YNP/Day Three: Slough Meadow Hike

A primary reason we enjoy the Slough Creek campground is that this tributary of the Lamar River is home to some of the finest trout fishing in the park. The creek meanders through three meadows upstream of the campground and several more downstream. The upstream area is reached by hiking a two-track trail, the first 1/4-1/2 mile of which is pretty much straight uphill. Frequently, guests and hands from the adjacent Silver Tip Ranch are witnessed traversing this area on horseback. When the park was formed, this privately owned ranch was given indefinite right of access through the meadows area -- but only by horsepower.

At any rate, on Tuesday the 18th, we hiked to the second meadow, a round-trip saunter of about 10 miles. That day was cool and overcast with moderate breezes now and again. I caught one fish in about four hours of trying. Glenn caught, as typical, many.

We enjoyed our streamside lunch, though and the scenery is spectacular. We never tire of looking at it.

The unusual although not unique part of that hike was seeing a bear. At one point, Glenn crossed the stream to fish from the opposite side. We had noted two other fishermen upstream of us about 100 yards or so. Suddenly, Glenn looked up to see a grizzly on his side of the stream, near where the fishermen had been. Later, we observed crows in that vicinity and figure the bear was on a carcass of some sort, but the noise of the other guys scared him off. At any rate, he never came near us, didn't bother us, and our fleeting look was the one and only we had of him.

The hike back to the campground is not strenuous, and the tail end of it is mercifully downhill. Still, a 10-mile hike carrying all of our fishing supplies, water and food . . . we were pooped at the end of the day!