Lily Pad Lake
Drainage: West Rosebud
Approaches: Ernie Strum Trail from West Rosebud Road — 1.5 mi one way; 600 ft up, 200 ft down
Elevation: 6,412 feet
Fish: Brook trout (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.31091, -109.64008
Bugs: Minimal on our visit
Getting there
The trailhead is off West Rosebud Road. The parking area is small, room for a couple of vehicles, so plan on roadside parking if it is full.
The hike
Follow the Ernie Strum Trail for a mile and a half, with 600 feet of climbing and 200 feet of descent on the way in. About an hour to the lake, and manageable walking for most people. Part of the route follows an old road marked as private access.
Lily Pad sits at 6,412 feet, low enough that the water warms up. By June it is pleasant to swim in.
FWP lists brook trout running eight to twelve inches, though the lily pads that give the lake its name make it genuinely difficult to fish. Getting a line through them is the problem, not finding the fish.
Crater Lake is half a mile further up the same trail and 200 feet higher if you want to keep going.
Tips & safety
Wait out the snow. We turned back here in early April because the snow was too deep for the kids. By June the same walk is easy and the swimming is good.
The lily pads make fishing hard. The fish are there at eight to twelve inches. Getting to them through the pads is another matter.
Black bear: we saw one in this area. Carry spray and stay alert.
Parking is tight. Two or three vehicles at the trailhead.
Camping: there are a few usable sites around the shoreline, which is more than Crater half a mile above offers. At 6,412 feet in timber there is real shelter here.
Little Legs: we walked this one with our own young kids and they finished it on their own feet. That is a record of one day with our kids, not a rating. Read what Little Legs means.
