#6 of 82 trails in Beartooth Highway
Beartooth Highway, MT · WY
A short lake walk with a steep climb back out.
Overview
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Beartooth Highway Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Beartooth Highway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Beartooth Highway audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Gardner Lake Overlook“You're nearing Gardner Lake Overlook, where you can look down into the lake's rocky mountain bowl without leaving the roadside. I'd stop for the view even if you don't want to hike.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Beartooth Highway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Gardner Lake Trail is a 1.6-mile out-and-back from the Littlerock Creek pullout on US 212 to Gardner Lake, high in a bowl below the Beartooth headwall. It’s a good way to leave the highway for a close look at the lake without giving up a whole day. The path drops about 580 to 600 feet in roughly 0.8 mile, then you climb it all back. Allow about 1 to 1½ hours, especially if you take time by the water.
The marked path angles down the less-steep side of the slope. You can see the lake below for much of the descent, but the footing is uneven: loose rock and washed-out stretches have been reported. Near the lake, the main path stays back from the water; a short spur leads to a large boulder at the shore. Turn around there and save energy for the steep walk back to the pullout.
The Beartooth Loop continues beyond Gardner Lake toward Losekamp and Stockade lakes. Reaching that route means crossing Gardner Lake’s outlet stream, and the short lake walk does not include the longer loop. The 1.6-mile figure here is the return trip from the highway pullout to the lake and back.
Wildlife
42 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
22 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
49 sightingsBisonMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
122 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
260 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
16 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Beartooth Highway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingBeartooth Loop National Recreation Trail10.9 mi · 5.5 hr · At the trailheadA high-country loop joining Gardner Lake and the steep Beartooth headwall.
ChallengingDeep Lake Trail15 mi · 10 hr · 1.4 mi awayA hard 15-mile descent and climb to a cliff-ringed alpine lake.
ModerateTwin Lakes Trail1.7 mi · 1.5 hr · 2.5 mi awayA high-country descent to Twin Lakes, then a steep climb back.
ModerateHauser, Stockade and Losekamp Lakes Trail6.7 mi · 3.5 hr · 2.9 mi awayThree high-country lakes make the extra walking count.
ChallengingLine Creek Plateau Trail7.9 mi · 5 hr · 3.3 mi awayA long, exposed crossing over open alpine tundra.
ChallengingGlacier Lake Trail4.4 mi · 3.3 hr · 3.7 mi awayA steep climb to an alpine lake tucked into the Beartooths.
ModerateHellroaring Plateau Trail5.8 mi · 4 hr · 4.5 mi awayFollow an old road to a talus overlook above Shelf Lake.
ModerateDollar Lake Trail7.5 mi · 4.5 hr · 4.5 mi awayFaint alpine tread links Top and Dollar Lakes.
Scenic pullout · At the trailheadGardner Lake OverlookA broad roadside lake view; the shore means a steep climb back.
Sight · 0.9 mi awayBeartooth Basin Summer Ski AreaSummer skiing on a steep high-alpine headwall.
Sight · 1.1 mi awayBeartooth Pass VistaA high-alpine summit stop for open views, lingering snow and wildflowers.
Scenic pullout · 1.6 mi awayTwin Lakes OverlookTwo alpine lakes, seen from above without a hike.
Sight · 3 mi awayMontana-Wyoming State Line SignA quick state-line sign stop on the seasonal Beartooth Highway.
Scenic pullout · 4.3 mi awayQuad Creek Scenic OverlookThe highway curls below you across a wide mountain valley.
Campground · 4.6 mi awayM-K CampgroundA free creekside campground near Beartooth Highway hikes.
Campground · 4.8 mi awayIsland Lake CampgroundA simple high-country camp for lake views and nearby hikes.Parkwolf’s Beartooth Highway ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
