Yellowstone National Park · Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

Chittenden Road-Mount Washburn Trail

2.5 mi of trail, end to end · about 1,300 ft of climbing · 8,757 ft–10,089 ft · earth surface · trail class Minimally Developed · bike, hiking

8,883 ft 9,926 ft · 2.0 mi high 9,926 ft

Trailhead Chittenden Road Trailhead 8,750 ft Drive there

Chittenden Road - Mount Washburn Trail the Park Service's write-up

3-5 Hours · no dogs · Summer, Fall

Start Canyon Village

Wildflowers bloom in an alpine meadow with mountains in the distance.
Photo: NPS / Addy Falgoust

Starting at the Chittenden Road Trailhead this route provides the shortest route up to Mount Washburn. The road provides for a wide trail and a steady gradual incline. Look for bighorn sheep and wildflowers. Stay on the trail to avoid destroying fragile alpine vegetation. You may encounter bicyclists or service vehicles along this route. At the top, enjoy the view and interpretive exhibits from inside the shelter at the base of the fire lookout.

Safety notes: Be aware of lightning above the treeline. There is no access to water along this trail. Grizzly bears frequent the Mount Washburn area in the fall, seeking out whitebark pine nuts. To help protect yourself and any bears you may encounter , it's important to hike in groups of 3 or more people, make noise, and carry bear spray (and know how to use it). These hikes are not recommended for persons with heart and/or respiratory problems.

Trailheads: Trail starts at parking area on Chittenden Road, 10.3 miles (16.5 km) north of Canyon.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 473 trails in Yellowstone National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.