Moccasin Lake
Difficulty: Moderate
Trip Type: Day Hike / Multi-Day Side Trip
Distance: ~5.6 miles from starting trailhead / ~0.4 miles from Peanut Lake
Elevation: 9,564 feet
Coordinates: 45.08320, -109.84849
Time: ~20 minutes from Peanut Lake
Access: Unmaintained off-trail navigation. Departs via cross-country from the upper basin bench.
Bugs: Minimal (little to no bugs)
Getting there
The multi-day backpacking route departs from the Lady of the Lake Trailhead. Please note that this is a thru-hike itinerary; our group dropped one vehicle off at the Beaten Path Trailhead first, then jumped in the truck and drove over to the Lady of the Lake Trailhead to begin hiking. This ensures a vehicle is waiting for pickup at the other side when you finish the trip.
The hike
If you are traveling straight from the vehicle turnaround, the route to Moccasin Lake spans roughly 5.6 miles from the starting trailhead. For backpackers tracking sequentially from the last water stop on the bench, this destination sits about 0.4 miles further along the high plateau past Peanut Lake, climbing an additional 200 vertical feet of elevation over the rolling alpine terrain.
Because this upper basin contains no maintained footpaths, navigating between Peanut Lake and Moccasin Lake requires complete cross-country route-finding. The terrain consists of open rocky benches and light timber, allowing for a straightforward point-to-point ramble once you have established your campsite down at the primary Splinter Lake basecamp area.
Tips & safety
Camping: While our primary multi-day basecamp was set up down at Splinter Lake due to our day one arrival route, Moccasin Lake itself features plenty of firewood and nice campsites along its shores for those looking to pitch a tent directly in this upper basin.
Thru-Hike Logistics: Because this extended itinerary finishes at a completely different exit point, ensure your logistics are arranged with a shuttle vehicle waiting at the final trailhead before you set out.
Fishing: FWP and GNIS data listed for Brook Trout. Regional survey logs note this is a pretty lake with a mostly sand and silt bottom environment.
