Native Lake Trail

Native Lake Trail is a 7.9-mile (12.7-km) round-trip out-and-back from the southeastern end of Beartooth Lake to a high alpine lake in the Beartooth Mountains. The route follows Beartooth Creek Trail #619 north through its valley, then takes the west and northwest branch of Beartooth High Lakes Trail #620. Start near 8,900 feet and plan on about four hours; the high elevation, creek crossings and rolling climb make this a full outing rather than a quick lake stroll.

At about 2.7 miles, #619 reaches the #620 junction. Turn west for Native Lake and return the same way. The east and northeast branch heads toward Horseshoe and Beauty lakes on the separate Beartooth Lakes Loop. That loop starts from the same access but does not reach Native Lake, so make the turn deliberately.

The Native Lake branch keeps climbing in rolling terrain. A hiker reported a false pass before the route rose again; don't assume the first high point is the end. Native Lake sits at roughly 9,800 feet, and the uphill work continues after the junction.

The route starts with the outlet crossing at Beartooth Lake, about 0.1 mile from the trailhead. Early in the season, that crossing may require wading. Beartooth Lake’s shore and nearby meadow can be wet or marshy. After rounding the lake, the path crosses Beartooth Creek near 0.8 mile, then climbs north at moderate grades through meadows with Beartooth Butte to the west. Another creek crossing comes near 2.2 miles, before the junction.

This stretch changes from lakeside footing to open meadow and creek-valley walking. The creek crossings and soggy ground are the main practical friction here; the route is not one uninterrupted steep climb.

Beyond the fork, the trail rolls upward toward Native Lake, with views opening across ridges and the surrounding Beartooth peaks. Native Lake is the payoff at about 9,800 feet. The mapped route follows the northwest trail to the lakeshore and returns on the same corridor; it does not include the longer continuation on #620.

A 2023 account names Clay Butte and Lonesome Mountain among the views, with Pilot and Index Peaks as recognizable landmarks. From the rocky lake shore, include the water and the granite slopes around it in a photo to show the scale of the basin.

One August hike noted old whitebark pines along the route, ripe huckleberries later in the season, and gentian and yellow flowers still blooming after the meadow's peak. Those are observations from one trip, not a promise of what will be flowering on your visit, but they give you something specific to watch for on the climb.

Use the small parking spur just beyond Beartooth Lake's southeastern end, reached by the campground road. Capacity, fees and overflow details were not found. A store is listed near the campground, but its services are not described; no food stop on the trail was identified. Route-specific toilet and drinking-water details, dog rules and permit requirements were not found. Check current Forest Service access information before heading out, especially if you are relying on the campground road.