Yellowstone National Park: Lake Butte to Sylvan Pass via Thorofare Trail
A forgotten explorer's route leads to 42-mile off-trail adventure--with several peak bagging options--and bona fide solitude in Yellowstone National Park.
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BOOKS/MAPS: Select Peaks of Greater Yellowstone, by Tom Turiano ($45, indomitusbooks .com) and Hiking: Yellowstone National Park, by Bill Schneider ($17, falcon.com).
USGS TOPO QUADS: Lake Butte, Frank Island, Sylvan Lake, Trail Lake, Plenty Coups, and Eagle Peak ($8 each, store.usgs.gov)
SEASON: You can easily do this hike between July and early September, but the last half of July and first half of August are your best bet for windows of reliable weather and blooming flowers.
PERMITS: Required (free, $20 if reserved more than 48 hours in advance). Note: Getting approval for at-large camping in a spot this remote involves convincing skeptical rangers that you have what it takes to venture off the beaten track. Turiano recommends coming prepared with an annotated map and a trip resumé to establish your creds. He says, “If you can show the experience level to match the route—and this is not a beginner traverse—rangers will usually say, ‘OK, just follow LNT ethics and bear protocols,’ and send you on your way.”
MORE INFO: Yellowstone National Park, (307) 344-7381; nps.gov/yell/.
Trail Facts
- Distance: 68.0
Waypoints
YEL001
Location: 44.505764, -110.275354
Hike south from Lake Butte trailhead, paralleling the shores of Yellowstone Lake.
YEL002
Location: 44.487719, -110.276899
Bear right at fork.
YEL003
Location: 44.473726, -110.280161
Continue straight at 4-way junction. Continue south, passing Elk Point on the right in less than half a mile.
YEL004
Location: 44.435557, -110.290546
Bear right toward Park Point.
YEL005
Location: 44.426777, -110.286169
Turn right at cross Meadow Creek.
YEL006
Location: 44.387642, -110.234284
Cross Alluvium Creek.
YEL007
Location: 44.328576, -110.199695
The trail traces the edge of a marshy area that flanks the Yellowstone River.
YEL008
Location: 44.298145, -110.153561
At the Cabin Creek Patrol Cabin, turn left/east and hike off-trail toward Colter Peak.
YEL009
Location: 44.301708, -110.109637
Colter Peak
YEL010
Location: 44.303612, -110.081012
Turn right for out-and-back to tk.
YEL011
Location: 44.29108, -110.058889
Head northeast toward the Table Mountain summit.
YEL012
Location: 44.296118, -110.055242
Crest 11,065 foot Table Mountain. Next, descend to the saddle southeast of the summit, then ascend an unnamed highpoint.
YEL013
Location: 44.289176, -110.049469
Crest an unnamed point. From here, descend back to the saddle, then traverse west back to Waypoint 11.
YEL014
Location: 44.303612, -110.080798
Turn right, heading northeast.
YEL015
Location: 44.308956, -110.076292
Start climb to the ridgeline.
YEL016
Location: 44.317677, -110.068181
Follow the ridgeline north.
YEL017
Location: 44.33269, -110.062151
Crest Mt. Humphreys and continue north.
YEL018
Location: 44.342189, -110.071399
Crest Mt. Schurz and continue north.
YEL019
Location: 44.37591, -110.067751
Atkins Peak
YEL020
Location: 44.390249, -110.069468
Plenty Coups Peak
YEL021
Location: 44.406868, -110.108843
Mt. Langford
YEL022
Location: 44.452072, -110.143025
Top Notch Peak
YEL023
Location: 44.466229, -110.130515
Route ends at E. Entrance Road/US 20 at Sylvan Pass.
