Parking
No road access or parking at Frost Lake Trailhead (3N5). Reach this remote eastern-boundary access on foot as part of a backcountry itinerary; it is not a car-based day-hike start.
Overview
About Frost Creek Trail
Why go
- A high meadow opens to a wide view over Lamar Valley.
Heads up
- No road access at 3N5, so it only fits a longer backcountry itinerary.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yellowstone map
Full mapElevation7,293–9,757 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
5 active Yellowstone alerts
- ClosureBiscuit Basin closed after hydrothermal explosionBiscuit Basin’s parking lot, boardwalk, and Firehole River are closed to all travel.Official details
- ClosureMost Yellowstone roads close to regular vehicles November 1Most Yellowstone roads and the West, South, and East entrances are scheduled to close to regular vehicles November 1, 2026, as the park prepares for winter operations.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Yellowstone Tour Guide
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- Wildlife heatmapsfor Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Bison, and 13 more
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Trail guide
Hiking Frost Creek Trail
What this route isFrost Creek Trail is a 5.
Frost Creek Trail is a 5.5-mile, one-way point-to-point route from Frost Lake Trailhead (3N5) on Yellowstone’s eastern boundary down through the Frost Lake corridor toward Lamar Valley. The same corridor is also mapped as Frost Lake Trail. A high meadow near 9,400 feet opens to a broad Lamar Valley view—the standout payoff on this remote backcountry line.
Plan it as part of a longer tripThe 3N5 starting point has no road access, so this is not a drive-to day hike. Build the 5.
The 3N5 starting point has no road access, so this is not a drive-to day hike. Build the 5.5-mile segment into a longer backcountry itinerary and arrange the next leg before you set out. Allow about four to five hours for this line itself; it changes roughly 2,500 feet in elevation. From the lower northwest end, you climb that elevation back toward 3N5.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yellowstone
713 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
743 sightingsWolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
5,273 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
3,258 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
397 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,494 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yellowstone. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
