Trout Lake and Buck Lake
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
| Address: | US-212, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA |
| GPS: |
44°53'57.2"N 110°7'22.7"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Wyoming |
| Trails/Routes: | 0.6-1.5 mi |
Lakes Trails Wildflowers Fishing National Park
Hike
The Trout Lake trail is a steep 1/2-mile trail through a Douglas fir forest which leads to the lake. Trout Lake is also known to be called Fish Lake and Soda Butte Lake .The most difficult portion of the hike is the beginning. Once the lake is in view, the hike gets a bit easier. When you've reached the lake, you are met with beautiful views each way that you look. Behind the lake you can se Mt. Hornaday, which is a beautiful sight year round. In the spring, you may see a gorgeous waterfall forming off to the side of the mountain as the snow cap melts. It's no wonder how this lake got its name, this lake is teeming with trout! Some hikers have even reported seeing otter around the lake area. The otters in the area are said to be familiar with humans and are great about being observed or photographed from a safe distance.
Fishing in this Trout Lake is an enjoyable recreational experience. There are plenty of cutthroat rainbow trout in the lake, however all cutthroat and rainbow trout hybrids caught in Trout Lake must be released. While fishing in this lake is allowed, fishing permits are required. Fishing permits can be purchased at all park ranger stations or visitors centers. All adults are required to purchase a $15 three-day permit to fish. Children under 15 can fish without a permit under the supervision of an adult that holds a fishing permit.
Trout lake sits in a depression on a high bench above the Soda Butte Creek Canyon. Another close by lake is Buck Lake. This lake is another half a mile away from Trout Lake. This is a wonderful hike that leads to a great scenic still lake for a picnic.
Next to Trout Lake you can find Buck Lake. It is another fairly simple hike and is 1.8 miles west of Pebble Creek Campground. The trail can get quite steep as it goes up a slope, but only for a short distance through the forest. Much like Trout Lake, Buck Lake offers the same views and wildlife.
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=9zpxis0diinBackcountry Conditions - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
The Backcountry Conditions Map and Area Condition Details are not updated during the winter season. Check back in late-April for current conditions.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/situationreport.htmBe 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 Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
- Head east on Grand Loop Rd toward US-212 EToll road(295 ft)
- Turn left onto US-212 EToll roadDestination will be on the left(17.7 mi)
The lake is located approximately .33 miles (0.53 km) north of the Northeast Entrance Road near the confluence of Pebble Creek and Soda Butte Creek.
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Slough Creek Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
9.6 miles WAn easy 3.4-mile historic wagon trail follows Slough Creek through sweeping meadows in Yellowstone — a peaceful summer and fall walk with beautiful open views.
Hike 4.0 mi
Specimen Ridge Day Hike and Fossil Forrest Trail
Buffalo Ford, Wyoming
10.1 miles WA strenuous 4-mile hike to Specimen Ridge with rewarding views, plus a side route to an outcropping of fossilized trees visible from the ridge — rugged and unmarked, but worth it.
Hike
Tower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
12.9 miles WTower Fall plunges 132 feet off Tower Creek in Yellowstone, framed by dramatic rock pinnacles — located about 3 miles south of Roosevelt Junction.
Camp, Hike 16.9 mi
Specimen Ridge Trail (2K4)
Buffalo Ford, Wyoming
13.0 miles WA challenging 17-mile remote hike ascending 3,000 feet to Amethyst Mountain and descending into Lamar Valley — ending at a river ford that may require turning around if uncrossable.
Hike 0.3 mi
Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
13.6 miles WA 3.9-mile loop trail from a Yellowstone picnic area along the canyon rim of the Yellowstone River — steam vents, wildlife sightings in meadows, and canyon erosion views throughout.
Hike 7.3 mi
Agate Creek Trail
Tower Junction, Wyoming
13.6 miles WA moderately difficult 7.3-mile hike along Yellowstone River with colorful cliff overlooks, the Narrows, and a primitive riverside campground at trail's end.
Hike 8.2 mi
Garnet Hill Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
14.3 miles WA 7.6-mile loop through Yellowstone meadows, sagebrush, and riverside forest with exceptional wildlife — wolves, bears, bison, moose, elk, and badgers all roam this area.
Hike 2.4 mi
Lost Lake Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
14.6 miles WAn easy 2.8-mile loop behind Roosevelt Lodge, winding through forest, meadows, and along the shores of Lost Lake — open year-round and finishable in under two hours.
Hike
Hellroaring Creek Trail
Yellowstone National Park
15.7 miles WA 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 4.4 mi
Chittenden Road - Mount Washburn Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
16.7 miles SWA steady, well-packed 5.8-mile out-and-back on the former Chittenden service road to Mount Washburn's summit, with bighorn sheep, wildflowers, and sweeping Yellowstone views at the top.
Hike 16.3 mi
Mount Washburn Spur Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
16.8 miles SWAn 8-mile descent from the peak of Mount Washburn through bighorn sheep country, wildflower meadows, and forests to Canyon Village — with sweeping Grand Canyon of Yellowstone views from the top.
Hike 3.4 mi
Dunraven Pass - Mount Washburn Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
18.0 miles SWA 6-mile Yellowstone hike via Dunraven Pass through quiet forests to the summit of Mount Washburn — a panoramic perch with bighorn sheep in summer and grizzlies near pine nuts in fall.
Hike 7.6 mi
Observation Peak Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
20.5 miles SWA nearly 10-mile Yellowstone hike that eases through meadows and past beautiful Cascade Lake before a strenuous 1,400-foot climb to a spectacular panoramic peak.
Hike 2.4 mi
Cascade Lake Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
20.5 miles SWAn easy, well-marked 4.5-mile out-and-back hike through meadows and forest to Cascade Lake near Canyon Village, with wildflowers in summer and frequent wildlife sightings year-round.
Hike 9.0 mi
Seven Mile Hole Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
20.8 miles SWA challenging 10-mile hike along the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone rim, then a 1,000-foot descent into the canyon for up-close Yellowstone River views and active hot spring sightings.
Hike 18.2 mi
Howard Eaton Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
21.8 miles SWA 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.
Hike
Forces of the Northern Range
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22.1 miles WA half-mile boardwalk on Yellowstone's Blacktail Deer Plateau with mountain peak displays, a wildlife primer, and a view-packed introduction to the Northern Range's forces of nature.
Hike
Lower Falls of the Yellowstone
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22.2 miles SWAt 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 1.4-2.6 mi
Ribbon Lake Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
22.8 miles SWA 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 7.4 mi
Blacktail Deer Creek to Yellowstone River Trail
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
23.4 miles WA 7-mile out-and-back trail dropping through green fields and boulder formations to waterfall views along the Yellowstone River, with a suspension bridge connecting onward trails.
HikeNearby Campsites
Pebble Creek Campground
Northeast Entrance, Yellowstone National Park
1.3 miles NA quiet campground tucked in Yellowstone's far northeast corner near Trout Lake and world-class Lamar and Soda Butte trout rivers — arrive before 11 a.m. to secure a spot.
Camp
Slough Creek Campground
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
9.6 miles WA small, popular Yellowstone campground right on Slough Creek where wolf packs are frequently spotted — sites fill fast, so arrive early.
Camp
Tower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
12.9 miles WTower 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
15.7 miles WA 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
Canyon Campground
Canyon Junction, Yellowstone National Park
21.2 miles SWA 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
Fishing Bridge RV Campground
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26.2 miles SWAn 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 0.8-3.8 mi
Little Gibbon Falls
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27.9 miles SWA 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
Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
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Camp 0.1-5.3 mi
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park
28.8 miles WColorful 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
Bridge Bay
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Camp
Indian Creek Campground Yellowstone
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Camp
Norris Campground
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Camp 25.6 mi
East Rosebud Lake
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Madison Campground
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Camp
Grant Village
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Camp, Canoe, Kayak 6.9 mi
Heart Lake Trail
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Backpack, Camp, Hike, Hot Springs 14.8 mi
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Backpack, Camp, Hike 0.1 mi
Lewis Lake Campground
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Camp, Canoe, Kayak
