Storm Point Trail

Storm Point Trail is a 2.3-mile loop from the Indian Pond pullout on Yellowstone Lake’s north shore. It starts across open meadow, follows the pond, enters forest, reaches the rocky point and lake shore, then returns through lodgepole pines. The park rates it easy and estimates one to two hours. I’d choose it for a manageable walk that changes from pond to trees to open water, especially if you want a Yellowstone Lake view without committing to a long climb. The 2.3-mile figure is for the Indian Pond access. Recorded GPS walks run longer when they include a connecting approach; one 2.8-mile track still does not fully reconcile with the park’s distance, so follow the route from the named pullout for the version mapped here.

The open start gives you a view over Indian Pond and Yellowstone Lake before the trees close in. The trail runs alongside the pond, then turns west into forest. It is an easy route with little elevation change: a recorded GPS track gained less than 100 feet. The walk keeps trading views for shade rather than staying at the water the whole way, so the open stretch at the beginning and the lakeshore near the point feel like distinct parts of the loop.

The trail comes out at a rocky, wind-swept point on Yellowstone Lake. This is the main reason to finish the loop: you get a more open look at the lake after walking through trees, and the rocks near the point are home to a large colony of yellow-bellied marmots. They are wild animals, so keep your distance and don’t count on seeing them. For a photo, include some of the sandy path and the pine-covered point with the water on both sides; it shows the shape of the point better than a tight lake-only shot.

The walk puts you beside the northern part of Yellowstone Lake, which lies within the 640,000-year-old Yellowstone Caldera. The lake basin includes terrain shaped by rhyolitic lava flows, though that broad geologic setting does not identify every rock along this trail. At Storm Point, the park also identifies exposed sedimentary clay and conglomerate: look for thin gray layers in the shore bank and rounded pebbles held in finer rock. It is a good place to notice the smaller shoreline details after the big lake view has had its turn.

Park at the Indian Pond pullout, three miles east of Fishing Bridge Visitor Center; this is the trailhead for the 2.3-mile loop. No reservation or activity fee is required, though park entrance fees may apply. Pets are not allowed. The trail is often closed in late spring and early summer because of bear activity, so check with the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center before setting out. Yellowstone recommends hiking in groups of three or more and keeping bear spray immediately accessible. The exposed point can be windy even when the forested sections feel sheltered.