Yellowstone National Park · Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

Lava Creek Trail

4.2 mi of trail, end to end · about 250 ft of climbing · 900 ft of descent · 5,759 ft–6,595 ft · earth surface · trail class Minimally Developed · hiking

WaterfallsBackcountry campsPicnic areas

Along the way 1A3 Lava Creek Picnic Area Undine Falls

Trailheads Lava Creek Trailhead 6,563 ft Drive there · Lava Creek Trailhead 5,967 ft Drive there · Lava Creek Trailhead 5,627 ft Drive there

Lava Creek Trail the Park Service's write-up

2-3 Hours · no dogs

Start Mammoth Hot Springs

Trail Alert! The bridge across the Gardner River was washed out in the 2022 flood event and fording is unsafe. The trail is only accessible from the trailhead across the road from the Lava Creek picnic area.

Follow Lava Creek and the Gardner River. Along the way, you can see Undine Falls (60 feet / 18 m) and the confluence of Lava Creek with Gardner River.

Safety notes: Return by the same route (another 4.2 miles), or have a vehicle shuttle arranged.

Trailheads: Across road from Lava Creek picnic area.

Accessibility The first 250 feet of the trail is accessible, with a level surface of hard-packed soil. Beyond, there is a steep grade down to the Gardner River. The southern trailhead is not accessible, due to topography.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

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.