Duck Lake Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
This is prime grizzly habitat, especially along the Duck Lake shoreline where bears feed in the shallows. Carry bear spray, make noise on blind corners, and do not linger at the lakeshore at dawn or dusk.
The standing dead trees from the 1988 fires are called 'widow makers' for a reason — avoid this trail on windy days when dead snags can topple without warning.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Time your hike for late afternoon when the West Thumb parking lot empties out after the geyser basin crowds leave — you'll likely have the trail entirely to yourself and the light on Yellowstone Lake turns golden.
The trailhead is unmarked enough that most people walk right past it toward the geyser basin boardwalk. Look for it on the west side of the parking area, opposite the lake side — a use trail heading uphill into the burned forest.
Bring a wide-angle lens or use your phone's panorama mode from the hilltop overlook. The juxtaposition of the small Duck Lake against the massive Yellowstone Lake behind it is one of those shots that actually conveys scale, and the ghostly silver snags of the fire-killed trees frame it perfectly.
Photos
NPS
