Palette Springs – Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces loop from Frying Pan Spring

Palette Springs – Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces loop from Frying Pan Spring

Moderate

4.5

(1642)

6,407

riders

Palette Springs – Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces loop from Frying Pan Spring

02:47

62.6km

620m

Road cycling

Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: October 30, 2026

Tips

Temporary access restrictions

Includes segments with temporary access restrictions.

After 33.7 km for 357 m

Closed: • November-April (otherwise open)

After 34.1 km for 2.20 km

Closed: • November-April (otherwise open)

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

29.0 km

Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces

Highlight • Natural Monument

Terraces formed by deposits from hot springs cascading down the hillside over thousands of years

Tip by

29.2 km

Liberty Cap, Mammoth Hot Springs

Highlight • Natural Monument

Just a minute west from the Park Headquarters the road rolls literally alongside the steaming colorful hot spring travertine terraces. The first sight is the standing tower of a dormant hot spring cone

Tip by

29.7 km

Albright Visitor Center & Ranger Station - Mammoth

Highlight • Rest Area

Grand spacious architecture in the nation's first National Park. Wonder why they built such an enormous post office, just to handle all the post cards? 😁

Tip by

29.8 km

Historic Mammoth Hot Springs Post Office

Highlight • Historical Site

The Mammoth Hot Springs Post Office in Yellowstone National Park was constructed between 1935 and 1938 and exemplifies French Renaissance Moderne architecture. Its travertine-adorned lobby features stone sourced from a quarry near the park's north entrance. Flanking the entrance are two limestone bear sculptures, added in 1941, crafted by artist Gladys Caldwell Fisher. In 1987, the Mammoth Hot Springs Post Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognized alongside 11 other Wyoming post offices built between 1908 and 1939. This designation highlights the building's architectural significance and its role in reflecting the federal government's presence during that era. The post office is still in operation and is open year-round, Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm (excluding federal holidays). Its lobby remains accessible 24/7. It is right by the Albright Visitor Center in the Mammoth Hot Springs area.

Tip by

30.7 km

Liberty Cap

Highlight • Natural Monument

This ancient rock formation is the remnants of a now extinct thermal vent. The tower of limestone stands at 40 feet tall and is only a short walk from the parking lot.

Tip by

30.8 km

Palette Springs

Highlight • Natural Monument

Hot, mineral rich water from a nearby spring flows down the ridge at Palette Springs, leaving behind stalactite like formations called thermophiles. The entire small hill looks like a staircase made of white and brown steps.

Tip by

30.9 km

Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces

Highlight • Natural Monument

Famous for its amazing terraces made of rock. Hot water from underground rises to the surface, bringing minerals with it. As the water cools, these minerals, mostly calcium carbonate, are left behind, building up over thousands of years into unique, stair-like formations.

Tip by

34.1 km

Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces

Highlight • Natural Monument

The Mammoth Hot Springs are a collection of geothermal vents and springs that empty onto the hills surrounding the city of Mammoth. The mineral rich spring water leaves behind beautiful marble white structures called terraces, which look like staircases.

Tip by

62.6 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

62.1 km

277 m

207 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

62.4 km