Pets allowed
Not Allowed
Elevation Gain
300.00 ft (91.44 m)
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
3.20 mi (5.15 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Artist Point is one of the most popular destinations in Yellowstone National Park. The stone lookout point is great for viewing the impressive Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Its just a short walk down a paved road. The crowds give the place a feeling of international relevance; while standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers, you are likely to hear at least five languages spoken. The lookout point on the south side of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was originally thought to be the place where artist Thomas Moran sketched his 1872 depictions of Lower Falls. As it turns out, this is not the location where the famous sketch was made. The name stuck, however. The 700-foot cliff is a great place to snap some photos, take in the view or just admire the rich diversity of tourists. Looking across the canyon at the iron-rich walls makes one feel insignificant and even inspired.

A great option to escape the crowds of Artist Point is to continue hiking the South Rim Trail toward Sublime Point, which is just over a mile from Artist Point. The trail is mostly flat, uncrowded, and it meanders in and out of the lodgepole pine forest on the rim of the canyon. The views looking northeast are dramatic as the river carves through the deep canyon and flows toward the Lamar Valley. Along the way the trail gets very close to the canyon rim; if heights are of concern, this may not be a good trail for you. Sublime point is the end of the South Rim Trail and is marked by a small fence that overlooks the canyon to the northeast.

If backcountry camping is of interest to you, look into sites 4R1 or 4R2 at Ribbon Lake. The lake can be be reached by a spur trail about a half-mile down from Artist Point on the South Rim Trail. The lake is less than 3 miles from Artist Point, making for an excellent quick backpacking trip near one of Yellowstone's most beautiful areas.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

National Park Pass

Pros

Great views. Escape the crowds at Sublime Point.

Cons

Artist Point is very crowded.

Trailhead Elevation

7,916.00 ft (2,412.80 m)

Features

Backcountry camping
Historically significant
Waterfalls
Bird watching
Wildlife
Big Game Watching
Big vistas
Old-growth forest
Wildflowers
ADA accessible
Geologically significant

Typically multi-day

No

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.