Last updated: September 10, 2025
Thing to Do
Lava Creek Trail
NPS / Jacob W. Frank
Trail Alert! The bridge across the Gardner River was washed out in the 2022 flood event and fording is unsafe. The trail is only accessible from the trailhead across the road from the Lava Creek picnic area.
Follow Lava Creek and the Gardner River. Along the way, you can see Undine Falls (60 feet / 18 m) and the confluence of Lava Creek with Gardner River.
Safety notes: Return by the same route (another 4.2 miles), or have a vehicle shuttle arranged.
Trailheads: Across road from Lava Creek picnic area.
Details
Duration
2-3 Hours
This is a 4.2-mile (6.7-kilometer) through-hike trail that begins and ends at different trailheads. Either plan on leaving a vehicle at one end, arrange for being shuttled back to the start, or plan on the hike being twice as far if doing it as a there-and-back hike.
Activity
Hiking
Pets Allowed
No
Activity Fee
No
Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Location
Mammoth Hot Springs
This trail is located in the northern part of the park, with the trailhead either across the main road near the Mammoth Campground or across the Grand Loop Road from the Lava Creek Picnic Area.
Reservations
No
Season
Year Round
Time of Day
Any Time
Accessibility Information
The first 250 feet of the trail is accessible, with a level surface of hard-packed soil. Beyond, there is a steep grade down to the Gardner River. The southern trailhead is not accessible, due to topography.
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