Trip Report 7/2/26
Yellowstone National Park
Short and sweet was the feeling today in the Absaroka Mountains of southeastern Yellowstone. The highly efficient—or as some would call it, relentless—trail out of the Avalanche Peak trailhead on Sylvan Pass delivers some of the absolute best views in the entire national park. In a continued effort to run new singletrack and tag new summits, I discovered this gem while scouring maps of the area. At just under five miles in length round-trip, the climb was undoubtedly worthwhile, though I initially hesitated pulling the trigger because of the three-hour drive from Jackson. Not to worry, though—after locking in plans to run Cloud Peak in the Bighorns, this short jaunt became a seamless addition since it’s relatively on the way.
Sylvan Pass is an intriguing, rarely traveled zone with big mountains, sweeping vistas, and plenty of snow. This high alpine area actually held winter snow significantly better than much of the drought-ridden west I’ve already visited this season. I started from the Avalanche Peak trailhead, which features a very limited parking area; I managed to snag the very last spot on a weekday around 11:00 a.m. The only other real option for parking is a mile up the highway at the true summit of the pass, but the road is narrow through there and roadside parking seemed like highly questionable practice.
Departing right from the truck, the trail immediately punches up through the timber with zero early views. The grade averages a stiff thousand vertical feet per mile, so I didn't do much jogging until I was fully warmed up and broke out above treeline. From there, the surrounding wilderness and alpine lakes began to emerge as the singletrack switchbacks up the south ridge. Soft, punchy snow obscured most of the upper route. While route-finding isn't an issue despite the snow drifts, wet feet are a distinct possibility depending on your choice of footwear.
On the summit, I was rewarded with crystal-clear skies and several unique vantages I’ve never had before. The first and most prominent are the sharp, jagged profiles of the southwestern Absarokas. These peaks that are hidden from the Tetons and mostly obscured from standard overlooks inside the park. Mount Doane was particularly striking, as were the steep couloirs running down Top Notch Peak. Thoughts of utilizing Sylvan Pass for early summer backcountry skiing instantly flooded my mind. Seeing this lingering snowpack in such a lean winter indicates that the skiing could be phenomenal once the park's East Entrance opens next spring.
The summit also offers a rare opportunity to look down on Yellowstone Lake from above. This massive body of water is tough to get perspective on, but from this high point, the rarely seen southeastern arms are completely recognizable. Looking far to the north, the snow-covered Beartooth Mountains completed the horizon.
For the descent, I turned the route into a quick lollipop loop by utilizing the East Ridge Trail, which briefly crosses out of the National Park boundary and enters the Shoshone National Forest. This stretch was almost entirely covered in snow, but it cleanly met back up with the main ascent route in the bowl right at treeline. From there, the trail drops elevation quickly back to the highway, and I moved fast to get back on the road toward the Bighorn Mountains.
I managed to clear the entire peak in just one hour and five minutes—placing me just shy of the documented trail record. Knocking out another new trail in Yellowstone proves that the running and hiking hidden out here are entirely worth the long drives and remote logistics. In my ongoing mission to explore as much new dirt as possible, the park has yet to disappoint. I’m already looking forward to drawing more lines on the map during this short and sweet summer season.
🗺️ Line of Travel:
Avalanche Peak Trailhead ➔ Avalanche Peak Trail ➔ Summit (10,439 feet) ➔ East Ridge ➔ Avalanche Peak Trail ➔ Avalanche Peak Trailhead
📍Beta:
The primary trailhead lot at Sylvan Pass is tiny and caps out early even on weekdays. Sylvan Pass holds snow remarkably well. Early-season conditions were in effect. Yellowstone maintains a decent trail conditions report on their website that updates as the snowpack melts out.
📊 Route Stats:
- Distance: 4.75 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2,149 feet
- Moving Time: 1:05:42
- Average Pace: 13:49 / mile
👟 Gear List:
- Shoes: Dynafit Ultra Pro 2
Avalanche Peak Trail
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