Parking
Start at Bunsen Peak Trailhead off Grand Loop Road; parking is limited. Arrange transport from the Glen Creek/NPS garage end before setting out.
Overview
About Bunsen Peak Road Trail
Why go
- Mostly level meadow walking for the first three miles
- A defining view into the Gardner River canyon
Heads up
- One-way endpoints require a return plan
- Steep turns have exposed drop-offs
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yellowstone map
Full mapElevation6,316–7,362 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
Bunsen Peak Trailhead0:00 / 0:26
“You're nearing the Bunsen Peak trailhead, a good choice if you want a summit hike with views over Swan Lake Flats and the Gallatin Mountains.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yellowstone Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Terraces Tumbled Down the Mountain
- Built to Sweep the Snow
- Mammoth Upper Terraces and Orange Spring Mound
- Sheepeater Cliff
- 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 Bunsen Peak Road Trail
Around Bunsen PeakBunsen Peak Road Trail is a 6-mile, one-way walk on an old service road.
Bunsen Peak Road Trail is a 6-mile, one-way walk on an old service road. It starts at Bunsen Peak Trailhead and curves around the south and east sides of the peak to the Glen Creek and NPS garage area. The first three miles are mostly level; budget about three hours for the full point-to-point route and arrange your return before starting. This road route is separate from the summit climb and the Osprey Falls spur.
Meadows into the canyonThe opening crosses broad meadows, with views west across Swan Lake Flat toward the Gallatin…
The opening crosses broad meadows, with views west across Swan Lake Flat toward the Gallatin Mountains. After the Bunsen Peak Trail junction, the route enters forest and winds down the east side. The descent drops roughly 960 feet over 2.5 miles; some sharp turns have steep drop-offs. Part of the forest lies in the 1988 North Fork Fire area, where the open canopy lets newer grasses and plants show through. The route’s signature payoff is the view into the Gardner River canyon.
Plan both endsThe road is open to hikers, bicyclists, skiers and snowshoers.
The road is open to hikers, bicyclists, skiers and snowshoers. The descent can be hazardous when icy, so take the steep turns slowly and plan for conditions. Parking at Bunsen Peak Trailhead is limited. In winter, access to the trailhead is by snow coach or by skiing from the Upper Terrace parking lot gate. 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.
