Parking
Use the large Artist Point parking area at the end of South Rim Drive. It is often busy during peak summer; vault toilets are at the west end.
Overview
About Artist Point–Point Sublime Trail
Why go
- Canyon views begin at Artist Point and continue along the rim.
- A substantial canyon outing with relatively little elevation gain.
Heads up
- Unrailed dirt trail passes close to steep canyon drops.
- Some open views along the way are better than the partly screened endpoint.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yellowstone map
Full mapElevation7,665–7,910 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Yellowstone alerts
- ClosureBiscuit Basin closed after hydrothermal explosionBiscuit Basin’s parking lot, boardwalk, and Firehole River are closed to all travel.Official details
- ClosureMost Yellowstone roads close to regular vehicles November 1Most Yellowstone roads and the West, South, and East entrances are scheduled to close to regular vehicles November 1, 2026, as the park prepares for winter operations.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Yellowstone Tour Guide
Hear Yellowstone as you drive it.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yellowstone National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yellowstone audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Artist Point0:00 / 0:31
“You're coming up on Artist Point, my pick if you're choosing just one overlook on the south rim. A short paved walk from the parking area brings the Lower Falls and the colored canyon walls together in one view.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yellowstone Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Lookout Point and Grand View
- Inspiration Point
- Glacial Boulder and Seven Mile Hole
- Upper Falls Viewpoints and Clear Lake
- 243 audio storiesacross Yellowstone’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Bison, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 167 trails, 192 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“First time driving through a national park. We used the Yellowstone tour on grand loop Road and it’s just like having a tour guide in your car with you.”
Trail guide
Hiking Artist Point–Point Sublime Trail
Route and timeThe Artist Point–Point Sublime Trail is about 3 miles round trip, an out-and-back from the…
The Artist Point–Point Sublime Trail is about 3 miles round trip, an out-and-back from the Artist Point parking area to Point Sublime Overlook along the canyon’s south rim. Allow about 1½ to 2 hours with time for views. The 2.6-mile figure describes the return walk from Artist Point Overlook; the longer distance here includes the paved approach from the parking area.
Find the Point Sublime turnFollow the paved path to Artist Point, then continue east beyond the overlook as the pavement…
Follow the paved path to Artist Point, then continue east beyond the overlook as the pavement gives way to a dirt trail. At the junction about two-thirds of a mile beyond Artist Point, take the left branch for Point Sublime; the right branch heads toward Lily Pad Lake and Ribbon Lake. A strong canyon viewpoint opens before the endpoint, so don’t save all your stops for the end.
The rim walkThe dirt path tracks the canyon edge.
The dirt path tracks the canyon edge. In places it passes only a few feet from a steep drop, with no railing. If that exposure is uncomfortable, Artist Point is a worthwhile shorter turnaround: the paved overlook has the first broad view of the canyon and Lower Falls.
Point Sublime and the canyonThe trail ends at a long wooden railing looking northeast down the V-shaped canyon.
The trail ends at a long wooden railing looking northeast down the V-shaped canyon. The route has open canyon views along the way, and some hikers find those earlier views more rewarding than the partly screened endpoint. The exposed walls shift through yellows, browns and reds; their shapes and colors tell part of Yellowstone’s complex geologic story.
Parking and accessThe large Artist Point lot is at the end of South Rim Drive and is often busy in peak summer.
The large Artist Point lot is at the end of South Rim Drive and is often busy in peak summer. Vault toilets are at the west end of the lot. Pets are not allowed on the trail.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yellowstone
713 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
743 sightingsWolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
5,273 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
3,258 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
397 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,494 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yellowstone. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
