Frenco Lake

Drainage: West Rosebud
Approaches: Mystic Lake Trailhead — 9.4 mi, about 3,100 ft up · From Silver Lake — about 1.2 mi west on trail.

Elevation: 9,194 feet
Fish: Yellowstone cutthroat (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.21347, -109.88383
Bugs: Minimal on our visit

Getting there

Drive West Rosebud Road past Emerald Lake and West Rosebud Lake. The trailhead lot sits just before the power plant at the end of the road, with plenty of room for a standard vehicle.

Frenco is about nine and a half miles in with roughly 3,100 feet of climbing. We reached it from a camp at Silver Lake, a little over a mile below.

The hike

There is a real trail to Frenco, which sets it apart from most of what is up here. It is steep. The climb out of the main valley floor is a sustained push and it takes most of a morning from a camp at Silver, but you are following tread the whole way rather than picking a line.

Frenco is 13.9 acres at 9,194 feet, the largest of the upper lakes on this loop. FWP lists Yellowstone cutthroat, and the fishing was good, with plenty of trout in the eight to twelve inch range.

Beckwourth is two thirds of a mile southwest from here, and the trail carries on toward it.

Tips & safety

• The best camp in the upper drainage. There is a quality site here, and we found an old grill at it. We cooked a fresh catch over the fire. If you are staying anywhere above Silver, stay here.

• Fishing: Yellowstone cutthroat running eight to twelve inches, which is the best fishing on this loop.

• The climb: steep and sustained out of the valley floor. There is trail the whole way, so the work is in your legs rather than your navigation.