Storm Point

This short 2.5-mile loop hike on the Storm Point Trail begins right in front of Indian Pond on the East Entrance Road of Yellowstone National Park. You can park your car at the pull-out area, and you will see a sign identifying the trailhead. One of the coolest things about this trail is the different surroundings that you’ll find yourself within as you go about your hike.

The first quarter of this hike is spent crossing a meadow, and during our hike, we ran into a few bison grazing the fields. Once you get to the edge of the meadow, the trail will split, which is actually a loop that takes you out to Storm Point and back. We went left at this fork, which took us across a small wooden bridge. Approximately 500 yards after crossing the bridge, your surrounding changes once again as you emerge into a wide open space that takes you to the rocky cliffs of Storm Point.

At Storm Point, you get a gorgeous 290° panoramic view of Yellowstone Lake and its shoreline. Also, remember to keep an eye out when you’re near any of the large clusters of rocks on this trail because we were greeted by a marmot, which came out from underneath some of the rocks just as we were walking past. As you continue along the trail, you will find yourself surrounded once again by the dense pine forest. After approximately 1000 yards, you will reach the fork back at the meadow.

The entire hike has fairly little elevation gain, which makes it a great choice for families with younger children. Along with the combination of wildlife and scenic views, this is a great choice for a warm-up hike at Yellowstone National Park.