Yellowstone an American Treasure

Yellowstone an American Treasure
For June 18, 2025
Michael MacKuen

Today we shall take a couple of hours to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas. Here we resurrect a 2019 flight (in P3D) that explores the Beartooth Highway, Yellowstone Canyon, the Big Sky ski country, the geyser basins including the Grand Prismatic and Old Faithful, and finish in the Grand Tetons. This will work best if we fly low in the valleys where possible to get a good sense of the landscape while, in other areas, we fly high over the mountain ridges.


Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

We depart from Red Lodge [KRED] to follow the majestic Beartooth Highway (US Route 212) over the Beartooth mountains. The first set of waypoints [BEAR1 – BEAR4] show the way through the valley and up onto the high country of the pass. We shall have to climb to 11,000 feet to clear the terrain. 

We then descend to Luckinbill Airstrip (WY06), a rough grass field south of the Clark Fork of the Yellowstone River. (Some pilots may wish to execute a touch-and-go or simply a low flyover.) Bearing sharply north after takeoff, we proceed along US 212 in the valley of the Clark Fork. And then turn southwest over Cooke City, over the Park's North East Entry Gate [NEGAT] and into the Lamar Valley [LAMAR], home of Yellowstone's bison herd.

We reach the waypoint [YCAN1] which sets us up for the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The adventurous pilot might be tempted to follow the canyon by flying below the rim. At [LFALL] you will get a view of the stunning Lower Falls of the Yellowstone – which drop twice the depth of Niagara Falls. Pop up quickly to pass over the waterfall and then enjoy the Upper Falls [UFALL]. (Again, the waypoints [YCAN1-YCAN2-YCAN3] help mark the turns in the canyon. At two points you will come to what seems to be a fork in the canyon. In both instances, keep to the right.)

Then climb out to the west and follow the Norris Canyon Road, past some fire-burnt areas, to the Norris Geyser Basin [NORGB], the most dynamic of the Park's thermal regions. Steamboat Geyser, at the south end of the basin, is the world's tallest currently-active geyser. (It blows only erratically, sometimes with years separating the eruptions. Since 2017, it has been more active on a more-or-less monthly schedule.) Turn north and fly along the Grand Loop Road, before diving down Kingman Pass [KPASS] to Mammoth Hot Springs [MAMOT], the park headquarters, and then a landing just outside the park at Gardiner [29S].

Next, turn northwest and climb up over the Gallatin Range – you may need 11,000' or more to crest the peaks – to visit two of the nation's famous skiing resorts. First we fly over the Yellowstone Club's golf course and resort [YCLUB] and pass the ski slopes of Pioneer Mountain [PINER]. This is a private residential resort whose membership includes many world-famous personalities. We proceed to turn over the grand setting of Cedar Mountain with its enclosed lake and waterfall [CEDAR]. Then we examine the peak of Lone Mountain [LONE] and optionally slalom down the slopes to the expansive Big Sky Resort below [BSKY].

Next turn southeast 14nm over the ridges to the land at Nine Quarter Circle Ranch (1MT0). This is a grass strip that the owners say can handle twins – so no worries for the skilled pilot. Just approach East-to-West and reverse the directions for takeoff. (The high altitude runway is sloped.) This long-successful dude ranch might be able to serve up a steak sandwich with all the fixin's.

Next, fly over Sage Peak and Mount Hebgen to land at West Yellowstone (KWYS). Located here is the Aerial Fire Center, a base for smokejumpers and tankers whose firefighting resources serve the broader region.

Now depart to fly low-and-very-slow over the Park's most famous thermal features. Start with the Western Entry Gate [WGATE] and follow Route 191 along the Madison River and over Nine Mile Hole [9MH], the trout fishing hole near the spot where Forest Fenn in 1988 buried a million dollar treasure to create a public search. A young medical student/adventurer found the treasure box in 2020 after Fenn published a clue-filled poem. We swing to the south at Madison Camp [MADSN]. Within six miles you will see the extensive Lower Geyser Basin and turn over the colorful Fountain Paint Pots [PAINT]. Then 2nm to the southwest to pass over the Great Prismatic Hot Springs [PRISM]. This spectacular sight might be worth a quick circle to take in the colors.

Then, following the highway, we turn over the Black Opal Pool and the West Geyser [WESTG] and enter the grand Upper Basin with its large number of geysers. Tracing the Firehole River, we bend at Castle Geyser [CASTL] before flying over the historic Old Faithful Inn [OFINN] and Old Faithful [FAITH] itself. Again, it might be worth circling over the complex to see Old Faithful in action.

Finally, we turn south for 50nm to enter Jackson Hole, admire Jackson Lake, pass over the famous Jackson Lake Lodge [JLLOD]. The dramatic Grand Tetons to our west will provide a spectacular backdrop for our approach and landing at Jackson Hole Airport [KJAC]. We have dinner reservations at the Blue Lion.

Documentation
The flightplan can be found here. The package also includes a long Pilots’ Guide from the 2019 flight.

Aircraft
The route is 272nm and will involve some low-and-slow flight coupled with some climbs over the mountain peaks. Recommended aircraft: modestly quick GA aircraft with a speed of 150-170 KTAS or more. Some popular options include the Beech Bonanza, Cessna 182RG, Cessna 208 Caravan, Cessna 310, Cirrus SR22, Piaggio P.149, Piper Comanche, and the Vans RV-14. Anything you like will be fine. Note that two landings will be grass strips (one optional). No need for a high altitude cruiser – we shall be flying mostly scenic legs near the ground – for the sheer fun of it. As ever, please fly what you like.

Scenery
Here are some airport improvements that you might appreciate. One is a FS2020 scenery that works well in FS2024; the second is a FS2024 scenery. Thanks for the authors for their excellent work.

West Yellowstone [KWYS]. Windhover
Jackson Hole [KJAC]. StratusSim (Get the FS2024 version)

Note that there are payware versions of KWYS and KJAC. (You might consider KWYS because it adds better depictions of Yellowstone’s richly-colored geyser fields and hot springs – at the cost of some minor tiling in FS2024. This addon is not necessary to enjoy the flight as the photoreal default depiction is pretty good.)

Time and Weather
For takeoff on Wednesday, set the simulator at 3:00pm local for June 18, 2025.
We typically prefer real weather.

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Wednesday, June 18, 2025. 1900 UTC
RTWR Multiplayer Discord Channel
Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: United States East server.

If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Please be kind enough to enter the title exactly as it stands in the title=”xxx” line of the aircraft.cfg file. Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!