GUIDE TO THE
CANYON AREA
15¢
This leaflet has been produced toincrease your enjoyment of YellowstoneNational Park by the YellowstoneLibrary and Museum Associationin cooperation with the NationalPark Service. U. S. Department ofthe Interior
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There are miles of trails in the Canyon area.Many are well traveled, short and paved; othersare maintained and marked, but not paved.
The elevation of the Canyon rim is about 8000feet, which makes even the short walks surprisinglystrenuous for many people. Take your time, andwear good walking shoes or boots. At times it iswise to carry raingear. On the longer trails youmay want to carry water and a lunch, or whateverfood you think necessary.
As you travel, to avoid accidents, watch yourfooting and please stay on the trails. Climbinginto the Canyon off the established trails is bothdangerous and prohibited by law. Due to thesteepness of the Canyon walls many trails havebeen constructed in switchback (“zigzag”) fashion.It is dangerous to cut across switchbacks. Youcan easily slip and fall and you might knock rocksdown on someone below you. You would also causeugly and unnatural erosion of the walls.
Do not throw anything into the canyon. Rocksand other hard objects might injure someone belowyou. Litter is unsightly. Removing litter from theCanyon is a dangerous and expensive job. Pleasehelp us keep the area clean.
If you plan to hike overnight in the backcountrybe sure to pick up a backcountry permit at the RangerStation. While there you can also obtain thelatest trail information and advice regarding theadequacy of your equipment for the trip. For longertrips you should purchase a USGS topographic mapof the park. These are available at any VisitorCenter. Permits should be obtained before 5 p.m.
Most trails in Yellowstone are marked withorange or yellow metal tags tacked to trees orposts. In wooded sections the tags are fairlysmall (about 3×5 inches); in meadows they arelarger (about 8 inches square).
Please STAY ON THE TRAILS. Getting lostin Yellowstone is no laughing matter.
The Canyon area, like all of Yellowstone, isgrizzly bear country. The backcountry traveler alwaysruns some risk of an encounter with a bear.To reduce this risk, make noise as you hikethrough areas where you might accidentally startlea bear. Whistle, or attach a bell to your pack.
In season, guided horseback trips are regularlytaken on some of the Canyon area trails. In additionthere are many pleasant half day and full dayrides that can be arranged. The saddle horse concessionis located 1½ miles south of CanyonJunction on the Lake-Canyon road. Should youwish to bring in your own stock you should writethe Chief Ranger well in advance of your trip forparticulars. If you intend to keep your animalsovernight in any of the developed areas they mustbe boarded at the horse concession since thereare no combined facilities for grazing and camping.
On the road in Yellowstone you are on thethreshold to wilderness. Plan your off-the-road,wilderness trips with care. Savor the best that yourNational Park has to offer—its