Many young people dream about spending a summer working in Yellowstone (or another national park, there are so many wonderful choices!) and using their free time to explore, hike, and connect with nature. In 2021 my dream came true. I lived and worked full-time in the Gardiner/Mammoth Hot Springs area, which meant I had easy access to Lamar Valley and some of the world’s most beautiful hiking spots! My friends and I got off work at 5:30pm and always headed straight out, as it’s never a good idea to hike in Yellowstone after the sun goes down. The hike we chose on this specific day was the Lost Lake Loop located in the Tower Roosevelt area, which features a small lake and a 40 foot waterfall. This hike was stunning, but also included some surprising moments and misadventures, and that’s why it turned out to be my favorite memory of that entire summer.
Once we arrived at the trailhead located at Petrified Tree, we noticed there was a large female black bear about 25 feet off the trail. (Look out for cubs!) Black bear sightings are common in the park, and a highlight of visiting (Petrified Tree is a HUGE black bear hot spot), but I still prefer to view them from a car, or through binoculars, and definitely not on the trail I’m prepared to hike. We knew of a smaller trail going to the left of the beautiful, but fanged and clawed creature, that reconnected to the main trail and would give us ample space to walk safely by, so we changed course. Fortunately, the bear was peacefully eating and couldn’t care less about our existence. (Which is usually the case with black bears.) As I spent more time in that area, I learned about a black bear named Rosie who frequented that area long ago and trained a lot of her offspring to be what is called a “road bear”, which is a common way for females with cubs to stay safe from male bears who spend more time in the backcountry.
About a ten minute walk later, we made it to the lake! It was stunning, covered in lily pads with yellow flowers. There were a few large male bison around the lake but luckily it wasn’t rut season and they minded their business as we walked around the lake looking for interesting rocks. This hike is heaven for anyone who is into geology and wildflowers. My friend’s Kell and Ali were stopping at every wildflower and taking pictures of every rock/crystal to identify it. I included some pictures of the rocks above, definitely the most interesting ones I’ve seen in Yellowstone so far, in a park that’s known for its crazy geology.
At this point in the hike, we decided to split up. My friend Landon and I decided to go ahead to the falls, as Ali and Kell were taking their time looking at rocks and flowers. Lots of great conversation about life, which hiking seems to inspire, and about 20 minutes later we arrived at Lost Falls. For anyone who is afraid of heights, this part of the hike might not be for you. The falls are beautiful, but the best viewing is from a very steep ledge. However the view from this spot was incredible, you could see out onto the Mammoth/Tower Road near the Roosevelt Corral and the distant tree covered hills. Landon and I decided to continue the hike on our own and go retrieve the car as Kell and Ali were pretty far behind and there was only about 45 minutes of sunlight left at that point.
Here’s where things go sideways. As we got to the end of the trail, I realized something… my car keys were lost. Landon and I were trying our best not to freak out as we waited what seemed like WAY too long for Kell and Ali. During the last stretch of the hike, you’re walking the boundary of a bear management area and at that point I was convinced they were never going to come back and that Landon and I would be stuck there with no service, no way to call for help, and no way back home to Gardiner. About twenty minutes later, Kell and Ali appeared, and when I told them the news they thought I was kidding: and I wish I was. Lucky for us, there was a woman working past closing time at the Roosevelt Corral and she saved us that night. She had a phone that could at least call local numbers, and Kell had a friend in Gardiner who was able to pick us up at Petrified Tree a couple miles up the road. By this time, the sun had gone down and we were left to hike in pretty much complete darkness. There were several cars returning from dusk wildlife viewing in Lamar Valley, and this was the first time I ever hitchhiked. (Sorry, Dad!). At this point, I assumed that getting into a stranger’s car was most likely less dangerous than walking in the dark surrounded by predators and other wildlife.
We ended up getting picked up by two very sweet young girls who dropped us off at my car, which is also where Kell’s friend Alex was picking us up. We decided to look for my keys at the beginning of the trailhead while we waited, and apparently my keys weren’t the only thing that disappeared at Lost Lake. I also lost the safety of my bear spray. I felt so defeated at this point; my only set of car keys were lost, I knew I would probably have to pay a couple hundred dollars to get my car towed, the safety on my bear spray was gone, and my work uniform was locked in my car. We all decided to lay down on the road and look up at the stars, and I recognized why Yellowstone is so famous for stargazing. It was so beautiful, and regardless of the challenges, I was cherishing this moment.
Kell and I returned to the trail the next morning to look for my keys but had no luck, and we also saw the same black bear as the previous day. I finally called YPSS, which is the only company that is licensed to tow in the park (it’s always good to have their number just in case of emergencies); and I was quoted about $600. I was completely bummed, and was about to be completely broke as well. (You work at the park for love. Money, not so much.) About 2 hours later I received the best call ever. Someone had found my keys and hung them up on the trailhead sign! I had never been so grateful. Knowing I had my keys back, and taking a huge sigh of relief, I reflected on the entire experience. While a couple unfortunate things had happened, my friends (that I had only met a month prior) had bonded so well, and it would be a memory we would share forever. To this day those people are dear friends of mine and it will always be something we can look back at and laugh.
Hiking in Yellowstone is such a special experience, and can take you places the majority of park visitors never experience. The lesson: always be prepared, but also breathe deep, and enjoy the moment… and zip up your car keys!
Special Thanks To: Ali Stedman and Landon Richins, my Yellowstone adventure buddies.