It is Sunday, July 19. The summer sun of Yellowstone National Park is already high in the sky as I drive north from Madison Campground. My destination today is the prominent Bunsen Peak, but as is so often the case in Yellowstone, the adventure begins long before the actual trailhead. The road winds through a landscape that tells its millions-of-years-old geothermal history with every turn.
Before long, the view opens up and Nymph Lake appears by the roadside. Fed by geothermal springs, the lake lies mirror-smooth and deeply serene amidst dense coniferous forests. Along its shallow shores, bright mineral deposits shimmer in the warm volcanic sand—a first, quiet prelude to the immense natural forces of this park.
Just a short distance further, the silence is abruptly broken. A dense backup of cars parked along the roadside immediately signals a wildlife sighting! I leave my car and step out carefully. In a lush green meadow dotted with silvery-bleached deadwood, a massive grizzly bear is moving. Completely unfazed by the onlookers, he searches for food at the edge of the forest. His powerful silhouette against the dark green of the trees burns itself deep into my memory before I finally make my way to the Bunsen Peak Trailhead.
Gallery: On the Way to the Trail
The ascent up Bunsen Peak begins moderately, but after the first few switchbacks, the dense coniferous forest thins out to reveal the view. Suddenly, a panorama of a massive mountain valley opens up. In the distance, the sharp, pyramid-shaped summit of Electric Peak rises majestically into the lightly clouded summer sky. Its reddish and light-colored rock layers shimmer in the clear light, while the forested ridge of Terrace Mountain with its bright cliffs stretches across the landscape in front of it. Far below, the vast, open Swan Lake Flat spreads out—a massive plateau covered with sagebrush that sways in the wind like a silvery-green carpet. Right in the middle, Swan Lake glitters like a deep blue sapphire in the sun.
With every meter of elevation gained, the landscape expands. The view sweeps further southwest, where the plateau-like, mighty ridge of Mount Holmes captures my attention. Fine, white snowfields cling stubbornly to its rocky hollows, even in high summer. Deep down in the valley, the park road cuts like a razor-thin gray thread through the endless wilderness. From this vantage point, Glen Creek becomes visible, winding in perfect, tight loops like a glittering blue ribbon through the sage-green valley.
Gallery: The Ascent and the Wide Plains
In the upper third of the trail, the path becomes rougher and more alpine. Along the steep switchbacks on the north side, the vegetation drops away, and the view plunges spectacularly into the depths. Right at the edge of the abyss, the jagged, almost ghostly rock spires of Cathedral Rock tower upwards. Their vertical, ochre-colored cliffs drop straight down. They stand like stone sentinels over the valley, where far below you can clearly see the bright sinter terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs and the small reservoir of the water supply. The dizzying view down into Golden Gate Canyon also reveals the bold bridge construction of the Grand Loop Road, which winds elegantly through the narrow cliff walls over Kingman Pass.
Gallery: Wild Canyons and Steep Cliffs
Finally, I reach the summit plateau of Bunsen Peak at an elevation of 2,610 meters (8,564 feet). Sitting alone on this highest point is the small wooden Bunsen Peak Summit Lookout, bravely weathering the elements. The 360-degree view from up here is overwhelming. My gaze keeps wandering back to Electric Peak, which absolutely fascinates me. As the shadows of summer clouds drift across its massive, rugged western flanks, the deep ravines and raw geology of the giant emerge even more vividly.
To the southwest, the snow-dusted trio of peaks of the central Gallatin Range comes into view, featuring the sharp Antler Peak, The Dome, and Bannock Peak. The white snowfields in the steep rocky folds form a sharp contrast to the gray volcanic rock. Right next to it, Quadrants Mountain impresses with its broad pyramid shape and crescent-shaped snow remnants at the top. On the other side of the summit, the mountain drops steeply into the deep, densely forested Sheepeater Canyon, through which the Gardner River carves its way like a wild torrent, past the circular depression of the Sheepeater Flats.
Gallery: The Grand Summit Panorama
After a long rest on the summit, I begin my descent. Back down in the valley, the circle of this hiking day closes at eye level with the landscape. I pause one more time to soak in the peaceful atmosphere of the river landscape. Here, Glen Creek flows quietly and gently through lush, bright green mountain meadows. The endless carpet of silvery-green sagebrush releases its spicy scent in the warm afternoon light. It is a wonderfully calming landscape and the perfect, gentle conclusion to a day full of alpine contrasts.
Gallery: Back in the Valley
Farewell to Swan Lake Flat and Glen Creek 8541