Trout Lake Trail

This 1.2-mile lollipop loop starts at a roadside pullout in Yellowstone’s northeast and circles Trout Lake before returning along a shared approach. The trail climbs through meadow and Douglas-fir forest, drops to the shore, follows a circuit around the water, then retraces the first stretch to the pullout. Plan one to two hours; about an hour and a half leaves room to stop. The lake is the payoff, a small basin under a rocky ridge and conifers. The park calls the walk moderately easy, but the opening climb is the part that asks the most of you. If you are short on time, you can reach the lake and return without doing the full shoreline circuit.

The first stretch crosses open meadow, where the view opens toward Beartooth Pass, Mount Norris and the Thunderer, then enters Douglas-fir forest and gets steeper. You crest above the lake and descend to the water. The tread is dirt. Take your time on the climb, especially if you are adjusting to the park’s elevation; once you reach the shore, the walking is easier. The return follows the same approach, so save a little energy for the uphill connector from the lake circuit before the descent back to the road.

The circuit stays close to the water, with narrower tread on parts of the far shore. It crosses the inlet and outlet streams on short wooden bridges. Spring runoff can make the crossings less comfortable than they are later in the season. You can skip the shoreline lap and turn back at the lake for a shorter outing, though the hill is still part of that walk.

The north end is a seasonal spawning spot for cutthroat trout. The run usually begins around the week of Father’s Day, when fish gather at the short, steep creek coming from nearby Shrimp Lake. River otters sometimes feed there too. Neither fish nor otters are guaranteed sightings. Watch from the path and give wildlife room rather than approaching the water’s edge.

Use the Trout Lake Trailhead pullout on Northeast Entrance Road, about 1.5 miles south of Pebble Creek Campground. It is small, and parking can be limited. No trail reservation or activity fee is required, though the park entrance fee may apply. Grizzly bears frequent this area, so carry bear spray where you can reach it quickly and stay at least 100 yards from bears. Pets are prohibited, and the route is closed to stock use year round. No toilets, drinking water or food service were listed at the trailhead or on the route, so bring what you need.