Wyoming · Hiking

Purple Mountain Trail

6.7 mi
round trip
1,554 ft
climb
8,440 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jul–Aug
best months

Clear today

Weather is good · OpenWeather · checked 4 h ago

Is Purple Mountain Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Yellowstone National Park. It doesn't name Purple Mountain Trail, 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.

Purple Mountain Trail is a 6.7-mile out-and-back hike in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, managed by the National Park Service. The trail gains about 1,550 feet, climbing from a low point of 6,851 feet to a high of 8,440 feet. It is a moderate route, and the trailhead is named Purple Mountain Trailhead. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Old Faithful weather station show July highs around 76°F with lows near 39°F, and the station sits roughly 1,100 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. A fee is charged for the hike, and bikes are not allowed. Madison Junction is about 0.3 miles away, and Harlequin Lake Trail and Firehole Canyon Swimming Area are both within about 2 miles. Sentinel Meadows Trail is about 5.6 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Jul–Aug

    Best time to visit Purple Mountain Trail

    Best months: July–August. 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

      28° / 1°

      14 wet

    2. Feb

      31° / 2°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      39° / 10°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      46° / 19°

      12 wet

    5. May

      55° / 29°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      65° / 35°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      76° / 39°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      75° / 37°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      65° / 30°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      50° / 22°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      35° / 10°

      12 wet

    12. Dec

      27° / 1°

      15 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Old Faithful, WY, 13.1 mi away at 7,351 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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Madison Junction

Next door

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~10 min drive

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Fairy Falls TrailPhoto: Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~16 min drive

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Fairy Creek Trail

~19 min drive

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Mystic Falls TrailPhoto: Domenico Salvagnin from Legnaro, Italy, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~19 min drive

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Firehole Canyon Swimming Area

~3 min drive

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~11 min drive

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Mary Mountain-Nez Perce Trail

~19 min drive

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~20 min drive

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Monument Geyser Basin Trail

~10 min drive

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors