Hiking The Ice Lake Trail In Yellowstone National Park
The Ice Lake Trail is an easy one-mile out-and-back hike nestled within Yellowstone National Park.
If you want to make it a longer trek, you can continue to Wolf Lake, Grebe Lake, Little Gibbon Falls or Cascade Lake.
The trailhead (44.7169, -110.63396) for this hike can be found at a small parking lot along the Norris-Canyon road approximately 3.5 miles east of Norris Geyser Basin.
The hike takes you through a lodgepole pine forest, but half of the trees were destroyed in the 1988 wildfire. Burnt trunks of the fallen pines are stacked along the edge of the trail.
Visitors will walk along the water’s edge which is densely forested with new growth so you really can’t see the lake. We got one decent view during the hike which I snapped a shot of.
For an all-day/overnight adventure consider continuing on the Howard Eaton Trail.
This trail is 10.7-mile one-way with a trailhead at both ends. There are backcountry campsites on this trail, but a free backcountry permit is required. Learn more about backcountry permits here.
If fishing is your thing bring your gear along. Learn about fishing in Yellowstone National Park here.
This hike isn’t very exciting and I think at one point there is a better view of the lake, but we didn’t walk far enough. Personally, I would skip this hike during your visit to the park unless you’re heading to one of the other lakes.
There are so many better hikes to choose from.
Bugs were bad here during our visit and we got eaten alive so bug spray is a must.
Additionally, always be prepared and carry bear spray when exploring any hiking trails in Yellowstone National Park, as it’s an essential safety precaution.
