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Our first day in Yellowstone was spent on the west side of the scenic drive, between Mammoth and Old Faithful.

We were staying in Gardiner and figured the plan would be to head south then make stops on the way back up.

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But, given the beast that Yellowstone is visitor-wise, we ended up just checking to see if there was parking at all the trailheads on our way south and would stop if there was, otherwise save it for the way back.

Grand Prismatic Spring was packed at both parking areas and along the road on the way down AND back up so we skipped that.

And on the way down the Artist Paint Pots trail was full too. I hadn’t done that hike on my first visit so I wanted to do it if we could but if it was full, it was fine.

Then, on our way back north at the end of the day, after stopping at Gibbon Falls, we decided to make one last stop at Artist Paint Pots.

I was a little worried the parking would still be full but thankfully, it was actually pretty empty!

We grabbed a parking spot and my dad and I set off on the trail while my mom waited in the car. We had already done more hiking than expected that day.

The trail starts off with a short, flat wooded section. It wasn’t particularly interesting but before you know it you’re out in the open.

From here, it’s a boardwalk/dirt loop going up and around the thermal features on the hillside, and I LOVED it already.

We did the loop counterclockwise so started off going up the short dirt hill on the right fork.

At this point, some guy caught up to us and started chatting with my dad about where were from, what brought us here, where they’re from, then horses, and history and war.

You know. The usual. They mostly walked together and I would go ahead then drift back, rinse and repeat. We didn’t do the whole trail together, but at least half of it.

Once you get to the upper part of the hillside and out of the woods, your first stop is a little bubbling mud pot.

After that, the boardwalk continues across the hillside, overlooking the steaming hot springs below and above you.

First, you have a beautiful view of not just the thermal features below you, but the forest stretching out beyond that.

Then, if you looking closely at all the springs, you have textures that can’t be beat.

If you’re new here, I LOVE textures in nature. Like.. a lot. So as a casual artist, I 100% understand why this is called Artist’s Paint Pots.

There’s the water, holes in the ground in the springs, the bushes, the sand and dirt, the steam, SO many colors, it’s amazing.

I mean, Yellowstone in general I think is so good for texture and general artistic inspiration.

It has such a variety of landscapes and they’re all fantastic. I know it’s usually in people’s top park lists, and I definitely get it.

We continued slowly across the hillside, this part really isn’t all that long, but we were enjoying the views, before heading down the other side.

The boardwalk curves around to the left toward the fork where it deposits you back in the woods to return to the parking lot.

We were here in the late afternoon and I think the lighting was perfect. Not quite golden but not blasting your eyeballs bright either.

Soon enough we were back at the car and it was time to head back to Gardiner for the night.

I’m so glad we decided to check the parking lot on our way back because this ended up being one of my favorite hikes in Yellowstone!

I think the best approach to visiting Yellowstone is to not plan too much but to just go and see what parking lots have space open.

I don’t remember it being this busy and parking this hard to find the first time I was here but it was difficult and sometimes impossible to find a spot without adding two extra miles of walking along the road to a hike.

Something like Grand Prismatic Spring though, you may have to just get up really early and go there first to be sure you can see it.

Old Faithful had plenty of space and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone was pretty full but we managed to get a spot without circling.

It’s hard to say. I’m sure it’s worse in peak summer months, we were here in late September/early October.

I would definitely recommend the Artist’s Paint Pots trail as a great short little hike (if there’s space in the parking lot) that I don’t see mentioned all that often.

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Where is the Artist Paint Pots Trail in Yellowstone?

Artist Paint Pots is in the northwest corner of the bottom circle on the figure eight scenic drive. It’s just north of Gibbon Falls and the junction to the West Yellowstone Entrance.

It’s a little over halfway between the junction from West Yellowstone and the junction by Norris Canyon Road to the right and Mammoth to the north.

The Artist Paint Pots trail is about an hour from Gardiner, Montana, 45 minutes from Old Faithful Inn, and 1 hour 10 minutes from West Thumb Geyser Basin.

How long is the Artist Paint Pots Trail?

AllTrails tracked us at 1.09 miles for the whole trail which is pretty much what the official trail length is (1 mile).

Is the Artist Paint Pots Trail hard?

Nope! There is some elevation gain (101 feet) as you are climbing up the hillside, but it’s not difficult, and the trail itself is well maintained, easy to follow, and not particularly rocky.

Is the Artist Paint Pots Trail worth it?

Yes! This was easily one of my favorite hikes in Yellowstone, and as an artist myself with a particular affinity for interesting textures, this trail was 10/10.

Have you been to Yellowstone? What did you think of it? Did you do the Artist Paint Pots trail? Whats your favorite hike there?

Other posts you may like

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Ultimate Guide To Yellowstone Hiking Trails And Geysers

Snowshoeing At Flagg Ranch In Yellowstone In Winter

14 Of The Best Things To Do In Yellowstone That Aren’t Hiking

Yellowstone vs. Grand Teton