After our awesome late lunch at Lamar Valley, we headed for Trout Lake which we travelled east on Northeast Entrance Road. Trout Lake is a short lolipop hiking trail with a fairly steep uphill climb. Once you have hiked up to the lake, the walk around the trail will take you completely around the lake blessing you with a picturesque view showcasing the mountains behind it.
The trail takes you up through a forest of Douglas Firs. This trail is open year round. Pets are not allowed on the trail. For safety reason, it is recommended by the park services that you carry bear spray with you at all times and stay on the trails.
On our ascent to reach the lake, we only encountered 10 people in the 2 hours we spent on this adventure. At several points, I had to stop and catch my breath, as I’m not used to the elevation. On one of those rest moments, I reach a flat area deep in the woods when out of nowhere, this little bird with a blue head ran across my shoe. I was so stunned, I couldn’t move for a couple of seconds. I looked in the direction that it took cover which was some bright green grass. I got one glimpse of it moving & then it disappeared. I turned to Frank as he was below me, and told him that I had a bird that looked like a parakeet run across my shoe. Of course, he thought the altitude had done me in! I was beside myself! Thinking about that bird the whole rest of the time we were up there. Spoiler alert!!! Near the end of this trip several days later, I found out that what I saw was not a parakeet (didn’t think so anyway), but a Lazuli Bunting. I had to go back into my bird log on ebird.org and add it to my list, making it a life bird for me! IT RAN ACROSS MY SHOE & DISAPPEARED IN THE THE TALL GREEN GRASS! Still can’t believe it!
Once we reached the top and exited the trail where the lake opened up, we were in awe at the vision before us. We decided to go to the right. With a light breeze coming off the lake, the smell of smoke wafted the air. It wasn’t a fire or someone cooking. It was the all too familiar smell of marijuana. Somebody was tokin’ on the hill. We moved on around the lake, meeting a nice couple from Canada. We enjoyed their company as we trekked down the path around the lake stopping to take a photo here and there. The only wildlife we saw besides the unidentifiable Lazuli Bunting were 3 Cinnamon Teals, some Common Mergansers and a Pied-Billed Grebe. No elk, no moose, no bears!
On the other side of the lake, we approached some guys fishing, suspecting they were the pot heads. We said our hellos & well wishes on catching their trout and came across a wooden bridge. Frank is standing on it in the photo below. Trout Lake empties out here flowing down the mountainside. With next to no noise, it was another zen moment for listening to the water leave the pool where it vacated.
The entire hike up the mountain side and around the lake is 1.2 miles. The hike around the lake is easy. The ascent is strenuous if you are not in shape or not used to changes in elevation. I thought I was in pretty good shape for a 54 year old Marine, but I was mistaken. I took more breaks than I wanted, but it was necessary. As I climbed, my trained mind was telling me “No Pain, No Gain”. My heart was screaming, “to hell with that”. Since this was our first real hike and it was Day 2 of our vacation (first day in Yellowstone), I can tell you after the tranquility of one’s self and living in the moment, I felt invigorated going down the trail towards the trailhead.
Trout Lake was worth the 150 feet of elevation that we had to climb to get to this peaceful clear lake. Hope you get to visit the beauty of Yellowstone National Park if you have never been there. If you missed any of our “Living in the Moment” posts, check them out here: Just After Take Off, Day 1, Day 2 Mammoth Hot Spring, Day 2 Traffic Jam, Day 2 Undine Falls and Lava Creek, Lamar Valley – Slough Creek.
40 responses to “Living in the Moment – Day 2 – Trout Lake”
How beautiful and wonderful that you saw and photographed that Lazuli Bunting! They’re gorgeous and so is your image of it.
Unfortunately I didn’t take the photo of the bunting. I borrowed it and credited the photographer. I needed my readers to know what it looked like so they understood my excitement. I could only dream of getting this shot. If I lived out west, I might get one. 😊
What a cool bird experience!
It really was.
Being present and in the moment certainly opens and expands us. Beautiful! ❤️🦋🌀
Yes it does. Every time we get outside is a spiritual time for us. 😊
wow nice to meet you i’m paola
Sounds like an amazing experience
It is certainly worth going if you get the chance.
I would love to
Congratulations on your lifer, Lisa. Lazuli Buntings are one of the delights of Rocky Mountain Summers, but I have never had one run across my shoes. 😊
Thanks! It was definitely a shocker when it happened. We picked up 14 life birds on that trip.
Good for you! 👍
Its beautiful
Thank you. It certainly was. Cant wait t to go back.
Beautiful
Hi… great site!🌺
Thank you. I loved and hated the castle story you wrote.
😊Aw, I can relate. It deserves such a feeling…its so sad but interesting… thanks for checking it out Lisa…
How wonderful. Thanks for sharing the pics and video. I loved hearing the rushing water.
There is more to come. I’ve started day 3. 😊
Beautiful pictures! Hubby and I went to New Hampshire a few times on hiking trips. Being from New York we thought we could handle it. We about died! Lol
Thank you for the kind words. I’m ready to go back.
Being in the moment as you say is also the theme of my travel blog. You might consider visiting Yellowstone by snowmobile during wintertime for a different perspective.
Maybe someday. This was our first trip and I wanted nice weather.
What an awesome (and comical) write up! I probably would have thought it was a parakeet too! What a beautiful bird!
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wow this is so beautiful, and has encouraged me to put Yellowstone back on the list of places to visit. I have seen so many reports of overcrowding that I had decided not to ever visit. Now I know tranquillity does still exist there I may reconsider 🙂
You have to pick and choose your battles. We had a fully planned agenda and we altered a little once there but we stuck to our daily schedule pretty well. We also tried to avoid the hot spots. I would suggest a early September trip. Once things get back to normal, the USA kids will be back in school. Not as crowded but still plenty of people in the tourists areas. Hope you get to go. 😊
Thanks Lisa . . . early September difficult for us, but maybe late autumn next year 🙂
What month is your late autumn?
late October into early November
Once the National parks reopen, I would check with Yellowstone. Many of the roads close to winter in the park. 😊
ahh thought that might be the case. and the problem with the spring as we found in Tahoe, the snow is there until quite late. Your winters are harsher than ours
The winters are in that part of the country. Now if you wanted to come to Florida during that time, you could be at any beach anywhere in the state and be very comfortable. Maybe even a little on the warm side depending on the weather. You could have an opportunity to ride out a hurricane. 😳
ooh not sure I am brave enough to risk a hurricane . . . . think I might delay a Florida trip until after Thanksgiving!
Good idea. 😂
meant to add – but when does the snow arrive? We’ve been caught out in Tahoe before!!
You comments are going into my pending folder as unapproved and not in my feed. Ugh! It snowed the day after we left Bozeman to come back to Florida. 🙂
oh no had a feeling they might be. WP gremlins are out to get me at the moment 🙁