Wyoming · Hiking

Sizzling Basin

Sizzling BasinPhoto: Clyde Charles Brown — Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Jul–Sep
best months

Is Sizzling Basin open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Yellowstone National Park. It doesn't name Sizzling Basin, 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.

Sizzling Basin is a hike in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, managed by the National Park Service. It sits among a cluster of short trails, with Black Dragon's Caldron, Cooking Hillside and Grizzly Fumarole all about 0.1 mile away. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Lake Yellowstone weather station show July and August highs around 71°F with lows in the low 40s, while winter highs stay in the 20s. A fee is charged for the visit. Plan on a short outing, since the closest trails are all within a few tenths of a mile. Lake Yellowstone Hotel and Cabins is about 5 miles away, and the Mud Volcano Trail is about 0.2 mile off.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jul–Sep

    Best time to visit Sizzling Basin

    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

      23° / 3°

      17 wet

    2. Feb

      27° / 3°

      15 wet

    3. Mar

      35° / 11°

      14 wet

    4. Apr

      42° / 19°

      12 wet

    5. May

      50° / 29°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      61° / 36°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      71° / 43°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      71° / 42°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      61° / 34°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      46° / 25°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      33° / 15°

      12 wet

    12. Dec

      24° / 7°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Yellowstone, WY, 4.5 mi away at 7,892 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

HIKE

Black Dragon's Caldron

Next door

In 1948, Black Dragon’s Caldron burst through a crack in the earth. It uprooted and coated nearby trees with thick mud. Since then, this mudpot moved south 200 feet (60 m) along the crack. The spring feeding nearby Sour Lake was much more active before Black Dragon’s Caldron…

HIKE

Mud Caldron

Next door

A large mudpot located near the parking area.

Wapiti Lake TrailPhoto: cchadek, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Wapiti Lake Trail

~11 min drive

Scenic 16.32-mile out-and-back to alpine Wapiti Lake in Wyoming.

Clear Lake-Ribbon Lake TrailPhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Clear Lake-Ribbon Lake Trail

~11 min drive

Out-and-back alpine trail connecting Clear Lake and Ribbon Lake in Wyoming.

Artist Point-Point Sublime TrailPhoto: Roger Sylvia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Artist Point-Point Sublime Trail

~12 min drive

Scenic 1.3-mile out-and-back with dramatic viewpoints and natural formations.

HIKE

Cooking Hillside

Next door

The trees on this hillside are cooked by steam. In 1978, an earthquake swarm occurred at Mud Volcano. The intense swarm lasted about seven months. This hillside experienced increased heat, causing the vegetation to die. Researchers are able to study tree rings to learn about…

Wrangler Lake TrailPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Wrangler Lake Trail

~10 min drive

Short out-and-back hike to a scenic alpine lake in Wyoming's high country.

Howard Eaton Trail: Fishing Bridge-CanyonPhoto: R. Sieben, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Howard Eaton Trail: Fishing Bridge-Canyon

~12 min drive

Moderate out-and-back hike from Fishing Bridge to Canyon through thermal landscapes.

North Rim TrailPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

North Rim Trail

~13 min drive

Easy out-and-back rim hike with scenic views near North Rim.

HIKE

Grizzly Fumarole

Next door

While named a fumarole, this feature will change based on recent precipitation. When dry, it is a fumarole. When it has been rainy, this feature can be a mudpot.