Hiking the Same Trail as Our Greatest Conservation President

For those looking to literally walk in the footsteps of TR, the Tower-Roosevelt area is the best place to do it. During his 1903 expedition, Roosevelt spent several days camping near Tower Falls, using it as a base to observe elk and bighorn sheep.

Here are the specific trails in that area that capture his naturalist spirit:

1. The Lost Lake Loop

This is the most direct link to TR’s time in the park. The trail actually joins a section of the Roosevelt Horse Trail, which follows the same paths the President took during his 1903 camping trip.

• The Experience: Starting behind the Roosevelt Lodge, the trail climbs up a steep bench to a high-mountain lake. TR loved this "bench" area for observing wildlife away from the main roads.
• Naturalist Highlights: Look for beavers in the lake and black bears on the hillsides. The trail also passes the Petrified Tree, a massive redwood specimen that Roosevelt surely examined, given his obsession with geology and paleontology.
• Distance: ~3 miles round-trip (Moderate).

2. Specimen Ridge (The "Fossil Forest")

Roosevelt was fascinated by the "ancient" history of the park. Specimen Ridge contains the largest concentration of petrified trees in the world—entire forests that were buried by volcanic ash millions of years ago.

• The Connection: Roosevelt spent a significant amount of time during his visit counting elk herds (he famously counted 3,000 in one sitting) along the ridges between the Yellowstone and Lamar Rivers.
• Naturalist Highlights: This is a strenuous hike, but even a short trek up the ridge offers a "naturalist’s window" into the past. You can see leaf impressions and petrified wood while scanning the valley below for the same elk herds TR once tracked.
• Distance: Variable (Strenuous).

3. Slough Creek Trail

TR preferred the "strenuous life" and often ditched his presidential escort to hike miles into the backcountry. On one such day, he completed an 18-mile solo hike to track a specific elk herd.

• The Experience: Slough Creek is a wide, ancient valley that feels like a trip back to the 19th century. It’s a classic "naturalist" hike because it’s less about the destination and more about the slow observation of the meadow ecosystem.
• Naturalist Highlights: This is prime territory for wolves and moose. TR noted in his journals how "astonishingly tame" the animals seemed here compared to the ones he had hunted elsewhere.
• Distance: 4 miles to the First Meadow (Easy/Moderate).

4. Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail (The Narrows)

This trail follows the east rim of the Narrows of the Yellowstone River, offering a bird's-eye view of the volcanic basalt columns that TR admired for their geometric precision.

• The Connection: Roosevelt was a member of the Boone and Crockett Club, which focused heavily on the preservation of big game. This trail is one of the best spots to see bighorn sheep—a species TR spent hours watching through his binoculars near his camp.
• Naturalist Highlights: Keep your eyes on the cliffs for bighorn sheep and peregrine falcons.
• Distance: ~3.7 miles (Moderate).

2026 Tip: Join a Guided "Naturalist" Hike

If you want to dive deeper into the science TR loved, the Yellowstone Forever institute (the park’s official nonprofit partner) offers "Naturalist Day Hikes" led by biologists. In 2026, they have scheduled specific guided treks through Slough Creek and Garnet Hill that emphasize the same seasonal highlights—like spring wildflowers and bird migrations—that Roosevelt and his companion John Burroughs recorded in their journals.