The 28 backpack trips:

1 Bighorn Pass & Sportsman Lake Loop

Introduction: Some of the best mountain scenery in Yellowstone National Park is in the Gallatin Range, a cluster of 10,000-foot peaks filled with snowy summits, colorful wildflowers, sparkling lakes, and all the other attractions typically found in the mountains of the American West. This being Yellowstone, however, these mountains also boast a higher concentration of wildlife than what you typically encounter in places not protected in a national park. So not only can hikers enjoy the usual wildflower-covered meadows and impressively tall peaks, they will also probably see elk, bison, moose, and possibly bears and wolves, along with many smaller animals.

2 Black Canyon of the Yellowstone River

Introduction: The Black Canyon of the Yellowstone River is a generally overlooked gem in a national park that is chock full of precious stones. Since they are at the lowest elevations in the park, the trails here open earlier and stay open later than most other park trails, thus providing excellent "shoulder season" hiking. And although there are no geysers or other thermal features to amaze you, the scenery is quite dramatic featuring a powerful river, tall canyon walls, and plenty of wildlife, especially in the spring before the animals move up to the high country. The most popular itinerary is to do this trip as a one-way mostly downhill hike from the Hellroaring trailhead with an exit at Gardiner, Montana. This scenario, however, requires two cars and misses the views along the lovely Rescue Creek Trail, so I recommend a loop trip from the lower trailhead. This provides a better variety of scenery and still hits all the best parts of the Yellowstone River Trail, especially when you include a dayhike through the upper reaches of the Black Canyon.

3 Lamar River to Hoodoo Basin

Introduction: Although internationally famous and visited by approximately 3 million people every year, there are large parts of Yellowstone National Park (in fact most of the park's vast acreage) that see almost no people. The trip up the Lamar River and Miller Creek trails to Hoodoo Basin in the northeast part of Yellowstone Park is a good example. But while people are scarce, animals definitely are not. In fact, critters, both large and small, seem to be everywhere. In my tens of thousands of miles of backpacking throughout western North America, I saw more wildlife on this hike than anywhere else. Bison are the most common large mammal (you could easily see hundreds), but you can also expect to encounter elk, pronghorns, deer, black bears, grizzly bears, moose, coyotes, and possibly wolves.

4 Shoshone Lake Loop

Introduction: As the largest backcountry lake in the park (or, for that matter, in all of the lower 48 United States) and with perhaps Yellowstone's best geyser basin not accessible by roads, it is not surprising that the Shoshone Lake region is one of the most popular backpacking destinations in Yellowstone National Park. In addition, the lake is popular with canoeists and kayakers, who paddle into Shoshone Lake via the Lewis River. As a result, campsites here are often hard to come by and reservations are strongly advised for anyone contemplating this trip.

5 Heart Lake & Two Ocean Plateau Loop

Introduction: This is the trip for the hiker who really wants to immerse themselves in the incredible vastness of the Yellowstone backcountry. Although the scenery is pleasant, especially around Heart Lake and in the Snake River Canyon, it doesn't really compare to the outstanding mountain scenery in many other parts of Wyoming. The main attraction is the opportunity to enjoy solitude amid some of the wildest country left in the lower 48 United States. For hikers who want even more, it is possible to extend this hike even deeper into the wilderness on loop trips that go all the way to the Yellowstone River or south into the adjoining Teton Wilderness Area in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Wildlife, as usual in Yellowstone, is common so your chance of seeing moose, elk, grizzly bears, wolves, and other animals is fairly high. The loop trip is equally good in either direction, with the way you go largely being determined by which way is easiest for you to obtain a permit. The hike is described going clockwise, since that is how I happened to do it.

6 Beartooth Plateau Loop

Introduction: The Beartooth Mountains, which hug the border between Wyoming and Montana northeast of Yellowstone National Park, contain some to the best scenery either state has to offer, which is quite a stateme...