Nugget Lake

Difficulty: Moderate
Trip Type: Multi-Day Backpacking / Day Hike
Distance: ~10.3 miles from trailhead / ~2.1 miles from Silver Lake
Elevation: 9,394 feet
Coordinates: 45.20692, -109.89637
Time: ~30 minutes from Beckworth Lake
Access: Unmaintained off-trail stream scramble. Departs from Beckworth Lake.
Bugs: Minimal (little to no bugs)

Getting there

Drive along West Rosebud Road past Emerald Lake and West Rosebud Lake. The trailhead parking lot is located just before you reach the power plant near the end of the road, providing ample parking space for standard vehicles.

The hike

If you are traveling straight from the vehicle turnaround, the route to Nugget Lake spans roughly 10.3 miles one way and involves almost 3,370 vertical feet of elevation gain. For hikers tracking sequentially from your multi-day basecamp, this destination sits about 2.1 miles past Silver Lake. If you are starting directly from your last water stop, Nugget Lake is located just a short distance of about a third of a mile past Beckworth Lake.

The route requires a little climb as you leave the trail system behind at Beckworth. To navigate this unmaintained section safely and efficiently, it is highly recommended to follow the connecting inlet stream straight up the drainage until it brings you out onto the shoreline of Nugget Lake.

Tips & safety

• Terrain: This section involves off-trail hiking along moving water, so watch your step on loose rock or slippery soil near the banks.

• Camping: Good camping opportunities exist around the shoreline, giving you a quiet high-alpine spot to set up a tent.

• Fishing: FWP and GNIS data listed for Yellowstone Cutthroat. The basin offers decent fishing, with most catches landing in the six to eight-inch size range.