Hard Road to Travel
The name comes from a reference to the difficulty travelers had navigating through the area.
Plan Around Hard Road to Travel
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Hard Road to Travel Details
The Hard Road to Travel Picnic Area is located 6.6 miles north of West Thumb Junction on the West Thumb to Fishing Bridge Road. The name of this picnic area comes from a reference to the difficulty travelers had navigating through the area when the park was created. Out in the Lake is a sandbar that was the primary "road" used by stagecoaches in the day (before the road path was cleared of trees). When the Lake was high, the sandbar was very muddy and soggy, making it a "hard road to travel." The trees and brush in this picnic area were heavily damaged in the Arnica Fire of 2009. Also in 2009, a brand new vault toilet was installed. Tables: 3 Restrooms: 0 Fire Grates: 0 Every picnic area has tables, except for the 3 newest areas near Gibbon Falls, and most have vault toilets. You can use camping stoves and self-contained charcoal grills to prepare food at any picnic area. Fires are permitted only in picnic areas with fire grates. Only one picnic area - Madison - has water. Camping is not allowed in any picnic area. Special fire restrictions are occasionally put in place when the danger of wildland fires is great. If you plan to light a fire in the park, please ask about current fire restrictions at the entrance station when you arrive.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
Region
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Nearby Parks Around Hard Road to Travel
Compare nearby parks around Hard Road to Travel when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Hard Road to Travel
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Hard Road to Travel while the map context is still fresh.
1.0 mi away
Fisherman's Access
Located 7.8 miles north of West Thumb Junction on the West Thumb to Fishing Bridge Road.
1.8 mi away
Pumice Point
Located on the northern shore of the entrance to West Thumb Bay on Yellowstone Lake.
2.4 mi away
Spruce-Fir Exhibit
Located 10.6 miles north of West Thumb Junction on the West Thumb to Fishing Bridge Road.
4.4 mi away
West Thumb Geyser Basin
If you want a quick tour of all the geothermal features of Yellowstone National Park.
4.5 mi away
Twin Geysers
This duel-vented feature experiences eruptions lasting 3 to 4 minutes, and measuring over 75 feet in height.
