A West Yellowstone Hike With Views of Idaho and Montana

 The Lionshead trail is a breathtaking hike in more ways than one. It is rated as a challenging hike for a reason. It is over 13 miles out and back. We started at sunrise which was absolutely gorgeous.


The trailhead is right on the Montana/Idaho border driving on highway 20 it is right by the Welcome to Idaho sign on the north side of the road.  The drive to the trailhead requires a high clearance vehicle as it is a very rough road. The trail begins on an old road for about a mile, then turns into a foot trail that switchbacks through the forest.
The trail follows the continental divide trail CDT. We did see 2 other hikers that were following the CDT for the long haul. The view is amazing of Hebgan Lake, Madison Arm, and Island Park. 


The trail switchbacks on an open tundra with loose rocks then ascends the ridgeline. 

Here is a picture I got of Andy looking through his binoculars. The view is great even with the naked eye. 


You may have noticed Lionshead mountain if you have ever driven from West Yellowstone Montana into Idaho. 

The elevation gain for this hike is 2,985 ft. It was a hot day even though we started early. We did this hike on July 30, 2022, and started at 6 am finishing a little after 1 pm. Yep, plan on a 7-hour hike when hitting this trail. Also, there is no water anywhere along this trail so bring plenty of water. Like I said the views are truly amazing and something I won't forget. 

I love hiking for many reasons but one is to challenge myself to do hard things.  This was a hike that when I got done I was hot, tired, and hungry, but grinning from ear to ear.  Life is about memories with the ones we love, go for a hike, make some family memories for a lifetime.











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