Lost Lake (Clarks Fork, WY)

Drainage: Clarks Fork (WY)
Approaches: Approximately 6 miles round trip from the Lake Creek trailhead, on trail. You need a high-clearance vehicle to reach the trailhead.
Elevation: 8,237 feet
Fish: Yellowstone cutthroat (WYG&F).
Coordinates: 44.98002, -109.71021
Bugs: Terrible mosquitoes.

Getting there

The Lake Creek trail is the start, and getting to the trailhead is the first thing to plan for. You want high clearance vehicle to reach it.

From there it is about three miles to Lost Lake and it is all on trail. It took us an hour.

The hike

Lost is 36 acres at 8,237 feet, which is a lot of water for an hour's walk. Wyoming Game and Fish lists Yellowstone cutthroat in it.

The mosquitoes were the story of the day. Swat one and five more show up. They ran us off in the end.

We had wanted to carry on to Lake Creek Lake, but getting there means wading a deep creek and we could not find a decent spot to cross. Between that and the bugs we turned it down. We went off trail to Threebay and Gander instead.

There are five Lost Lakes in this range spread across four drainages, so if you are working from a book or a map, check which one you are looking at. This is the Wyoming one, in the Clarks Fork.

Tips & safety

• Navigation: On trail the whole three miles from the Lake Creek trailhead. Off-trail beyond it if you are going on to Threebay and Gander.

• Getting to the trailhead: High clearance. Sort the vehicle out before you sort the hike out.

• Camping: We walked it as a day hike and did not scout camping.

• Fishing: Yellowstone cutthroat per WYG&F. Good fishing.

• Bugs: Terrible. Swat one and you get five.

• Lake Creek Lake: We tried for it and gave up. You have to wade a deep creek and we could not find a good crossing.