Yellowstone National Park, WY · MT · ID
Meadows, steam vents and creek crossings in Sour Creek country
Overview
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Yellowstone Tour Guide
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
Chittenden Bridge and South Rim Trail“You’re approaching Chittenden Bridge Picnic Area, a useful lunch stop beside Wapiti Lake Trailhead.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yellowstone Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“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
Sour Creek Trail is an out-and-back from Wapiti Lake Trailhead (4K7) at Chittenden Bridge, following Wapiti Lake Trail about 0.9 mile to the connector, then roughly 1.7 miles to the Howard Eaton Trail. Plan on about 5.2 miles round trip and 2½–3 hours from the roadside trailhead. The National Park Service’s 3.2-mile round-trip figure covers the Sour Creek connector alone; the approach makes the full walk longer. This is a backcountry outing, not a quick stop.
After leaving Wapiti Lake Trail, the route crosses open meadowland around Sour Creek and smaller streams, passing steam vents and hot pools. The grade is gentle overall. Turn around at the Howard Eaton junction and retrace the same corridor; continuing on Howard Eaton becomes a different hike.
The route requires creek fords, and Yellowstone warns that streams can rise later in the day. Stay on the established trail around thermal features. Wapiti Lake Trailhead has an information kiosk and a vault/composting toilet. Backcountry guidance calls for groups of at least three; pets are not allowed except service animals.
Wildlife
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.
Keep exploring
ChallengingWapiti Lake Trail30.6 mi · 13 hr · At the trailheadA 30.6-mile backcountry round trip to camps near Wapiti Lake.
ModerateWrangler Lake Trail8 mi · 4 hr · At the trailheadCreek crossings lead through Hayden Valley to a backcountry lake.
ModerateSouth Rim Trail3.6 mi · 2 hr · 0.1 mi awayUpper and Lower Falls, with canyon views between them
ModerateNorth Rim Trail7 mi · 4 hr · 0.1 mi awayConnect the North Rim's waterfalls and canyon overlooks on foot.
EasyBrink of the Upper Falls Trail0.3 mi · 24 min · 0.5 mi awayA short, stair-stepped walk to Yellowstone's 109-foot Upper Falls.
EasyClear Lake Trail1.4 mi · 1 hr · 0.5 mi awayA gentle short walk to a bubbling, spring-fed lake.ModerateClear Lake–Ribbon Lake Loop Trail6.1 mi · 3.5 hr · 0.6 mi awayThermal ground, two lakes, and a canyon rim return.
ChallengingBrink of the Lower Falls Trail0.7 mi · 1 hr · 0.8 mi awayA close Lower Falls view after a steep, stepped descent.
Picnic area · At the trailheadChittenden Bridge Picnic AreaA handy picnic break beside the Wapiti Lake Trailhead.
Sight · 0.4 mi awayBrink of the Upper FallsSee the river spill over a 109-foot fall up close.
Sight · 0.5 mi awayUpper Falls ViewpointsSouth Rim stop for a close look at 109-foot Upper Falls.
Picnic area · 0.7 mi awayOtter Creek Picnic AreaA riverside meal stop; bring your own food and water.
Sight · 0.8 mi awayBrink of the Lower FallsGet close enough to feel the Lower Falls' roar.
Sight · 1 mi awayRed Rock PointA close Lower Falls view after a steep climb back out.
Sight · 1.1 mi awayLookout PointThe Lower Falls fills the canyon from this north-rim perch.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayGrand ViewA broad canyon view, with the river and Lower Falls far below.Parkwolf’s Yellowstone ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
