Lake Gertrude

Drainage: Rock Creek
Approaches: Timberline Trailhead — 4 mi, all on trail; 2,000 ft up · Timberline Lake continues about 1 mi further

Elevation: 9,594 feet
Fish: Brook trout (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.13948, -109.49626
Bugs: Minimal on our visit

Getting there

Park at the Timberline trailhead in the Rock Creek area.

The hike

Four miles on the main trail with a steady 2,000 feet of climbing. It is a continuous ascent rather than a series of pitches, so the work is even the whole way.

Much of the walk goes through an old burn. There is no shade in it, and on a sunny day that stretch gets hot enough to be the memorable part of the hike. Carry more water than four miles would normally call for.

Gertrude is 6.4 acres at 9,594 feet. FWP lists brook trout. We fished it and caught nothing.

Timberline Lake is another mile up the same trail, 31.4 acres, and the fishing there was decent for us with fish running ten to twelve inches.

Tips & safety

• The burn is the hard part. No shade, exposed, and warm. Bring extra water.

• Camping: there are numerous excellent sites around the shoreline, and they are better than what you find at Timberline a mile above. If the camp matters more than the fishing, stop here.

• Fishing: FWP lists brook trout and we did not catch any. Timberline, a mile further up, fished better.

• A reasonable turnaround: at four miles and 2,000 feet this is the shorter version of the Timberline trip, and it is the right stopping point if the full nine mile day is more than you want.