Trip Report: *FULL* Backpack: The Bechler Region, Yellowstone National Park ID/WY
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*FULL* Backpack: The Bechler Region, Yellowstone National Park ID/WY By Michael Berry |
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| HIKE | 09/10/2026 | MOD+ |
| A Summer 'Surprise'- On Another 'Side' of Yellowstone- "Do the Book, Live the Legacy", 100 years of the venerable Wasatch Mountain Club. Six of us decided to take on the challenge. We drove east of Ashton, Idaho for about 30 miles for a night spent at the fairly empty Cave Falls Campground (bears?!) in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest (U.S.F.S.)(reservations not required!). We picked up our backcountry permit at the Bechler Ranger Station, which would also act as our exit trailhead on this point-to-point backpack trip. We left 2 vehicles at the Ranger Station, piled into a Ford F-150, and double-backed on the entry (gravel) road to the potato farms and open fields. At that point, we took a short cut with a turn north (dirt), past a swimming hole on the Bear Creek bridge, and onto the very neglected asphalt of the old Fish Creek Road. The road ~parallels~ the west boundary of Yellowstone. After another 15 miles we arrive at a remote turn-off to park our shuttle vehicle and do some last minute packing. Lightweight backpacking gear, bear spray in holsters, and trekking poles sure completed our outfits. Ready to start the trek- we negotiate a route on a long abandoned Idaho logging road to reach the remote Buffalo Lake Trailhead on the Park boundary. We then made it to Buffalo Lake camp in about 5 miles. After a very windy afternoon and evening, we started a long, chilly day hiking about 13 miles south through lodgepole forests, meadows, thermal areas, stream crossings, and side trips to Silver Scarf and Dunanda Falls. Dunanda Falls has some legal 'hotpots' for soaking right at the base of the Falls. After a 90 minute break there, we are back on trail heading to camp 9B1 at the south end of the Bechler Meadows. Hiking the expansive meadows is a sublime experience with the Teton Range in the distance! The next day, a ford on the Bechler River got us to campsite 9U3 and a "zero day" (a day without wearing fully-loaded backpacks). The zero day was used to day hike and explore the upper Mountain Ash Creek area and the spectacular 'Union Falls' (and "Surprise" Falls!). The Ranger at Bechler station was mum on what the 2nd waterfall was about. When I asked, he basically said "Nah, nothing to see there. It is not worth the effort to keep exploring around there due to little used trails". "A Search & Rescue (SAR) in that remote country would be difficult". So, what was he really getting at?!! We were explicitly seeking out "little used trails"! He could clearly see that from our backcountry permit itinerary! As it turned out, we got 'lucky' and met a couple on the trail who gave us the directions to the mysterious "Surprise" Falls. And so it was a beautiful waterfall with the water pouring into a deep, warm pool! And the trail was a dead end at that point, so there was nothing for us to do - - except to jump off the smooth rocks into the frothing waters for an exhilarating soak and swim. Surprise!! The following day, it was time to say goodbye to the meadows, forests, hot spring pools, waterfalls, and the backcountry cast of characters of the Bechler. Oh, My!! So, did we see bears? No-but they were there. Oh yes, they were there (but no surprise!) |
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