Trout Lake Trail

Trout Lake is a short, steep and popular trail located in Lamar Valley close to the northeast entrance of the park. It can be very busy because the lake is popular with fishermen. It still makes a great, short scenic hike even if you don't fish. The trailhead is well signed off the road and has a small parking lot with info signs. This area is in heavily traveled bear country. Do not hike here without bear spray and it's best to have more than one person. This is a great hike for wildlife because bears, otters, bison, deer, and elk all frequent the area. The trail immediately enters the trees and climbs steadily about 250 feet before dropping back down just a bit to the lake. There are some huge pines in this grove. There are great views of the Absaroka Range. Once at the lake, the terrain and views open up as huge cliffs tower over the lake. You can turn around once you have seen the lake or add about a mile to the hike and walk around it. There is a great chance of seeing wildlife. The day we visited there were several bison around. It's really a nice place to relax. The cliffs above the lake really have some interesting geology and there are often seasonal waterfalls well into summer.