And the hikes continue

I've been hiking as much as I can in the Gallatin National Forest. It is all mountain hiking around here so it is about hiking up a mountain and then back down. I'm doing longer and longer hikes building up my endurance for a big finale before we leave.

My next hike was up the Watkins Creek trail to Coffin Lake with a side jaunt up the West Fork trail. About 13 miles round trip with about 2600 foot elevation change.

Watkins Creek trail near trail head.
Hebgen Lake in the distance.

Wild flowers

Wild flowers

Coffin Lake

Coffin Lake

Next we went into Yellowstone for a couple of hikes in one day. First we did a short one that was only about 2 miles round trip to Ice Lake and then another 2.25 miles round trip to the Monument Geyser Basin.

The Ice Lake hike was through a burn area and there were no real good views of the lake so it wasn't very interesting.

The Monument Geyser Basin hike was very difficult. It was only a little over a mile one way but most of it was up a very steep trail. The geyser basin isn't all that interesting but the view in the distance was nice.

View from Monument Geyser Basin
looking southeast

Monument Geyser Basin

Monument Geyser Basin

View to north from trail to Monument
Geyser Basin