Buffalo Plateau
- 1.2 mi
- round trip
- 55 ft
- climb
- 9,433 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Buffalo Plateau open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Yellowstone National Park. It doesn't name Buffalo Plateau, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).
Most Park Roads Closed to All Vehicles
Park closure covering Yellowstone National Park · NPS · Yellowstone National Park
Biscuit Basin Closed Due to Hydrothermal Explosion
Park closure covering Yellowstone National Park · NPS · Yellowstone National Park
As of · Source: NPS · Yellowstone National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Buffalo Plateau is an easy out-and-back hike in Montana, crossing the boundary between Yellowstone National Park and the Gallatin National Forest. The route is about 1.2 miles long, with a total elevation gain of about 55 feet, and it starts and ends at roughly 9,150 feet, with the high point near 9,433 feet. The trail is managed by the Forest Service and is open year round. It is a natural-surface trail that allows horses but not bikes, so plan on the ride being on foot or on horseback. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Lake Yellowstone weather station, which sits well below the plateau, run to highs around 71°F in July and August with lows in the low 40s, and July and August also see the fewest wet days of the year. Buffalo Butte Trail lies about half a mile away, and the 2B1 Campsite Spur Trail is about 2 miles off. Coyote Creek Trail and Poacher are both within about 2.5 miles.
- Buffalo Butte TrailHiking0.5 mi
- 2B1 Campsite Spur TrailHiking1.9 mi
- PoacherHiking2.5 mi
- Coyote Creek TrailHiking2.6 mi
- Coyote Creek CutoffHiking2.9 mi
- Buffalo Plateau TrailHiking4.1 mi
- Telephone BasinHiking4.1 mi
- Campsite 2H3 bouldersRock climbing6.6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Coyote Creek Trailhead (2N1)Hiking · ~4 min drive
Telephone BasinHiking · ~10 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
2H1 Campsite Spur TrailHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Buffalo ForkHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
- Buffalo Plateau TrailHiking · ~7 min drive
- Buffalo Plateau Trailhead (2N2)Hiking · Next door
- Hidden LakeHiking · ~10 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
- 2B1 Campsite Spur TrailHiking · ~3 min drive
- PoacherHiking · ~4 min drive
- Coyote Creek TrailHiking · ~8 min drive
Best time to visit Buffalo Plateau
Best months: July–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
23° / 3°
17 wet
Feb
27° / 3°
15 wet
Mar
35° / 11°
14 wet
Apr
42° / 19°
12 wet
May
50° / 29°
12 wet
Jun
61° / 36°
13 wet
Jul
71° / 43°
10 wet
Aug
71° / 42°
10 wet
Sep
61° / 34°
10 wet
Oct
46° / 25°
9 wet
Nov
33° / 15°
12 wet
Dec
24° / 7°
16 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Yellowstone, WY, 32.4 mi away at 7,892 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
