Big Moose Lake Trail

This is the shorter high-country approach to Big Moose Lake: about 3 miles each way, or 6 miles round trip, using the #568–#624–#567 connection. Allow about 4 hours for the walk and a lake stop. The route is a remote out-and-back to a large mountain lake near 8,000 feet.

From the mapped #568 footpath junction, follow #568 to #624, then join Widewater Trail #567 toward the lake. The connected trail line is about 2.95 miles one way; return the same way. Expect roughly 1,100 feet of cumulative climbing over the round trip, with the high elevation adding effort.

The short route is described from the 130 1A four-wheel-drive road off Beartooth Highway. A separate approach from Kersey Lake follows trail #3 and #567 and is listed at 6.5 miles on trail; it is a different route, not part of this entry.

The stored trailhead is the mapped footpath start on Crazy Creek Trail #568, not a verified parking lot. The exact roadhead and parking point on the 130 1A access road are not pinned down, so confirm the road alignment and access on current Forest Service mapping before setting out.

Big Moose Lake covers 83.8 acres and reaches 46 feet deep. Brook and rainbow trout are documented as common, self-sustaining populations. The lake is the destination and turnaround point; the mapped line reaches a ford near its shore.

A ford is mapped near the lake approach, but its depth and seasonal condition are not documented. The route stays at high elevation, and the shorter approach depends on a four-wheel-drive road.