Beartooth Highway, MT · WY
A high-country out-and-back to Sylvan Lake via Camp Senia.
Overview
Sylvan Lake via Camp Senia is a very long high-country out-and-back, about 20.6 miles round trip from West Fork Trailhead. It follows Camp Senia Trail #16 to Red Lodge Creek Plateau, continues on Spread Creek Trail #13, then takes the Sylvan Lake spur (#13A). This is for fit hikers who want a full wilderness day, not a quick lake stroll. Allow about 12 hours, with time to stop at the lake.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?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 tour“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
Camp Senia shares the West Fork Trailhead. Walk about 40 feet up West Fork Trail, then turn right at the Camp Senia sign. Camp Senia climbs from West Fork Road to Red Lodge Creek Plateau; its natural-ground section has about 2,000 feet of elevation change. Continue on Spread Creek Trail across the plateau, then take the signed Sylvan Lake spur for its final 0.6 mile. The lake is the turnaround. Return the same way.
The lake sits at roughly 9,180 feet, beneath steep gray rock and snow-striped slopes. From the shore, include the water in the foreground and the rocky peak across the basin to show the scale of the setting.
There is some fisheries history here: California golden trout were first stocked at Sylvan Lake in 1938, and the lake's stock has since been used for other high-country waters.
West Fork Road is closed to vehicles from December 2 through April 14, when the area is inaccessible by car. The route is in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, so check its regulations before setting out. Dogs may come along; keep them under control and pack out pet waste.
The published distances add up to about 10.3 miles each way: 9.7 miles to the Sylvan Lake junction, then 0.6 mile to the shore. The connected mapped line measures about 9.6 miles to the lake, so plan around the longer figure.
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
ChallengingWest Fork Trail #122 mi · 13 hr · At the trailheadWaterfalls and alpine lakes lead to an 11,045-foot pass.
EasyCalamity and Sentinel Falls Trail4.5 mi · 2.5 hr · At the trailheadTwo waterfalls, a creekside walk, and a long open stretch early.
ModerateQuinnebaugh Meadows Trail9 mi · 5.5 hr · At the trailheadWaterfalls break up the long walk to a flower-filled meadow.
ChallengingCamp Senia Trail #167 mi · 5 hr · At the trailheadA long climb to a high-country junction and wilderness connections.
ChallengingCrow Lake via Camp Senia Trail17.2 mi · 10 hr · At the trailheadA long backcountry climb to Crow Lake's granite cirque.
ChallengingLake Mary Trail #1B11.8 mi · 6 hr · At the trailheadLong West Fork climb to two high lakes above the valley.
ChallengingEast Rosebud–Camp Senia Trail14.1 mi · 9.5 hr · At the trailheadA hard alpine crossing links West Fork with East Rosebud Campground.
ChallengingTimberline Lake Trail9 mi · 5 hr · 1.5 mi awayTwo lakes below Silver Run Peak reward a long, steep climb.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayCalamity FallsA 1.3-mile trail walk reaches falls tucked into a rocky gorge.
Sight · 1.8 mi awaySentinel FallsA creekside hike links Calamity Falls with Sentinel Falls.
Campground · 8.6 mi awayLimber Pine CampgroundA quiet creekside base below the Beartooth switchbacks.
Campground · 8.7 mi awayParkside CampgroundCreekside camping near the foot of the Beartooth switchbacks.
Campground · 8.8 mi awayGreenough Lake CampgroundCreekside camping, with Greenough Lake a short walk away.
Campground · 9.6 mi awayM-K CampgroundA free creekside campground near Beartooth Highway hikes.
Sight · 9.7 mi awayRock Creek Vista PointA short paved path opens onto a huge glacial valley.
Sight · 9.8 mi awayBeartooth Highway Welcome SignA quick welcome photo before the high-country drive.Parkwolf’s Beartooth Highway ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
