Hiking to Crevice Lake

Wednesday, May 23, Mike and I hiked to Crevice Lake.  We modified our route while hiking, so although we planned on only walking about 11 miles, we hiked a fraction more than 12.  This was the longest hike I've ever hiked, but I had a lot of fun doing it even though the weather couldn't decide if it was spring, summer, or winter.

We met about 9:00 a.m. at the Super 8 in Gardiner, and then drove to the Blacktail-Deer Creek trail head.  The creek is pretty full now because of the spring runoff, and Blacktail Plateau was very pretty.  We hiked for awhile along that trail through the rolling meadow, passing the intersections for the Blacktail Ponds Trail and Rescue Creek Trail.  Soon we were walking next to the creek itself when it decided to snow.  Being a bit experienced, we both had rain gear, and it wasn't very cold, so we were well dressed for the occasion.

Suddenly we happened upon Hidden Falls.  The falls is next to the trail, but unless you know what you're looking for, you can easily miss this beautiful waterfall.  It's a 20-foot cascade descending at the beginning of an unnamed canyon, which I will refer to as Blacktail Canyon, after the creek that runs through it.  Along the walls around the waterfall is some very pretty light-colored basalt with orange lichen.  Underneath us was basalt as well, but we didn't hike to the other side of the creek to see what it looked like.

Hidden Falls

The basalt at Hidden Falls

Blacktail Creek (also known as Blacktail Deer Creek)

From there, we continued to hike along the upper part of the canyon.  There were times which the canyon was quite deep--maybe even 100-200 feet.  We continued to hike down toward Yellowstone River.  The sun came out and it started getting warm.  Once at the river, we got to the Blacktail Suspension Bridge.  Previously, I've hiked to the suspension bridge along the Hellroaring Creek Trail.  This one is just about as long and is a great part of the trail.

Mike stands on the Blacktail Suspension Bridge.

We had just started hiking through forest, which Mike was glad for because he wanted to be able to see more animals, which might be more visible in a forested area.

Past the suspension bridge, we hiked toward the west along the Yellowstone River Trail to Crevice Lake where he and I had lunch.  We watched a few Barrow's Goldeneye Ducks on the lake.  Sometimes they would go underwater and swim for awhile before they came back up in another spot.  It was apparent that there were definitely fish in this pond.

Crevice Lake

From there we hiked along the Yellowstone River Trail toward Gardiner.  We came upon Crevice Creek (which does not connect to Crevice Lake, by the way).  It was so full of water that it looked like a waterfall itself.

Mike looks at Crevice Creek.

Eventually we got to Knowles Falls.  It probably wouldn't even be considered a waterfall except that it's on the Yellowstone River.  It's a 15-foot cascade that can easily disappear if there is too much water going down the Yellowstone River.  By the time we reached the falls it started raining again.

Knowles Falls

The Black Canyon of the Yellowstone is certainly long, and we hiked a portion of it before we got to some rapids.  By that time, it wasn't raining anymore.  At those rapids was a cave with water dripping down the front of it and ice inside.  The water was rushing pretty fast over there and the sound was very loud.

It wasn't too long before we got to Gardiner.  We picked up his car at the Super 8 and he dropped me off at mine.  Afterward I felt refreshed, and not too tired.

I had a good day.  I enjoy hiking in Yellowstone Park and wish I had more opportunities to do it (and I live here!).  Mike felt like the hike was too open (like the meadows) for his taste, and he didn't get to see a bear.  I grew up in this arid place.  I like all the diversity in landscape that we got to see in 12 miles.  If given the opportunity, I'd enjoy going on this route again someday.

The Yellowstone River Trail at Black Creek; Sepulcher Mountain is in the background.