Fishing Alpine Lakes

Boulder River Drainage Absoroka/Beartooth Mountain Lakes
Lake	Elevation	Location	Description	Fish Species
Blacktail Lake	8720'	At the head of Davis-Blacktail Creek drainage- It can be reached up the Mission Creek trail 2 miles from the end of the road to Elephanthead Mountain and then another couple of miles on past the side of the mountain to the lake shore.	A 1.5 acre lake, deep, Alpine cirque	10 to 12 inch Cutthroat.
Trout Lake		Half a mile upstream from the Fourmile Campground where there are USFS cabins.	3.5 acres, 10 foot max depth, pond in lodgepole, sprice and marshland	Rainbows to 1.5 pounds
Bridge Lake	9485'	On the northern slope of Crow Mountain. Take Bridge Creek Trail 3 miles up from the Boulder River at the Lazy Day Ranch, 1/2 mile on up the Lake Fork until the trail takes off up out of the canyon to the north, and then a very rough, cross-country, 2,500 foot climb in 2.75 miles.	2 acre cirque lake in rocky alpine country	Some Big Cutthroat
Camp Lake		Reached by Graham Creek trail 3 miles east from the Boulder River near the Falls Creek Campground to the top of the East Boulder Plateau and then a fishermen's trail 1.25 miles east to the shore.	12 acre lake, deep with steep dropoffs in a glacial cirque with some scrub timber around the NE outlet.	Excellent Cutthroat Lake average 8 to 12 inches up to 10 lbs.
Elk Lake		USFS trail up Elk Creek 5 miles from the Boulder River road a couple of miles above the crest of the Absaroka Range	3 acre lake, deep	A few good sized Rainbow
Falls Creek Lake	9842'	Near the head of Falls Creek 1/2 mile below West Boulder Lake. 13 miles of poor horse trail from the West fork of the Boulder River. Good to hire a guide to pack you in on horseback.	47 acres, deep, gravel bottom.	14 to 17 inch golden trout
Fish Lake	9472'	9 mile ride up the Upsidedown Creek trail from the Boulder at the Lazy Day Ranch or 6 miles by trail from the end of the East Fork logging road 4 miles above the ranch		7 to 8 inch Cutthroat
Fourmile Creek		Crossed at the mouth by a USFS road and followed by trail upstream for 2 miles.	Drains Silver Lake, 2 mile steep, rocky george, then 2 miles open country to the Boulder River	9 to 11 inch Rainbow and some Cutthroat
McNight Lake		About a mile east, a little north and over the divide from Pine Creek Lake, 2.5 mile hike up Davis Creek from where it leaves the trail	Above timberline, a 9.5 acres, deep.	Rainbows to 4 pounds
Meatrack Creek		Norhteast of Fourmile Creek 1/2 mile above the Boulder River road, paralleled upstream by a good USFS trail. The first 1.5 miles are too steep for fish but the next couple of miles are in a partly open flat canyon with a few meadows	Small mountain stream.	6 to 10 inch Rainbows
Rainbow Lakes	9400'	Reached by a good pack trail 6 miles up Rainbow Creek fromt he end of the East Fork Boulder River Road or 5.5 miles by a many switch-backed trail from the end of the Upside down Creek logging road which takes off to the east from the Boulder River road near the Lazy Day Ranch.	Alpine plateau with some scattered timber and lots of beautiful campsites. 15 acre, 12, acre , and 25 acre lakes in close proximity	10 to 14 inch Rainbow, Cutthroat, and Cutbows. A few up to 2 to 3 pounds.
Silver Lake		Near timberline up Fourmile Creek	A wide spot in Fourmile Creek.	poor fishing for Rainbow up to 2.5 pounds
Unnamed Lake		follow the outlet of McNight Lake 1/2 mile east down to Davis Creek, then up Davis for a few hundred yards and finally 3/4 miles up another tributary coming in from the south.	Shallow, 3 acre lake that is all in the open just above timberline	7 to 9 inch Cutthroat
West Boulder Lake	9628'	Reached by a rough climb straight up the mountainside 1/2 mile south south and 686 feet above Falls Creek Lake.	Barren cirque 22 acre lake, deep	12 to 14 inch Golden Trout
Wounded Man Lake

Crazy Mountain Alpine Lakes and Streams
Lake	Elevation	Location	Description	Fish Species
Basin Creek		Flows down the east side of the Crazy Mountains - to Sweet Grass Creek about 7 miles northwest form Melville. The lower couple of miles are never more than a few hundred yards hike from the road, are moderately popular.	5 miles through open rolling foothill country	Excellent fishing for 8 and 9 inch Brook trout, plus a fair number of Brown and Rainbow trout.
Big Timber Creek		Outlet of Pear, Druckenmiller, Branite, Thunder, Blue and Twin Lakes, all Clustered around Granite Peak in the central Crazy Mountains.	The upper reaches of this creek are too fast and cold for fish: the lower reaches are muddied up and dewatered for irrigation. There is about 2 miles of pretty fair fishing in the wide Big Timber Valley below Half Moon Campground.	8 to 11 inch Rainbows and some Brown trout.
Blue Lake		Up the trail 4 miles from Half Moon Campground near Granite Peak	18 acre lake in the cental Crazy Mountains, deep, scattered alpine timber	10 inch Brook trout and Rainbows
Campfire Lake		Reached by trail 7 miles west above the end of the Sweet Grass Creek road	20 acre lake in a barren glacial cirque	12-14 inch Rainbows
Cave Lake		Middle fork of Sweet Grass Creek trail for 1 mile above the end of the road to the mouth of Milly Creek, ant then an old unmaintained trail over rock and deadfalls up that drainage southwest for 3 miles to the shore.	22 acre lake	15 to 16 inch Rainbows
Cayuse Creek		Souteastward flowing stream to Sweet Grass Creek about 5 miles southeast of Melville, crossed by Hwy 18 a short way north of Melville	A small, open pastureland stream	8 to 10 inch Rainbow and 12 inch Browns to 5 pounds
Crazy Lake		Take the Big Timber Creek road 12 miles north from Big Timber, then the South Fork jeep road 5.5 miles west, and finally "shankss; mares: for 6 miles on upstream cross country to the shore just belwo Crazy Peak	15 acres, deep with steep dropoffs below talus slopes all around	8 to 14 inch Rainbows.
Duck Creek		Heads in the southern Crazy Mountains 5 miles west of Big Timber.	Flows south, mostly through open rangeland with cottonwood and willow along the banks for 14 miles to the Yellowstone River.	6 to 8 inch Cutthroat, Brook and some Brown trout.
Glaston Lakes		Lower Lindsey is reached by road 8 miles east from U.S. 191, about 15 miles north from Big Timber.	Upper is 600 acres and shallow, Lower is 1200 acres and fairly deep towards the outlet, reserviors 1/4 miles apart in pasture and rangeland with a few cottonwoods and willows around.	12 to 14 inch Rainbows, 6 to 10 inch Yellow Perch, some nice Browns to 6 pounds.
Granite Lake		Right under Granite Peak in the central Crazy Mountains. Reached by trail 3 miles up Big Timber Canyon above Half Moon Campground. The last half mile is very steep trail with lots of switchbacks.	A high, alpine 20 acre lake, fairly deep all over with a small pennisula at either end, some talus and steep cliffs on the north end, and alpine timber.	8 to 10 inch Rainbows to 1.5 pounds.
Little Timber Creek		3 miles west of Big Timber,	Flows for 8 miles to the Yellowstone river	6 to 8 inch Cutthroat and Brook Trout.
Lower Deer Creek		Flows North from the Boulder Plateau for 20 miles to the Yellowstone river where it is crossed by I-90 6 miles east of Big Timber. It's followed upstream by unimproved roads for about 9 miles, and then by a USFS trail to headwaters.	Lower 5 miles are in open rangeland and are so extensively dewatered for irrigation that they have little fishing potential. Upper reaches in conifer-covered mountains are excellent.	8 to 10 inch Cutthroat, Brown and some Brook trout.
Sweet Grass Creek		Heads in Campfire lake in the Crazy mountains and is followed by a USFS pack trail down its rocky , timbered canyon for 8 miles to the end of the road 18 miles above Melville.		Small Cutthroat trout
Moose Lake		Reached by the Middle Fork Sweet Grass Creek Trail 6.5 miles above the end of the road and a half mile below Campfire Lake.	10 acre deep lake with mostly shallow dropoffs, below talus slopes on the east side and timbered around	8 to 10 inch Rainbows
Otter Creek		Mouth at the Yellowstone is a couple miles east of Big Timber.	A small stream that flows southeast for 30 miles through open rolling hills to the Yellowstone. Lower reaches are mostly dewatered, but the the upper reaches within the USFS boundary provides some fishing.	6 to 9 inch Brookies
Pear Lake		Reached by cross country up the drainage 1/2 mile above Granite Lake 3.5 miles from Half Moon Campground up Big Timber Canyon.	40 acre lake, deep high cirque with talus all around.	8 to 10 inch Rainbows.
Sweet Grass Creek		Heads in the Crazy Mountains and is followed by county, private and USFS roads most of the 50 miles east and south to the Yellowstone where the mouth is 8 miles east of Big Timber.	Good fishing in the upper reaches in the National forest	9 to 13 inch Rainbows, Brook, and some Whitefish.
Thunder Lake		Borders Blue Lake in the Central Crazy Mountains 4 miles above Half Moon Campground.	5 acre lake, rock sides, shallow and some steep dropoffs- surrounded by alpine timber.	8 to 10 inch Rainbows to 2 pounds.
Twin Lakes		Reached by trail 3 miles west above Half Moon Campground at the end of Big Timber Canyon.	Upper 3 acres, Lower 5 acre lake, shallow, semi open country below Granite Peak.	9 to 10 inch Cutthroat.
Upper Deer Creek		Mouth at the Yellowstone River is about 6 miles east of Big Timber. The lower 9 miles are followed by gravel road.	Not a fast stream, flows north from Elk Mountain for 20 miles through timbered mountains above, and open range farmland below.	Upper reaches has small Brook Trout.
Wounded Man Creek and Lake		Between Timberline and Horsehoe Mountains for 4 miles to Slough Creek 8 miles above the Boulder River. It followed all along by a USFS trail, but is only poor fishing.	A small stream flowing eastward down a fairly steep timbered canyon.	8 to 10 inch Cutthroat.