Parking
From the southeast side of Old Faithful Lodge cabins, take the first right and continue 0.2 miles across the Firehole River to Mallard Lake Trailhead (OK3). The National Park Service does not publish parking capacity.
Overview
About Mallard Lake Trail
Why go
- The Firehole and Pipeline Hot Springs make the opening stretch distinctive.
- A lake destination follows rolling hills through partly burned lodgepole pine.
Heads up
- Seven miles round trip with repeated rolling climbs.
- Bear activity is a consideration, and pets are prohibited.
Mallard Lake is the turnaround, not a loop junction. From the shore, the view runs across blue water to a forested ridge. The open rocky hillside and fire-affected pines make the walk feel different from the geyser basin. Pause at the lake, then budget for the return over the same hills. For a photo, use the shore pines to frame the water and far ridge.
Parkwolf’s verdictMallard Lake is the payoffMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Yellowstone map
Full mapElevation7,362–8,182 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
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
Old Faithful Inn and Village0:00 / 0:35
“Up ahead is Old Faithful Inn, where the public lobby deserves a stop even if you're not staying overnight. The seasonal hotel opened in nineteen oh four, built with local lodgepole pine and volcanic rock.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yellowstone Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Fern Cascades and Howard Eaton Trailhead
- Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin
- Kepler Cascades
- Lone Star Geyser Trailhead
- 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 Mallard Lake Trail
A half-day out and backMallard Lake Trail is a 7-mile out-and-back from the Old Faithful side to Mallard Lake.
Mallard Lake Trail is a 7-mile out-and-back from the Old Faithful side to Mallard Lake. Budget 3–6 hours. The National Park Service calls it moderately easy; still, this is a half-day walk with rolling climbs, not a quick detour from Old Faithful. The standard outing turns around at the lake and returns on the same path. The longer Mallard Creek loop is a separate route.
Starting at OK3The trailhead is east of the Old Faithful Lodge cabins.
The trailhead is east of the Old Faithful Lodge cabins. From the southeast side of the cabins, take the first right and continue 0.2 miles across the Firehole River to Mallard Lake Trailhead (OK3). An information kiosk is listed at the access point. There is no separate activity fee for the hike; a Yellowstone entrance fee may apply. The National Park Service does not specify parking capacity or toilets.
From thermal ground to burned pinesThe route crosses the Firehole and passes Pipeline Hot Springs near the beginning.
The route crosses the Firehole and passes Pipeline Hot Springs near the beginning. Stay on established trail around the hot springs; off-trail travel in thermal areas is prohibited. Beyond the river and thermal ground, the trail climbs rolling hills through partially burned lodgepole pine and open rocky patches. It crosses a ridge, then descends through thicker woods toward the lake.
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.
