In the morning we cross the Snake River, but it’s so close to the headwaters that it’s little more than an ankle washer. Soon after we enter Yellowstone National Park, and immediately see two other hikers. We leap frog these guys all day, and assure them that they’re on their intended route. It’s kind of funny to watch them painstakingly change from boots to sandals for every crossing, and we hope we won’t be punished too severly for our smugness.

We descend the Snake for most of the day, making two more easy crossings and touring a cool canyon with nice views, waterfalls, and good trail.

At the Heart River we make another easy crossing, and soon we’re at our designated backcountry campsite for the evening. It’s a strange feeling to stop in this obviously used place with rope and some trash in the fire pit, but it’s a nice spot right on the river. We hang our food on the provided bear pole and soon erect the tents to escape the bugs.