Silver Lake

Difficulty: Moderate
Trip Type: Multi-Day Basecamp / Backpacking
Distance: ~8.2 miles from trailhead / ~2.8 miles from Island Lake
Elevation: 7,993 feet
Coordinates: 45.21096, -109.85298
Time: ~3 to 4 hours from trailhead
Access: Maintained trail. Departs from the main Mystic Lake Trailhead near the end of West Rosebud Road.
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 Silver Lake spans roughly 8.2 miles one way and involves almost 1,900 vertical feet of elevation gain. For hikers tracking sequentially along this drainage, this destination sits about 2.8 miles past your last stop at Island Lake, continuing up the main valley floor.

While it is a decent hike that starts to feel quite long by the very end, the trail remains clear and established. Pushing all the way into this basin positions you perfectly at the heart of the upper drainage.

Tips & safety

• Basecamp Strategy: Silver Lake serves as an exceptional, highly strategic hub for multi-day backpacking trips. Setting up your primary camp here allows you to launch lighter day trips up the surrounding steep drainages each day and return to the same comfortable spot each night.

• Camping: The area offers good, reliable camping options with plenty of quality spots to establish a multi-day camp.

• Fishing: FWP and GNIS data listed for Rainbow Trout. The lake holds small fish, making it a fun option to cast a line right outside your tent.