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Backpacking in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National
Park
Backpacking &
Backcountry Camping
Backcountry Trip Planner
The Backcountry Trip Planner has
been split into sections small enough to allow reasonable download
times. They are considerably larger than most pages on this site and may
take several minutes to download over slower connections.
Yellowstone has a
designated backcountry campsite system, and a Backcountry Use Permit is
required for all overnight stays. Each designated campsite has a maximum
limit for the number of people and stock allowed per night. The maximum
stay per campsite varies from 1 to 3 nights per trip. Campfires are
permitted only in established fire pits. Wood fires are not allowed in
some backcountry campsites. A food storage pole is provided at most
designated campsites so that food and attractants may be secured from
bears. Neither hunting nor firearms are allowed in Yellowstone's
backcountry. See
Official Yellowstone Website For Details
Permits may be obtained only in
person and no more than 48 hours in advance of your trip. Permits are
available from most ranger stations and visitor centers. In order to
obtain the best information on trail conditions, permits should be
obtained from the ranger station or visitor center nearest to the area
where your trip is to begin. The Backcountry Use Permit is valid only
for the itinerary and dates specified. Backcountry travelers must have
their permits in possession while in the backcountry.
Advance Reservations for Backcountry Campsites
Although permits must be obtained in
person no more than 48 hours in advance, backcountry campsites may be
reserved in advance. Requests for reservations must be submitted by mail
or in person. They cannot be made over the phone or by fax. Reservations
are booked on a first come, first served basis. A confirmation notice,
not a permit, is given or mailed to the camper. This confirmation notice
must then be converted to the actual permit not more than 48 hours in
advance of the first camping date. Details are provided on the
confirmation notice. The reservation fee is $ 20.00 regardless of the
number of nights out or the number of people involved. The fee is not
refundable. Forms for making an advance reservation are available to
download online at:
Official Yellowstone Website For Details, or by writing to:
Backcountry Office
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY
82190
Or call: 307-344-2160.
Permits and Reservations Made Less Than 48 Hours in Advance
Because only a portion of the
approximately 300 backcountry campsites are available for advance
reservations, you may choose to wait until you arrive in the park to
reserve your site(s) and obtain your permit. The $ 20.00 fee applies
only to reservations made more than 48 hours in advance of the start of
your trip.
Where to Get Your Permit
During the summer season (June -
August), permits are available 7 days a week between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30
p.m. at the following locations:
- Bechler Ranger Station
- Canyon Ranger Station/Visitor Center
- Grant
Village Backcountry Office
- Bridge Bay
Ranger Station
- Mammoth Ranger Station/Visitor Center
- Old Faithful
Ranger Station
- South Entrance Ranger Station
- Tower Ranger Station
- West Entrance Ranger Station
In addition, permits may sometimes be
obtained from rangers on duty at the East Entrance. However, these
rangers have other duties and may not be available to provide assistance
at all times.
During the spring, fall, and winter
seasons, ranger stations and visitor centers do not have set hours. To
obtain a Backcountry Use Permit during these seasons, check the office
hours posted at the nearest ranger station or visitor center.
Safety in Bear Country
Hiking and camping restrictions are
occasionally in effect as a result of bear activity. Never camp in an
area that has obvious evidence of bear activity such as digging, tracks,
or scat. Odors attract bears, so avoid carrying or cooking odorous
foods. Keep a clean camp; do not cook or store food in your tent. All
food, garbage, or other odorous items used for preparing or cooking food
must be secured from bears. Most backcountry campsites have food poles
from which all food, cooking gear, and scented articles must be
suspended when not being used. Treat all odorous products such as soap,
deodorant, or other toiletries in the same manner as food. Do not leave
packs containing food unattended, even for a few minutes. Allowing a
bear to obtain human food even once often result in the bear becoming
aggressive about obtaining such food in the future. Aggressive bears
present a threat to human safety and eventually must be destroyed or
removed from the park. Please obey the law and do not allow bears or
other wildlife to obtain human food.
Sleep a minimum of 100 yards (91
meters) from where you hang, cook, and eat your food. Keep your sleeping
gear clean and free of food odor. Don't sleep in the same clothes worn
while cooking and eating; hang clothing worn while cooking and eating in
plastic bags.
Considering bears' highly developed
sense of smell, it may seem logical that they could be attracted to
odors associated with menstruation. Studies on this subject are few and
inconclusive. If a woman chooses to hike or camp in bear country during
menstruation, a basic precaution should be to wear internal tampons, not
external pads. Used tampons should be double-bagged in a zip-lock type
bag and stored the same as garbage.
If you are involved in a conflict with
a bear, regardless of how minor, report it to a park ranger as soon as
possible. Another's safety may depend on it. Exceptional combinations of
food, shelter, and space draw grizzlies to some parts of Yellowstone
more than others. In these Bear Management Areas, human access is
restricted to reduce impacts on the bears and their habitat. Ask at
ranger stations or visitor centers for more information.
Bear
Encounters
Yellowstone is home to both
grizzly and black bears. Although the risk of an encounter with a bear
is low, there are no guarantees of your safety. Minimize your risks by
following the guidelines below:
Make bears aware of your presence on
trails by making loud noises such as shouting or singing. This lessens
the chance of sudden encounters, which are the cause of most bear-caused
human injuries in the park. Hike in groups and use caution where vision
is obstructed.
Do not hike after dark.
Avoid carcasses; bears often defend
this source of food.
If you encounter a bear, do not run.
Bears can run over 30 miles per hour, or 44 feet per second, faster than
Olympic sprinters. Running may elicit an attack from otherwise
non-aggressive bears. If the bear is unaware of you, detour away from
the bear. If the bear is aware of you and nearby, but has not acted
aggressively, slowly back away.
Tree climbing to avoid bears is
popular advice but not very practical in many circumstances. All black
bears, all grizzly cubs, and some adult grizzlies can climb trees.
Running to a tree may provoke an otherwise uncertain bear to chase you.
Some bears will bluff their way out of a
threatening situation by charging, then veering off or stopping abruptly
at the last second. Bear experts generally recommend standing still
until the bear stops and then slowly backing away. If a bear makes
physical contact, drop to the ground, lie face down, and clasp your
hands behind your neck. It may take all the courage you have, but lie
still and remain silent. Resistance will only provoke the bear. Before
moving, listen and look around carefully to make sure the bear is no
longer nearby.
Handling Refuse
All refuse must be carried out of the
backcountry. Human waste must be buried 6 to 8 inches (15 - 20
centimeters) below the ground and a minimum of 100 feet (30 meters) from
a watercourse. Wastewater should be disposed of at least 100 feet (30
meters) from a watercourse or campsite. Do not pollute lakes, ponds,
rivers, or streams by washing yourself, clothing, or dishes in them.
General Safety Concerns
Should you drink the water? Intestinal
infections from drinking untreated water are increasingly common. Water
may be polluted by animal and/or human waste. When possible, carry a
supply of water from a domestic source. If you drink water from lakes
and streams, bring it to a boil to reduce the chance of infection.
Don't take chances in backcountry
thermal areas. Scalding water underlies thin, breakable crusts; pools
are near or above boiling temperatures. Each year, visitors traveling
off trail have been seriously burned, and people have died from the
scalding water. No swimming or bathing is allowed in thermal pools.
Removing, defacing or
destroying any plant, animal, or mineral is prohibited. Leave historical
and archeological items in place.
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JacksonHoleWyoming.com is not
associated with the United States Government, The Department of
the Interior, or the National Park Service. The information
posted here is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be
independently verified. In the event
you find information that is incorrect please notify us via
email at webmaster@jacksonWyoming.com Thank you and enjoy your visit to
Jackson Hole Wyoming.
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Jackson Hole Wyoming
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