South Fork Madison

The South Fork Madison Trail is one of the trails forming the 4,455 mile Great Western Trail. It also connects West Yellowstone, Montana, to Island Park, Idaho by way of Reas Pass. This beautiful trail follows along a section of historic Union Pacific Rail Line, which began bringing passengers by steam locomotive to West Yellowstone and Yellowstone National Park in 1906. The tracks and sleepers were removed in 1981, leaving only the elevated path above the South Fork Madison River and the cut alongside the mountainside. One can imagine a steam train chugging along through these canyons with anxious passengers watching the tall pines pass by while enjoying the beautiful views of the crystal clear water of the South Fork Madison River.