at the intersection of Grand Loop Road and Upper Terrace Drive. From here, turn around and walk back through the Mammoth Hot Springs Lower Terrace Trail to get back to the parking lot you parked in.
Notable Places on the Hike
All of the features are labeled and marked so you know what you are looking at as you walk along the path.
Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trailhead Information
Park Name: Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the United States and is located mostly in Wyoming with a small portion in Idaho and Montana. Due to the size of the park, there are many ways to get to the area, including a flight to Bozeman or Billings in Montana or Jackson Hole in Wyoming. Mammoth Hot Springs is closest to the North Entrance from Gardiner, Montana, after passing through the Roosevelt Arch.
Finding the Trailhead
From the North Trailhead parking, the trail starts near the southern end of the parking lot. The trailhead starts near the middle of the western side of the Middle Trailhead lot. And from the South Trailhead lot, the trail starts near the north end. In the summer season especially, just follow the crowd of people!
Markers Along the Trail
All throughout the trail, there are interpretive signs that explain the science behind the thermal features of the Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trail as well as the names of each of the features.
Nearest Restrooms
The nearest restrooms are the Mammoth Hot Springs Restrooms north of the terrace trails and just south of the Mammoth Hot Springs Gas Station and General Store.
Parking Area
There are multiple parking lots that you can use to see these Mammoth features. I like to use the North Trailhead parking lot because puts you right at Liberty Cap and you can also take the short trail to Palette Spring. Otherwise, the Middle Trailhead and South Trailhead parking lots are closer to most of the thermal features.
Other Trails at this Trailhead
- YCC Trail
- Palette Hot Spring Trail
- Spelucher Mountain Trail
- Opal Terrace Trail
- Howard-Eaton Trail
Tips for Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trail
- While here, make sure to visit some of the historical buildings in the area such as Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Frontier Cabins, the Albright Visitor Center and Gift Shop, the Post Office, and the General Store.
- To get the best view of the springs, and make sure you are there without many visitors, consider staying at the Mammoth Hotel which offers rooms with queen beds, a king bed, and suites.
- Before leaving the area, take a drive on Upper Terrace Scenic Drive for a different view of the terraces and a closer look towards the summit of Terrace Mountain.
Accessibility Information for Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trail
Boardwalk
with Stairs
Paved
Trail Type: Boardwalk with Stairs
The trail is a boardwalk trail, but it has quite a few stairs and steep sections. there are a few handicap-accessible areas such as the short spur trail to Palette Spring, a small portion of the Lower Terrace Trail, and the Canary Spring boardwalk with a view of the top of the terraces.
Parking: Paved
All of the parking lots in the Mammoth area are paved with multiple handicap-accessible parking spots.