Harlequin Lake Trail
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
| Address: | Harlequin Lake, Wyoming 82190, USA |
| GPS: |
44°38'25.7"N 110°53'14.6"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Wyoming |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.8 mi |
Lakes Trails National Park Pet Friendly
Hike
Harlequin Lake Trail is a beautiful short hike that can be taken in under an hour. This scenic hike is easy and family friendly, making it the perfect activity to add to any Yellowstone visit.
The trail begins on Highway 191 just west of Madison Campground and Madison Canyon. There are several pullout areas near the trailhead where parking is available. Harlequin Lake Trail is approximately a half mile there and back. The trail is level and well established, making this a walk for hikers of any level.
The trail is surrounded by a pine forest made up of both large old trees and small new ones. Hikers on Harlequin Lake trail can also enjoy a view of the small, pine covered mountains in the distance.
At the end of the trail hikers enjoy a close-up view of Harlequin Lake. The lake is covered in lily pads with colorful flowers, and several varieties of waterfowls are frequently seen on the lake. This lake is named after the Harlequin duck that can be frequently seen in this area.
Despite its proximity to the highway, this beautiful hike is quiet and low in traffic making this a wonderful respite from the crowds that often occupy the busier Yellowstone areas. This easily accessible and walkable hike to Harlequin Lake is one you won’t want to miss.
More Information
Yellowstone National Park Itinerary
This Yellowstone National Park Itinerary will help you get started as you plan your vacation to Yellowstone National Park.
https://www.justgotravelstudios.com/collections/national-park-itineraries/products/yellowstone-national-park-itinerary?ref=9zpxis0diinHarlequin Lake Trail, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Harlequin Lake Trail - short path through new growth pine woodland to a shallow lake lined with reeds and lilies, on the west side of Yellowstone
https://www.americansouthwest.net/wyoming/yellowstone/harlequin-lake-trail.htmlBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read MoreDirections
From Madison, Yellowstone National Park
- Head north toward US-191 N/US-287 N/Hwy 20 W (210 ft)
- Turn left onto US-191 N/US-287 N/Hwy 20 WToll roadMay be closed at certain times or days(1.5 mi)
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Purple Mountain Trail
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
1.6 miles EA quiet 6-mile out-and-back through dense Yellowstone forest, climbing 1,500 feet to the peak of Purple Mountain for panoramic views of the Madison and Gibbon rivers.
Hike
Sentinel Meadows & Queen's Laundry
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
5.7 miles SEAn easy Yellowstone hike through open meadows along the Firehole River to flaming red hot springs and the historic Queen's Laundry bath-house ruins from the 1800s.
Hike
Beryl Spring / Emerald Spring
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
7.4 miles EOne of Yellowstone's hottest thermal features, right off the Grand Loop Road — the water exceeds boiling point, making this a stunning roadside look-don't-touch volcanic wonder.
Hike 0.7 mi
Grand Prismatic Spring
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
8.1 miles SThe largest hot spring in the United States sits in Yellowstone's Midway Geyser Basin — a vivid rainbow of thermophilic colors that makes Grand Prismatic Spring a must-see.
Hike 1.5-5.0 mi
Fairy Falls
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
9.1 miles SA 197-foot wispy waterfall deep in Yellowstone, along a mostly flat trail past Grand Prismatic Spring — at its most magical in spring snowmelt, quieter than the crowded geyser basin stretches.
Hike 2.0 mi
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
9.1 miles SA 1.2-mile forested round-trip trail climbing to a sweeping overlook of the Grand Prismatic Spring and entire Midway Geyser Basin — the rainbow colors are best seen from above.
Hike 0.3-0.5 mi
Mystic Falls
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
10.9 miles SA lesser-known Yellowstone gem — a 70-foot cascading waterfall on Little Firehole River surrounded by quiet forest, with short and long viewing trails both described as easy.
Hike 14.8 mi
Biscuit Basin to Fairy Falls and Firehole Meadows
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
10.9 miles SA nearly 15-mile backcountry hike starting at Biscuit Basin passes turquoise pools, a 70-foot waterfall, Firehole Meadows, Imperial Geyser, and three stunning blue lakes with rust-red shores.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
12.8 miles SOld Faithful has erupted every 44 to 125 minutes since 2000, making it one of the world's most predictable geysers — a must-see centerpiece of Yellowstone National Park.
Hike 1.5 mi
Observation Point Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
12.8 miles SA lightly trafficked 2-mile loop that offers an elevated aerial view of Old Faithful and passes close-up geysers on the way to Solitary Geyser — the quieter way to see the iconic geyser.
Hike 3.1 mi
Mallard Lake
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
13.0 miles SA 10-mile roundtrip Yellowstone hike through changing scenery — pine forest, rocky terrain, and grassy meadows — arriving at a calm, wildflower-ringed lake with a bird's-eye view of Old Faithful.
Hike 6.2 mi
Howard Eaton Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
13.2 miles SA moderately difficult 6.5-mile there-and-back trail from Old Faithful through spruce-fir forest, past geysers and springs, culminating at the impressive Lonestar Geyser which erupts every three hours.
Hike
Ice Lake Trail
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
13.5 miles NEA short, peaceful trail through forest regrown after the 1988 Yellowstone fires, leading to a pretty, tree-lined lake with young lodgepole pines thriving all around.
Hike 0.8-3.8 mi
Little Gibbon Falls
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
13.7 miles EA family-friendly 4.5-mile Yellowstone loop reaches fishing and swimming spots along Gibbon Creek, with kid-safe trail, canoeing options, and bearspray-worthy backcountry feel.
Camp, Canoe, Hike 2.6 mi
Lone Star Geyser Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
15.9 miles SA 4.8-mile round-trip trail through forest to a colorful geyser that erupts 30–45 feet into the air about every 3 hours — bikeable the entire way.
Hike, Mountain Bike 6.1 mi
Shoshone Lake (via DeLacy Creek)
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
16.2 miles SEA 6.1-mile forest and grassy hike from Old Faithful to the shore of Shoshone Lake — a perfect crowd-escape option with fishing permitted (permit required) and backcountry hot spring access.
Hike 2.9 mi
Grebe Lake Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
17.4 miles EAn easy 6-mile Yellowstone round trip on a converted fire road to Grebe Lake — with elk, wildflowers, burned forest regeneration, and fishing allowed on the lake at trail's end.
Hike 1.4-2.6 mi
Ribbon Lake Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
19.6 miles EA gentle 6-mile trail through Yellowstone meadows past Clear Lake's thermal blue-green waters, lily-padded Ribbon Lake, and Grand Canyon overlooks — with bison and bears en route.
Hike
Lower Falls of the Yellowstone
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
19.9 miles EAt 308 feet, the tallest waterfall in Yellowstone National Park towers over the iconic yellow canyon walls — taller than Niagara Falls, with multiple viewpoints and trails accessible even in winter.
Hike 18.2 mi
Howard Eaton Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
20.0 miles EA 10-mile Yellowstone trail passing Cascade Lake, Grebe Lake, and Wolf Lake through forests and meadows — fish any of the lakes with a valid permit, or hike the full 20-mile out-and-back.
HikeNearby Campsites
Madison Campground
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
1.1 miles EA partly wooded riverside campground at 6,800 feet in Yellowstone, close to Old Faithful and the geyser basins, with great fishing on the Madison River and 270-plus individual sites.
Camp 14.8 mi
Biscuit Basin to Fairy Falls and Firehole Meadows
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
10.9 miles SA nearly 15-mile backcountry hike starting at Biscuit Basin passes turquoise pools, a 70-foot waterfall, Firehole Meadows, Imperial Geyser, and three stunning blue lakes with rust-red shores.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Norris Campground
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
11.5 miles NECentrally located in Yellowstone NP, this campground puts you within a short drive of Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, Old Faithful, and Yellowstone Lake.
Camp 0.8-3.8 mi
Little Gibbon Falls
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
13.7 miles EA family-friendly 4.5-mile Yellowstone loop reaches fishing and swimming spots along Gibbon Creek, with kid-safe trail, canoeing options, and bearspray-worthy backcountry feel.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Indian Creek Campground Yellowstone
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
18.2 miles NEIndian Creek Campground is a quiet, wooded, tent-friendly Yellowstone campground near Mammoth Hot Springs, big on wildlife and peace.
Camp
Canyon Campground
Canyon Junction, Yellowstone National Park
20.6 miles EA popular Yellowstone campground of 300-plus sites just minutes from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Upper and Lower Falls, with hiking trails and North Rim Drive access right from camp.
Camp
Big Springs
Island Park, Idaho
20.7 miles SWA Big Springs campground shaded by Lodgepole Pines on Henry's Fork — with a 1-mile interpretive trail, fish feeding under the bridge, the historic Johnny Sack Cabin, and access to the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway.
Camp, Hike
Bridge Bay
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
23.4 miles EA scenic campground on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake at 7,800 feet — wooded upper loops, open meadows, and a nearby marina store, though far from the park's main dining hubs.
Camp
Grant Village
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
23.4 miles SENamed for President Grant near Yellowstone Lake's West Thumb, this village has lakeside dining, a geyser basin next door, campfire ranger programs, and tree-lined campsites steps from the water.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak 0.1-5.3 mi
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park
24.7 miles NColorful limestone terraces covered in glistening hot-spring water, a 1-mile boardwalk with 300 feet of elevation, elk in the parking lot, and an easy family-friendly loop — Yellowstone's showiest geology.
Camp, Hike
Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
25.1 miles NThe only year-round campground in Yellowstone, with 85 first-come sites at 5 miles from the North Entrance, walking distance to the famous Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces and nearby hiking and fishing.
Camp
Upper Coffee Pot Campground
Island Park, Idaho
25.8 miles SWHenry's Fork of the Snake River winds through a lodgepole pine forest past this campground, offering fly-fishing for rainbow and brook trout and easy tubing and canoeing.
Camp, Canoe
Fishing Bridge RV Campground
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
26.0 miles EAn RV campground near the mouth of the Yellowstone River where visitors can watch White Pelicans, waterfowl, and trout from the historic Fishing Bridge — fishing from the bridge is no longer permitted.
Camp 6.9 mi
Heart Lake Trail
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
26.5 miles SEAn 8-mile moderate hike to a remote backcountry lake with blue thermal pools, fumaroles, Rustic Geyser, and remarkable fishing for native cutthroat, mountain whitefish, and Arctic grayling.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Hot Springs 0.9 mi
Buffalo River Campground
Island Park, Idaho
27.7 miles SWAn easy, clear, and often warm float on the Buffalo River near Island Park, with slow enough current to paddle back upstream in a canoe or kayak after your run.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim 0.1 mi
Lewis Lake Campground
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
27.9 miles SEYellowstone's third-largest lake draws canoeists, kayakers, and serious anglers, with a quiet campground open mid-June through early November on a first-come basis.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak
Tower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
30.0 miles NETower Fall plunges 132 feet off Tower Creek in Yellowstone, framed by dramatic rock pinnacles — located about 3 miles south of Roosevelt Junction.
Camp, Hike
Hellroaring Creek Trail
Yellowstone National Park
30.7 miles NEA suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River leads to sandy creek-side beaches and a mild backcountry trail past Yellowstone's largest granite slab — great for all ages.
Camp, Hike, Swim 17.5 mi
Tear Drop Lake
Ashton, Idaho
31.1 miles SWA small, lively lake in the Targhee forest for kayaking, swimming, and an easy loop trail — family fun with primitive lakeside camping.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Mountain Bike, Swim
Horseshoe Lake
Ashton, Idaho
34.7 miles SA lily-pad-dotted lake hidden in the Targhee National Forest with a gradual beach entry perfect for wading, a floating dock for jumping, and no motorized boats.
Camp, Canoe, Dive, Swim