Parking
The spur starts at a remote junction on the North Shore Shoshone Lake Trail, not at a parking area. Use the current park backcountry map to plan the walk-in from a road-accessible trailhead; the 2.4 miles covers only the Pocket Lake spur.
Overview
About Pocket Lake Trail
Why go
- A small lake gives the spur a clear destination.
- The official trail avoids the outlet creek banks.
Heads up
- The remote junction adds an uncounted backcountry approach.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yellowstone map
Full mapElevation7,799–8,165 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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
Hear Yellowstone as you drive it.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yellowstone National Park. 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 Yellowstone audio tourMore stories near here in the app
- Trout Across the Continental Divide
- Isa Lake and Craig Pass
- The Roots Behind the Red
- DeLacy Creek and Shoshone Lake
- 243 audio storiesacross Yellowstone’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Bison, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 167 trails, 192 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“First time driving through a national park. We used the Yellowstone tour on grand loop Road and it’s just like having a tour guide in your car with you.”
Trail guide
Hiking Pocket Lake Trail
A backcountry side trip, not a roadside hikePocket Lake Trail is a 1.2-mile spur from the North Shore Shoshone Lake Trail to Pocket Lake.
Pocket Lake Trail is a 1.2-mile spur from the North Shore Shoshone Lake Trail to Pocket Lake. Walk it back the same way for about 2.4 miles, with roughly 440 feet of climbing; allow around two hours for the spur itself. The payoff is a small lake tucked into a forested plateau. It is a worthwhile detour if you are already on the North Shore route, but it is not a short walk from a road: the junction is remote, and the 2.4-mile figure does not include getting there.
The climb stays above the creekThe trail starts climbing right away through lodgepole pines.
The trail starts climbing right away through lodgepole pines. It was built north of the outlet creek instead of following the older fisherman's path beside the water, and there are occasional glimpses of Shoshone Lake through the trees. Near the end, the path dips slightly into the pocket where Pocket Lake sits. The climb is the work here; there is no summit or big overlook.
At Pocket LakePocket Lake covers about 14 acres and is known for cutthroat trout.
Pocket Lake covers about 14 acres and is known for cutthroat trout. Turn around at the lake and return on the same trail. No food, potable water, or facilities were found at the spur or its junction, so plan for the full backcountry outing. Day hiking in Yellowstone does not require a permit, but grizzly bears frequent this area; carry bear spray. Pets are not allowed on trails. Plan the road-to-junction approach separately and check current backcountry conditions before setting out.
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.
