Observation Peak Trail

You start easy — almost suspiciously easy — winding through wildflower meadows toward Cascade Lake, where moose and sandhill cranes are regular visitors. Enjoy it while it lasts. Once you pass the lake, the trail rears up through dense whitebark pine forest and doesn't let go until you've climbed the equivalent of a 130-story building in just over two and a half miles. The forest thins as you gain altitude, and then the treeline drops away entirely, leaving you standing on a bald summit with a 360-degree panorama of the Yellowstone backcountry — Hayden Valley, Yellowstone Lake, the Absaroka Range, and miles of wilderness where the trails run out. This is a leg-burner that rewards strong hikers with one of the best viewpoints in the park that most visitors never see.