Snyder Lake

Difficulty: Little Legs
Trip Type: Kid-Friendly Day Hike
Distance: ~4.3 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,005 feet
Coordinates: 44.96513, -109.52449
Time: ~3 hours round trip
Access: Unmaintained off-trail navigation past the first pond. Departs from the Long Lake Trailhead.
Bugs: Moderate (steady breeze kept them bearable)

Getting there

Start your journey at the Long Lake Trailhead, which serves as the primary staging grounds for this route.

The hike

The round-trip journey to Snyder Lake spans roughly 4.3 miles and involves almost 700 vertical feet of elevation gain. This is an exceptional option for families, that have a hike or 2 under there belt, taking about 3 hours total to complete with a 4-year-old walking along. The outbound trip requires roughly 1 hour and 40 minutes to climb up, while the return trip takes just over 1 hour back down.

To head up, follow the main maintained trail from the Long Lake Trailhead toward Sheepherder. The path passes right along a long, unnamed pond. Once you reach the end of that pond, you must leave the trail completely because there is no visible path on the ground from that point forward. Head straight up the valley cross-country toward the lake. Right near the top, just before you drop down to the water, a faint trail tread shows up again. While OnX maps show a trail line existing the entire way, it is completely invisible on the ground except for that short stretch near the top.

To return back down, you can try following the mapped trail line instead. This return route features a bit more marshy ground to step through, but it remains a decent, solid option for the hike out.

Tips & safety

• Camping: There are no obvious or established campsites near the shoreline. The lake is surrounded by sparse timber, so nothing stands out right by the water. If you plan to spend the night, a suitable site is likely possible back in the sparse timber pockets rather than right on the water's edge.

• Trail Realities: Do not count on finding a continuous trail on the ground despite what your digital maps say. Trust your navigation instincts through the cross-country valley stretch.

• Fishing: Wyoming Game and Fish data tracks the high-altitude basin.