The 5 Best Underrated Trails To Hike In Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is on the bucket list of many adventurers, and for good reason. The area is beautiful and features all sorts of wildlife and unbelievable natural formations. Unfortunately, this means that Yellowstone is often packed, and sometimes feels more filled with people than animals. If you want to truly immerse yourself in nature, and see some of the more elusive animals in the park, you have to get off of the main paths a little. 

You don't want to get onto just any trail, though. It's not every day you get a chance to explore Yellowstone, so you'll want to make the most of it by choosing the best, but least-used, areas in the park. 

According to various blog posts and TikTok videos from people who have explored Yellowstone, it was determined the five trails below are a few of the best to check out if you want stunning views, a chance to encounter local fauna, and take in Yellowstone all while avoiding the worst of the crowds. 

You may think you have to hike deep into Yellowstone to get any solitude, but that isn't the case. West Thumb Geyser Basin is a set of fairly short boardwalk trails between a quarter and a half mile in length. You'll want to use the outer one to get a sight of Yellowstone Lake. Walking the entire trail shouldn't take more than an hour, so you have plenty of time to stop and enjoy the view. 

As katefinkk on TikTok reveals, this is one of her favorite places to go. Not only is it underrated, but it's absolutely beautiful. She especially loves to go in the morning to watch the sunrise over Yellowstone Lake. 

If you're not ready to leave the area yet, there are a few more hikes to try out. The first is a short path called Duck Lake Trail that ends at another body of water to the northwest of the lot. Yellowstone is one of several national parks where you can go freshwater fishing, and this lake is one of them (although a permit is required). There's also the West Thumb Overlook Trail to the southeast. It's a bit longer, but the loop allows for amazing views and a great chance to see local wildlife. Just be careful, as there are quite a few dangerous animals in Yellowstone you need to be prepared to deal with during your hikes. 

Trout Lake Trail isn't too strenuous, and ends at a small but picturesque body of water. TikTok user pineforestadventures hiked the path and documented their visit, explaining their favorite parts of the adventure and some of the most memorable views. 

The walk starts at a pullout roughly a mile and a half south of the Pebble Creek Campground if you follow the Northeast Entrance Road and is a 1.2-mile loop. After walking for just a few minutes, adventurers will come across the lake. From there, the trail loops around the entirety of the water before connecting back with the exit. It's a path that shows you views of animals, the mountains, and some of the greenest meadows you'll ever come across. It's perfect for fishing as well, especially trout, as the name implies. 

It's thought the trail is overlooked for several reasons. For one, it's off the beaten path, so many casual visitors to Yellowstone will avoid it in favor of a more famous view. On the other hand, those looking for a full day hike might overlook Trout Lake Trail because it's so short. It's also not labeled super well, and it's easy to miss the sign if you're in the area, even if you're looking for it.

If you want to see as much of the flora and fauna Yellowstone National Park has to offer, the.amandaaa.show on TikTok offers the perfect place to visit. Lamar Valley is a great location if you're hoping to find wildflowers, pronghorns, prairie dogs, bison, and other animals. When walking in Lamar Valley, always keep a watchful eye out. Bison are some of the most dangerous animals you can encounter in national parks, despite their docile appearances.

Though there are a few trails worth trying out, Miller Creek Trail is a good option for the average person. Though the path is an easy hike, it is about 7 miles round trip, so if you want to walk the whole thing, you need to be prepped. Cache Creek Trail, Specimen Ridge Trail, and Lamar River Trail are also options. However, they are all around 20 miles or more, so you need to be prepared before attempting one of these, including bringing hiking essentials in case of an emergency. 

You can also hike trails that overlook the valley. One of the most interesting is the Petrified Trees of Specimen Ridge. Despite the similar name, it's different from the one mentioned above. It's only 3 miles, but it is a strenuous hike over unmaintained and unmarked paths. The ending is worth it though, for the stunning views and getting the chance to see petrified wood. 

Another TikTok user, cameronsweeney__, mentions Fairy Falls Trail as one of her favorite hikes in all of Yellowstone. If you've heard this name before, don't be surprised. Though the attraction is fairly popular, the longer path is pretty underrated. You also get the chance to view the Grand Prismatic Spring from a different and less crowded overlook this way, according to Anne Moss from Trip Memos.

There are a few ways to get to the falls. The first is to park at the end of Fountain Flat Drive. Then, you'll head south down Sentinel Meadows Trail until you cross Firehole River, where it turns into Fairy Falls Trail. You'll pass by Goose Lake and a few streams as you make your way to the attraction and it is about 5 miles in total. The length means that not everyone is willing to do the hike, and it ends up being a lot less populated than other ways to get to your destination. 

If you want something a little shorter, and don't mind a busier path, you can park at Fairy Falls Parking Lot, which is about a mile south of the Midway Geyser Basin. On this path, you'll also cross Firehole River. At the split, you keep left until you make it to the water. However, the shorter hike tends to be a lot more popular than the longer one, and not quite so underrated. If you aren't ready to turn back yet, you can continue another 0.6 miles down the path to Spray and Imperial geysers. 

The last trail on this list is for those who want a full day hike. While longer paths are usually less crowded anyway, some still manage to be underrated compared to the rest. Such is the case for the Shoshone Lake or Geyser Basin Hike. As TikTok user callofthewyld states, this trail isn't for the weak of heart. 

The adventure starts at the Lone Star Geyser Trailhead. Overall, it's an easy walk as there is very little change in elevation, but it is long. Round trip, a hiker is looking at 18.5 to 23.1 miles of walking, depending on the paths you take. While this is short enough that people can do it in a full day, many choose to turn it into a two-day trip. There's a lot to explore and see, so if you're someone who wants to stop and watch local wildlife or adventure a little off the main path, you may want to plan for two days as well. Along the way, you'll pass by several geysers, including Lone Star. It goes off regularly, and makes for a nice sight as you stop and take a break. 

Yellowstone is a huge national park. There are over 900 miles of hiking trails according to the National Park Service, making it hard for one individual to have hiked and explored them all, especially during a standard trip. Because of this, one person's personal favorite underrated hikes alone cannot encompass enough to determine which are the best recommendations. 

To make sure all trails and as many people's experiences in Yellowstone as possible were taken into account, TikTok, Reddit, and discussion pages dedicated to hiking in Yellowstone were scoured through to help create a more comprehensive list. 

The five above are ones mentioned several times during these searches, and were also accompanied by notes of the path being mostly empty, secluded, or quiet. The list isn't all-inclusive, but covers a range of different hikes, including ones to falls, rivers, across meadows, and encompassing various difficulty levels.