Rescue Creek Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
The Gardner River bridge is washed out and fording is unsafe — do not attempt to complete the loop. Treat this as an out-and-back from the Blacktail Pond trailhead, which means your round trip is roughly sixteen miles.
This is prime grizzly and black bear country, especially through the aspen corridors and meadow edges. Carry bear spray accessible on your hip, make noise on blind corners, and never hike alone if you can help it.
The sagebrush flats are fully exposed with no tree cover. On summer afternoons, temperatures can spike well above what you left at the trailhead — bring sun protection and watch for signs of heat exhaustion.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Start from the Blacktail Pond trailhead, about seven miles east of Mammoth on the Grand Loop Road — it's the only viable access point until the Gardner River bridge is rebuilt, and the small pullout fills up by mid-morning in summer.
Carry more water than you think you need. There's no reliable filtered water source along the route, and the exposed sagebrush flats on the back half offer zero shade on hot afternoons.
The aspen groves roughly a mile in are some of the best fall color in the Mammoth district — hit them in late September for golden canopy shots with almost no one around, especially on weekday mornings.
Photos
NPS / Jacob W. Frank
