Duck Lake
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
| Address: | Grand Loop Rd, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA |
| GPS: |
44°24'59.9"N 110°34'31.9"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Wyoming |
Hike
Duck Lake Trail is located near Grant Village and West Thumb. This is an easy half-mile hike (one mile, round trip) that takes you through the lodgepole pine forest which is still recovering from the 1988 wildfires.
The hike leads you to a sandy beach and you can overlook a scenic and peaceful lake. The shore of Duck Lake is really nice as it’s a broad, sandy shore. As you walk across the beach you will find various logs on the shoreline that are piled up into makeshift teepees which make for a fun view.
Except for the occasional buzz of cars near the West end of the lake, you might have little idea that this lake is just 100 yards from the highway. Many hikers have said that the most peaceful time is during the evening right before the sun sets over the lake.
WARNING: This location is not considered a swimming area and would be best if you wore closed-toe shoes and kept shoes on because leeches have been reported.
For more information, visit:
Add Reference URLBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don’t feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
- Head south on Grant Campground Rd (0.7 mi)
- Turn right onto Grant Village Rd (1.0 mi)
- Turn right onto US-191 N/US-287 N/US-89 NPartial toll roadParts of this road may be closed at certain times or days(1.8 mi)
- Turn right onto Hwy 20 EParts of this road may be closed at certain times or daysDestination will be on the left(0.2 mi)
Parking for the hike is the same as for that for West Thumb Geyser Basin, a quarter of a mile from the edge of Yellowstone Lake. The path starts just across the main road.
Trails
Distance ?
0.4 milesElevation Gain ?
-5 feetReal Ascent ?
97 feetReal Descent ?
102 feetAvg Grade (-0°)
-0%Grade (-13° to 8°)
-24% to 14%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Lake Overlook
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
0.1 miles SThis trail is located in the southern part of the park, with the trailhead in the West Thumb Geyser Basin parking lot. This is about a 1.7 mile hike, roundtrip, that starts and ends at the...
Hike
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
0.1 miles SEWest Thumb Geyser Basin is one of the smallest geyser basins in Yellowstone yet its location along the shore of Yellow-stone Lake ranks it as the most scenic. West Thumb derived its name from the...
Hike 1.4 mi
Yellowstone Lake Overlook Trail
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
0.1 miles SEYellowstone Lake Overlook Trail is a 1.7 mile loop trail that is easy and great for beginner hikers. The trail begins near the West Thumb Geyser Basin Parking Lot and is open in the summer and fall.
Hike 1.5 mi
Riddle Lake Hike
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
4.0 miles SThis hike takes you through a blanket of forest, then a dirt trail that leads you to the beautiful lake. You will pass several tree trunks covered in scratch marks, offering fresh evidence that...
Hike 6.1 mi
Shoshone Lake (via DeLacy Creek)
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
6.6 miles WIf you are just coming from Old Faithful and want a break from the crowds, this hike is a perfect leg-stretching, moderate 6.1 mile hike. This hike takes you through the forest and grassy trail. As...
Hike 2.1-11.5 mi
Lewis River Channel / Dogshead Loop
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
6.8 miles SAnyone who doesn't want to backpack through Yellowstone but is looking to experience the real beauty of Yellowstone will truly love this hike. Walking along the Lewis Channel is one of the...
Canoe, Hike, Kayak 6.9 mi
Heart Lake Trail
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
6.9 miles SThe trail is very clear and leads to a moderate eight mile hike to Heart Lake. This hike has many possibilities. Day hikers need to push their time to make sure they are on the trail early to allow...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Hot Springs 2.3 mi
Natural Bridge Trail
Yellowstone National Park
10.4 miles NENatural Bridge Trail is an exciting and easy 2 mile hike to the beautiful rock formation that is Natural Bridge Yellowstone. This Natural Bridge was formed by Bridge Creek as it wore a hole in the...
Hike
Lone Star Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
11.4 miles WThis entry level trail and bicycle path follows the Firehole River to the geyser. This hike is 4.8 miles round trip. Lone Star erupts 30–45 feet about every three hours. Biking...
Hike, Mountain Bike
Mallard Lake
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
12.5 miles WThe trail crosses the Firehole River, passes Pipeline Hot Springs, and climbs rolling hills of partially-burned lodgepole pine and open, rocky areas to the lake. Return the same way, or if you have...
Hike 1.5 mi
Observation Point Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
12.8 miles WObservation Point Trail is an just over 2 mile loop that passes several geysers along the way to Solitary Geyser. Observation Point Trail provides up close views of several geysers as well as...
Hike 6.2 mi
Howard Eaton Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
12.8 miles WThe Howard Eaton Trail in the Old Faithful Area is a hike with incredible geothermic features and other natural views. This hike is a moderately difficult 6.5 mile there and back trail, that...
Hike
Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
12.8 miles WOld Faithful is a cone geyser located in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, United States. It was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition and was the first geyser in the park...
Hike 2.8 mi
Elephant Back Mountain Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
13.0 miles NEElephant Back Mountain Trail is a 3 mile loop trail. The trailhead can be found 1 mile south of Fishing Bridge Junction near Lake Village. This trail climbs 800 feet and gives hikers a stunning view...
Hike 2.0 mi
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
14.4 miles NWThe Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail gives hikers an opportunity to see the famous aerial view of the Grand Prismatic Spring. The vibrant rainbow waters of the Grand Prismatic Spring are...
Hike 0.3-5.0 mi
Fairy Falls
Yellowstone National Park
14.4 miles NWGetting to Fairy Falls sounds like something out of a fantasy novel. First, you'll cross the steel bridge over Firehole River, then pass over the Grand Prismatic Spring, turn left at the junction...
Hike 0.6 mi
Pelican Creek Nature Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
14.4 miles NEPelican Creek Nature Trail is a beautiful easy walk that gives visitors views of Yellowstone Lake and Pelican Creek. This family friendly trail can be completed in under an hour. Despite the...
Hike 0.3-0.5 mi
Mystic Falls
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
14.5 miles WMystic Falls is a 70-foot cascading waterfall on Little Firehole River. The area around the falls is quiet and beautifully forested. Mystic Falls is a lesser known spot in Yellowstone National Park....
Hike 0.7 mi
Grand Prismatic Spring
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
15.0 miles NWThe Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in the United States, and the third largest in the world, after Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand and Boiling Lake...
Hike 7.4 mi
Pelican Valley Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
15.7 miles NEPelican Valley Trail is a beautiful 6.2 mile hike that allows hikers to see Yellowstone Lake, Pelican Springs and the Pelican Valley water features. Despite its length this is an easy, level...
Hike
Nearby Campsites
Grant Village
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
1.7 miles SGrant Village was built in 1984 and named after Ulysses S. Grant, president when Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872. Located near the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake,...
Camp, Canoe, Kayak 6.9 mi
Heart Lake Trail
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
6.9 miles SThe trail is very clear and leads to a moderate eight mile hike to Heart Lake. This hike has many possibilities. Day hikers need to push their time to make sure they are on the trail early to allow...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Hot Springs
Lewis Lake
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
9.6 miles SLewis Lake is located in the U. S. state of Wyoming in the southern part of Yellowstone National Park, about 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Shoshone Lake, and approximately 10 miles (16 km) southwest...
Camp, Canoe, Kayak
Bridge Bay
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
10.6 miles NEBridge Bay Campground was named for its proximity to Bridge Bay Marina on Yellowstone Lake. The area is quite scenic, with wooded areas, open meadows and some limited views of the lake. Because of...
Camp
Fishing Bridge RV Campground
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
14.3 miles NEThe Fishing Bridge Recreational Vehicle Park is located near the mouth of the Yellowstone River as it leaves Yellowstone Lake. The RV park is named after the Fishing Bridge, a wooden vehicle bridge...
Camp 1.5-3.8 mi
Little Gibbon Falls
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
20.6 miles NIce Lake and Little Gibbon Falls Loop is a 4.5 mile loop trail located near Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The trail is good for all skill levels and primarily used for hiking, but there are...
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Madison Campground
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
21.3 miles NWMadison Campground is named for its proximity to the Madison River, which runs through the area in a lush mountain setting rich in wildlife. Madison Campground is at an elevation of 6,800’ and...
Camp
Canyon Campground
Canyon Junction, Yellowstone National Park
22.4 miles NCanyon Village Campground is located within a mile of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and is one of the most popular campgrounds. The Canyon Campground is a favorite due to its wooded setting...
Camp
Norris Campground
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
23.0 miles NNorris campground is centrally located in Yellowstone National Park and offers a good spot for those planning to visit many of the most famous features in Yellowstone. Norris is a relatively short...
Camp
Cave Falls of Yellowstone
Ashton, Idaho
28.3 miles SWThis campgrond is situated on the banks of Fall River in Wyoming along the south border of Yellowstone National Park. Cave Falls Campground has 23 single site units and a terrific area for...
Camp, Hike
Horseshoe Lake
Ashton, Idaho
31.5 miles SWHorseshoe Lake is hidden back in the Targhee National Forest. It's a beautiful lake with plenty of lily pads. The road to get there is well maintained and there are many options for pull-outs...
Camp, Canoe, Dive, Swim
Indian Creek Campground Yellowstone
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
33.0 miles NIndian Creek Campground is a quiet and secluded wooded campground within Yellowstone National Park, ideal for tent campers. It’s close to lots of hiking and fishing, and only a few miles to...
Camp
Big Springs
Island Park, Idaho
34.0 miles WThere's also a great little walking trail along the river with placards that tell about the ecosystem and history of the area. There's about a 1/2 mile that's paved and then a 1/2 mile...
Camp, Hike
Tower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
34.1 miles NTower Fall is a waterfall on Tower Creek in the northeastern region of Yellowstone National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Approximately 1,000 yards (910 m) upstream from the creek's...
Camp, Hike
Sheep Falls on Fall River
Ashton, Idaho
34.6 miles SWThe lesser known Sheep Falls on Fall River is a local treasure off of Cave Falls road. There are primitive campsites and beautiful views for a great picnic spot. The water splits and comes down in...
Camp 0.1-5.2 mi
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park
39.0 miles NMammoth Hot Springs is a unique sight in Yellowstone National Park. The soft limestone in this area allowed the water to form colorful terraces. The extremely hot running water is clear and smooth,...
Camp, Hike
Slough Creek Campground
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
39.0 miles NSlough Creek campground is a small but very popular campground on the Northeast Entrance Road. Most of the campsites are situated right on the banks of Slough Creek where fishing is a favorite...
Camp
Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
39.1 miles NMammoth Hot Springs Campground is the only campground in Yellowstone that is open to campers year-round. Campsites cannot be reserved and are available on a first come first served basis. It is...
Camp
Porcupine Creek
Ashton, Idaho
39.2 miles SWPorcupine Creek is a hunting, fishing, camping, and swimming spot near Ashton, Idaho in Fremont County within Targhee National Forest. It's surrounded by forests, meadows, and a creek...
Camp, Swim
Upper Coffee Pot Campground
Island Park, Idaho
39.3 miles WUpper Coffeepot Campground stretches along a floatable section of Henry's Fork of the Snake River. A mixed growth lodgepole pine forest provides partial shade and summer wildflowers are...
Camp, Canoe
