A Day In Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley
If you want to enjoy Yellowstone National Park with less crowds and an incredibly high probability of seeing wildlife, spend at least one day exploring Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley and the nearby Beartooth Highway which has amazing mountain views and alpine hiking trails.
Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley has been called the “Serengeti of North America” due to the numerous herds of elk and bison, pronghorn antelope, big horn sheep, mountain goats, grizzly bears, and wolves. You are practically guaranteed to see wildlife here!
For a 5 day itinerary with day-by-day plans, see our blog Family Vacation In Yellowstone- A 5 Day Itinerary.
Heads Up: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we may get a commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you. We don’t do sponsored posts or accept items for reviews. We only link to things we like and use personally. Read more about our philosophy.
What To See In Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley
You could easily spend several days in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley. Wildlife watching, hiking, scenic drives, playing or fishing in Soda Butte Creek. It’s simply a beautiful area of Yellowstone.
Best Time To Visit Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley To View Wildlife
If you can, head out early to the Lamar Valley. Early morning (between 6am-10am) and evening hours are your best times to see wildlife, but it’s also largely a matter of luck.
If you rise early, you’ll have a much better chance of spotting wolves or grizzlies. However, you are pretty much guaranteed to see bison.
When we visited, we could hear the wolves howling and enjoyed watching a grizzly bear in the distance. Remember to bring your binoculars!
Pack snacks and head out early, just after sunrise, to hang out for an hour or so at one of the Lamar Valley pullouts. Look for one with cars already parked–it will indicate that the devoted wolf watchers are there and looking.
These avid wolf watchers are also fun to watch….Some of them will even share their spotting scope with you when they see something of interest.
The Best Wildlife Viewing Areas In Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley
You’ll find several turnouts along the Lamar Valley Road that provide goods spots to park, exit your car, and look for wildlife. Pullouts can be found anywhere from the Yellowstone Picnic area, past Slough Creek, and towards Soda Butte.
We like to bring our camp chairs, some yummy snacks, and our binoculars and park at one of the pullouts for an hour or so. You can experience so much more when you get out of the car.
Easy Hikes in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley
Trout Lake
If you are looking for a good family hike in the Lamar Valley, we really enjoyed this short, easy hike to Trout Lake. It starts out steep but don’t let that deter you as it flattens out once you reach the lake.
It’s a 1/4 mile steep uphill to this small, beautiful trout-filled lake nestled in the forest. Walk around the lake for a 1.2 mile total roundtrip hike back to the parking area.
Once we arrived, we enjoyed walking the footpath around the lake and spotting trout swimming in the clear water. The last time we were there in late June, the trout were spawning at the footbridge that goes over the inlet stream. An amazing sight!
If you don’t plan to walk around the lake, at least turn right when you get to the lake and walk the short distance to the wooden bridge where the stream enters the lake. It’s very picturesque and affords nice views of the lake and mountains in the distance.
Foot bridge at Trout Lake 
Trout Lake
If you want to fish, bring your rod but be sure to get a Yellowstone fishing permit, available at Visitor Centers or online at Recreation.gov.
Plan some time to hang out for a while at the small 12 acre lake to enjoy the wildflowers and a picnic.
The trail starts from a small pullout about 1.5 miles south of Pebble Creek Campground on the Northeast Entrance Road.
Remember to pack your bear spray. We saw bear scat on the ground when we were there!
Slough Creek Hike
This beautiful out and back hike to Slough Creek and a large meadow is 3.4 miles round trip.
I like the Slough Creek Trail because it is a less crowded trail with abundant wildflowers during the summer, and it offers an excellent opportunity for wildlife watching. Be on the lookout for moose and bears. (Bring bear spray.)
Plus the views of the river and meadow at the 1.7 mile mark are unbeatable!
I also like that it is a wide trail for the family (an old road bed). I have to admit the first mile starts off with an incline that’s difficult to ignore. It’s not steep, just a gradual uphill.
It eventually flattens out and drops down to the meadow and creek. The views and flowers along the trail are lovely.
You’ll reach Slough Creek first and there are side trails that bring you to the water’s edge–it’s a popular fishing spot in the park. (You have to have a permit.)
Be sure to continue past the creek to the large open meadow (you’ll see a ranger patrol cabin on the right).
You can extend your hike past the first meadow, but we usually turn around here at the meadow near the ranger patrol cabin.
Slough Creek Trail 
Slough Creek 
First Meadow On Slough Creek Trail
FYI- Horses use this trail as well so watch your footing! Bring binoculars, bear spray, and mosquito spray. It can be buggy!
To get there, take Slough Creek Road (a smooth gravel road) from the Northeastern Entrance Road toward the Slough Creek Campground for about 2.5 miles. You’ll see a large parking area to the left of the vault toilet.
Tip- There are several attractive turnouts on the left along Slough Creek Rd for picnics or splashing in the creek.
Yellowstone River Overlook Trail
This is a perfect hike for the family. It has high reward views of the Yellowstone River and canyon with minimal elevation gain, and we often have this trail completely to ourselves.
The trailhead is located at the Yellowstone River Picnic area which is an unassuming spot near the beginning of the Lamar Valley. (I wouldn’t necessarily picnic here at the moment (summer 2026) as it is near all the road construction.)
The Yellowstone River Overlook Trail follows the ridgeline of the canyon with spectacular views of the Yellowstone River below and views of the mountains of the Northern Range beyond.
During the summer, you’ll see wildflowers and it’s a good place to spot bighorn sheep.
You’ll easily spy the trailhead sign from the parking area. The hike begins with a 1/4 steep hike up the ridge. But once on the ridge, the rest of the hike is easy and level with amazing views of the Yellowstone River below.
When you reach the ridge, you can go left or right. Going right takes you to a nice lookout point in just 0.2 miles. I recommend going left and walking at least a mile for spectacular views of the canyon and river.
The kids will like all the large boulders scattered along the way, and there is a nice shady spot for a picnic 0.6 miles from where you reached the ridgeline from the trailhead.
Yellowstone River Overlook Trail follows the ridgeline of the canyon 
Fun Rock Boulders on the Yellowstone River Overlook Trail 
You’ll have views of the Yellowstone River and Canyon
The trail doesn’t have a lot of trees, so pack hats and sunscreen and try to do it in the morning if hiking during the summer.
Turn around at any point and return the same way you came. Most turn around at the 2 mile mark at the Specimen Ridge trail junction sign.
Note- Hiking books often list this trail as a loop hike returning along the Specimen Ridge Trail to the Northeast Entrance Road. You would then walk back on the road to the picnic area. Why walk on the road if you can avoid it?
We saw mountain goats and pronghorn while on the trail, and you’ll want to bring your bear spray.
P.S. There is a vault toilet at the trailhead.
Restaurants in Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana
There are not many dining options in Silver Gate, but the ones they have are indeed good. Cook dinner at your cabin, eat at the nearby Log Cabin Cafe in Silver Gate, or check out Miner’s Saloon in Cooke City for pizza. 208 Main St.
The pizza is really good, and apparently they cook a mean burger. We had the special for the day: Bahn Mi Sandwiches and they were terrific!
Driving The Beartooth Highway
If you are near Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley or staying in Silver Gate or Cooke City, you can’t miss the opportunity to drive along the 68 mile long Beartooth Highway (Highway 212), one of the most scenic, high elevation highways in the U.S.
There’s a good chance you’ll see remnants of winter’s snow at its highest point, which is always a thrill for those visiting from the flat land states!
The Beartooth Highway is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s not nearly as crowded as the loop roads in Yellowstone. Although not in the national park, it is certainly worthy of a visit and was one of the highlights of our trip.
You can stop at several pullouts to admire the views, drive over Beartooth Pass at an elevation of 10,947’, stop at the Top of the World Store for a commemorative souvenir or to grab a snack, and hike a multitude of trails if desired.
Clear here for a map of the Beartooth Highway.
Where To Stay When Visiting Yellowstone National Park’s Lamar Valley
Finding lodging close by (see lodging suggestions below) will allow you to enjoy early mornings watching wildlife in the Lamar Valley without waking up at a crazy early hour. You’ll also have the luxury of returning to the Lamar Valley at dusk to watch the wildlife.
If you want lodging details for all areas of the park, see our blog, Where To Stay In Yellowstone or learn more about each entrance to Yellowstone in Which Entrance To Yellowstone Is Best?
Where To Stay Near the Lamar Valley
Staying near the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone in the tiny towns of Silver Gate or Cooke City, MT is the best place to stay when visiting Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley.
Silver Gate is a 20 minute drive to Yellowstone’s scenic Lamar Valley and Cooke City is just five minutes further away. You won’t find many amenities here, but the towns will have all you need.
Inside the park, Roosevelt Lodge is the closest to the Lamar Valley- only 25 minutes away. We had a great stay here in June and loved being so close to the Lamar Valley for early morning wildlife viewing.
You’ll find plenty of cabin rentals in the Silver Gate and Cooke City area near the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone.
Silver Willows Sarva Cabin on 4 Acres by the Creek (where we stayed-sleeps 9) or their sister cabin “Ursa “ on the same property is another good option and sleeps 5.
One Mile to Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone Park in Silver Gate, Montana is a 1 bedroom cabin with 2 baths and sleeps 6 on a private one acre lot.
Note: If you can’t find lodging in Silver Gate or Roosevelt Lodge for this part of the itinerary, Gardiner, MT or inside the park at Yellowstone at Canyon Village could work as well.
Best Breakfast in Silver Gate, Montana
Wake up and enjoy breakfast at your cabin or at the Log Cabin Cafe in Silver Gate. We really enjoyed this restaurant. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Be sure to check their website for current hours.
Get the Full Yellowstone National Park Itinerary
Did you like this simply awesome day in Yellowstone National Park?
Daunted by the amount of planning needed for your next family vacation? Use one of our ready made itineraries and simplify your life.
See our blog “Family Vacation To Yellowstone” for more information and all the details you need for a fantastic trip to Yellowstone.
For future reference, our Yellowstone 5 day itinerary is also available in a handy, convenient PDF file ($15) for your device. You’ll find all the details you need for each day including worthwhile stops along the way to each location, travel time between destinations, the best family-friendly attractions, helpful tips, labeled maps, and the best lodging/dining choices.
