Parka

Yellowstone National Park hiking guide

Heart Lake Trail

A 15.2-mile out-and-back with 1,210 ft of climbing in West Thumb, rated moderate.

Heart Lake Trail, Yellowstone National Park
Photo: YellowstoneNPS

Key facts

Length
15.2 mi (24.4 km)
Elevation gain
1,210 ft (368 m)
Route type
Out and back
Difficulty
Moderate
Area
West Thumb
Highest point
8,148 ft
Lowest point
7,458 ft
Horses
Allowed

About Heart Lake Trail

This trail leads to a large backcountry lake, offering stunning views of Mount Sheridan. It is part of the Heart Lake Bear Management Area and features access to the Heart Lake Geyser Basin. The area is renowned for its hydrothermal features and diverse wildlife.

Route map

Route map of Heart Lake Trail in Yellowstone National Park1 miN
Start and finishNorth is up. Drawn from the route in the Parka app.

This route was checked by Parka editors.

Elevation profile

Elevation profile of Heart Lake Trail7,6007,8008,000051015Distance (miles)Elevation (ft)High 8,148 ftLow 7,458 ft
Elevation runs from 7,458 ft to 8,148 ft over 15.0 miles of mapped route. The profile is sampled from elevation data along the route.

Nearby in West Thumb

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