Wyoming · Hiking

Glacial Boulder

Glacial BoulderPhoto: bgwashburn — Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Jul–Sep
best months

Is Glacial Boulder open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Yellowstone National Park. It doesn't name Glacial Boulder, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: NPS · Yellowstone National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Glacial Boulder is a hike within Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, on land managed by the National Park Service. The trail is short, and the surrounding area is packed with other hikes, so it works well as one stop among several. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mammoth run to highs around 81°F in July and 80°F in August, with no snow days from June through August. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the boulder may run slightly cooler. The closest trails are Mountain View, The Land Tells the Story and What's Blooming, each about 0.1 mile away. Climbers can head to Campsite 2H3 boulders, roughly 5 miles off, and anglers will find the Gardiner District lake fishing area about 9 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Jul–Sep

    Best time to visit Glacial Boulder

    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.

    1. Jan

      31° / 12°

      11 wet · 9 snow

    2. Feb

      34° / 12°

      11 wet · 9 snow

    3. Mar

      42° / 19°

      11 wet · 7 snow

    4. Apr

      50° / 26°

      11 wet · 5 snow

    5. May

      60° / 35°

      13 wet · 2 snow

    6. Jun

      69° / 42°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 48°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 47°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      69° / 39°

      9 wet · 1 snow

    10. Oct

      54° / 29°

      9 wet · 3 snow

    11. Nov

      39° / 19°

      10 wet · 7 snow

    12. Dec

      30° / 12°

      12 wet · 10 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yellowstone Park Mammoth, WY, 6.4 mi away at 6,195 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

HIKE

Mountain View

Next door

Because of the influence rock types, sediments, and topography have on plant distribution, some scientists theorize that geology also influences wildlife. The sagebrush steppe and grasslands provide important habitat for wildlife.

HIKE

Forces of the Northern Range Self-guided Trail

Next door

This .5 mile (.8 km) boardwalk has 11 stops with exhibits. No restroom. Yellowstone’s northern range is a grassland north of the Yellowstone and Lamar Rivers. This area sustains one of the largest and most diverse communities of free-roaming large animals in the world. Yello…

Blacktail Deer Creek TrailPhoto: cchadek, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Blacktail Deer Creek Trail

~3 min drive

Easy out-and-back creek hike through Wyoming's scenic drainage.

HIKE

Rescue Creek Trail

~5 min drive

Moderate out-and-back hike following Rescue Creek through Wyoming backcountry.

HIKE

Crevice Creek Trail

~6 min drive

1.69-mile out-and-back hike in Montana with 2,113 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

The Land Tells the Story

Next door

Each species—no matter how small—has an important role to play in a functioning ecosystem. They all participate in various ecosystem processes like transferring energy, providing nutrient storage, or breaking down pollutants. That is why biological diversity, or…

Blacktail Ponds Spur TrailPhoto: cchadek, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Blacktail Ponds Spur Trail

~2 min drive

Scenic out-and-back hike to remote ponds in Wyoming's high country.

Lava Creek TrailPhoto: R. Sieben, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lava Creek Trail

~6 min drive

Accessible out-and-back hike through Wyoming's volcanic landscape and thermal features.

HIKE

Hellroaring Creek Trail

~10 min drive

Moderate out-and-back creek hike in Wyoming's backcountry.

HIKE

Crevice Creek

~10 min drive

3.73-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 556 ft gain.