Teardrop Lake

Drainage: Clarks Fork (WY)
Approaches: From Thiel Lake, approximately 0.5 mi south on trail; roughly 110 ft down
Elevation: Approximately 9,110 feet
Fish: No WYG&F data
Coordinates: Approximately 44.9994, -109.6505
Bugs: Minimal on our visit

Getting there

Day two of a four day trip out of Clay Butte. Day one ran approximately seven and a half miles over the plateau to Hidden Lake, where we camped. Day two started by getting around the cliffs at Hidden, which meant going through the water at their base, then roughly a mile west to Thiel.

From Thiel the trail keeps dropping. Teardrop sits about half a mile on and a hundred feet lower, and the reason we went is simple: the trail goes there. There is no detour and no decision to make. You walk down and the lake is in front of you.

The hike

By this point you have around ten miles behind you and most of the climbing is done. The whole stretch from Thiel down to Granite is descent, and Teardrop is the flat spot partway through it where the ground levels off and holds water.

Tips & safety

• Navigation: on trail from Thiel.

• Fishing: no WYG&F data. Wyoming has no stocking record and no published survey for Teardrop.

• Bugs: minimal on our visit.