Trail Run Project Logo

A seldom-used trail takes curious runners and fishermen to a remote section of the Yellowstone River.


Your Rating: Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty:
Your Favorites: Add To-Do · Your List
Zoom in to see details
Map Key

4.3

Miles

6.9

KM

83%

Runnable

7,630' 2,326 m

High

6,345' 1,934 m

Low

473' 144 m

Up

1,315' 401 m

Down

8%

Avg Grade (5°)

34%

Max Grade (19°)

Dogs No Dogs

Features River/Creek · Views · Wildlife

The trail precipitously drops over 1300 feet to the Yellowstone River. Save some energy for the tough climb back out!

Description

The Agate Creek trailhead is reached by taking the first 2.3 miles of the Specimen Ridge Trail from its western side. The Agate Creek Trail leaves the Specimen Ridge Trail, gradually ascends 500 feet through open sagebrush meadows high above the Yellowstone River before plunging 1300 feet to the Yellowstone near the mouth of Agate Creek.

This seldom-used trail takes curious visitors and eager fishermen to a remote section of the mighty Yellowstone River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone near the canyon's terminus. Here the canyon is covered with trees and does not display multi-colors like it does at the beginning of the canyon some 15 miles up river. But the river and canyon still have a wild sprit and afford adventuresome runners an intimate experience.

One of America's few northward flowing rivers, the Yellowstone begins a few miles south of the park and travels 670 miles before emptying into the Missouri River near the Montana-North Dakota border. It is the longest undammed river in the continental United States.

To the southwest, the skyline is dominated by Mount Washburn. At the 1.6 mile mark the trail crosses Quartz Creek just before it plunges down an eroded ravine to join the Yellowstone. Soon the trail skirts the edge ridge above the river and views up and down the river are outstanding. Up river you see into the reaches of the Grand Canyon. Down river you can see a distinctive light-colored rock outcropping towering above the river. This is the Narrows near Tower Falls.

The final 1.4 miles of the trail precipitously drops over 1300 feet. The trail ends at the Yellowstone River near the mouth of Agate Creek. The river here is strong, but fishable and offers the chance to catch some of its biggest cutthroat trout. Agate Creek also sports a decent population of small trout.

Thanks to guidebook author, Tom Carter, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about visiting Yellowstone, check out his book, Day Hiking Yellowstone.

Flora & Fauna

Buffalo are commonly seen grazing on Specimen Ridge.

Contacts

Shared By:

Tom Carter

Trail Ratings

  4.0 from 3 votes

#17

in Tower

#12260

Overall
  4.0 from 3 votes
5 Star
33%
4 Star
33%
3 Star
33%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Trail Rankings

#17

in Tower

#256

in Wyoming

#12,260

Overall
2 Views Last Month
1,034 Since Sep 8, 2015
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult

0%
0%
33%
0%
67%
0%

Photos

The Agate Creek Trail plunges to a remote section of the Yellowstone River near the mouth of Agate Creek.
Feb 29, 2016 near Tower J…, WY

0 Comments

Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

none

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.