The trail starts at the Gallatin River and continues upward through dense evergreen forest. Veer right for Hidden Lakes. Once we go to the actual trail head it stated 2.5 miles to the lake. The lake is beautiful in a nice place to relax. The Golden Trout Lakes sit in a basin at an elevation of 9,050 feet. Golden Lake is one of those lakes with incredible views and world class Cutthroat Trout. Rough roads to the Golden Trout Lakes It was difficult driving up the road to get to the beginning of the trail, so I recommend a vehicle that can handle the rough road; preferably a truck or AWD. In Wyoming, however, they don't offer stocking records on their website. Overview This was a great trail! The current cabin, a former guard station, was ... Overview About an hour and 20 minutes to get to the lake at a moderate pace, so calculate that into when you want to start fishing. Madison Range On the west side of Gallatin Canyon is the Madison Range, broken up by the community of Big Sky. Very few people on the trail for a Saturday in August. You might also find goldens scattered around in few other lakes, but they are not as widespread as many species of trout in Montana. Golden Trout Lake – The hike to Golden Trout Lakes begins at the Upper Portal Creek Trailhead. Currently, Story meets all of Wyoming’s requests for golden trout and ships excess eggs to Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and California. 0.8 miles). Permits are … Golden trout find conditions in those high, cold lakes to be just what they like, and there are good numbers of them in some lakes. For those of you that are up there for the fishing! Hiking to an alpine lake is a rewarding adventure. A fit hiker can probably make it to either destination in an hour or so. Since these fish put Golden Trout Creek at risk in maintaining genetic purity, they have been removed by gill netting in 2001 to 2003. Great place for dogs to swim at the top. The portal creek road is challenging, best to have 4x4 or AWD with high clearance. As golden lakes go, this one was nirvana. Lassen Trout works to stock 500 pounds of lightning trout, and 700 pounds of rainbow trout at … Fishing too. The largest Golden Trout are located in high mountain lakes of Wyoming and Montana, but there are also fish in Utah and Idaho. The TripCome and explore the secluded and scenic northeastern section of the Golden Trout Wilderness, which is located on the expansive Kern Plateau south of Mount Whitney. If you take the time to drive up the gravel road there a few miles, you will discover two of the most beautiful mountain lakes in Montana. The Hidden Lakes Trailhead is 6.0 miles from 191 and is located at approximately 8185 feet. Please explore responsibly! Wyoming's record golden trout, which is also the current world record (an 11-pounder measuring 28 inches), was caught at Cook Lake in 1948. The two aforementioned Fish lakes in Idaho’s Bitterroot Mountains also are thought to have held native bull trout. The Montana Golden Trout at 10,000 feet above sea level in Sylvan Lake showed a marked preference for dry flies while we were there, while those Brook Trout in nearby Crow Lake at an even higher elevation preferred cone-headed wooly buggers. Not good weather since pretty thick fog. A sign indicates heading left to Windy Pass and Golden Trout Lakes, but bear right at the fork and continue another 2.2 miles to the Hidden Lakes trailhead. The ponds at Hidden Lakes are stocked in April and October with trout. I just drove right up to the creek located at about 7000 ft elevation in my Jeep 4+4 and started to fish. The golden trout is a California species that was introduced in Montana in 1907. Road conditions leading up are tremendously bad. Starting in Bozeman, travel south of Gallatin Gateway about 5 miles on Hwy 191 and turn left on to Storm Castle Creek Road. The largest of the Golden Trout Lakes is surrounded by forest, with good campsites above the north and east shores. We did it in my 4Runner and had zero issues. These lakes were planted with Golden Hybrids from the Cottonwood spawning program. The road gets a bit bumpier for another 2.2 miles. All adults age 16 and older are required to have a Hidden Lakes permit. It wasn't very big or very bright, but it was a golden! At this fork you can go to Windy Pass and Golden Trout Lakes or Hidden Lakes. Rocky Basin Lakes: Series of 4 lakes at an elevation of 10,800 feet. There are currently about 20 golden trout populations in the high mountain lakes of western and southcentral Montana. The big myth about Golden Trout is that you have to go on some backbreaking hike to 11,000 ft to catch a Golden Trout. 0.8 miles). The drive is doable, we were in a pick up truck with four wheel drive and it took about 35 mins. In fact, much of the South Fork of the Kern River is only accessible to the dedicated outdoorsmen who are willing to ride in by horseback. It is very small and offers only basic amenities. We will be back to see the lake! They provide a unique opportunity to catch a beautiful fish in a pristine environment. The road in is really rocky but easily drivable with an appropriate car and tires- my explorer was fine- but plan on 30-45 minutes or so to drive the 6 miles from 191 to the trailhead. Didn’t catch any trout, but saw plenty grabbing bugs off the surface. In fact, much of the South Fork of the Kern River is only accessible to the dedicated outdoorsmen who are willing to ride in by horseback. Road was still closed due to runoff so we had to hike 4 miles just to get to the trailhead. The trailhead serves double duty as it's the jumping off place for two trails. Turned around .5 miles in on the trail due to snow. The meadow and wildflowers were awesome! Our group caught a total of 9 fish for the day before it got cut short by a mean rain/hail storm. My Outback did just fine. The 6 mile round trip to Lava Lake is a steady climb that runs beside Cascade Creek through the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. We did the entire thing just so our dogs could explore. We walked 15 miles round trip! Some of the best spots to cast a fly include Spanish Lakes, Hidden Lakes, or Golden Trout Lakes. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. The Hidden Lakes Trailhead is 6.0 miles from 191 and is located at approximately 8185 feet. A sign indicates heading left to Windy Pass and Golden Trout Lakes, but bear right at the fork and continue another 2.2 miles to the Hidden Lakes trailhead. Not true. The ponds at Hidden Lakes are stocked in April and October with trout. The trailhead for Golden Trout Lakes is located off of US Highway 191 south of Bozeman, Montana… It is currently 8+ feet of snow! Definitely coming again to try to catch some golden trout. Like Cottonwood Lakes, the portion of the Kern River where golden trout can be found is extremely tricky to get to. It was a little more difficult than I expected, but doable. Catfish is stocked May and September. Fairly mellow and peaceful hike. I believe that the roundtrip distance is a little off compared to this site in my opinion, but I totally recommend this hike to anyone. Some popular destinations are Lightning Lake, Cave Lake, the Hidden Lakes (Gallatin Range) and the Golden Trout Lakes. The Montana state record brown trout was caught in … This hidden gem sits at 9075′ and is a perfect lake to catch a fish or take a dip. LIVERMORE, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Ken Altman of Mt. Golden Trout. The lake is calm and serene, tucked into the trees with several camp spots around its perimeter. I went last spring, there was a lot of water over the path and some post holing to be done. Hiking to an alpine lake is a rewarding adventure. Road up to lake is nice however you need 4wd in some spots and there are no signs until you're right at the spot to park at the top of the mountain. These popular lakes contain a salmonid diversity that includes Yellowstone cutthroat trout, golden trout, and arctic grayling, says Ken Frazer, FWP regional fisheries manager in Billings. I made it to the lake in an hour. Glad I borrowed a friends truck. Some of the most beautiful fish I’ve ever held in my hands. First stocked in 1938, the golden trout at Sylvan Lake are well known in Montana for their genetic purity. Rat Lake, made famous by author John Geirach, is accessible by a short hike. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. The high-mountain lakes rest in a cirque on the northern slope of Eaglehead Mountain, a three-peaked mountain with a rounded, grassy ridge. Lots of evidence of bears being in the area so be on alert!!! But for those who make the trip, catching a golden trout, the state fish, is worth the effort. Golden Trout Lake – The hike to Golden Trout Lakes begins at the Upper Portal Creek Trailhead. The largest Golden on record is an 11-pound, 4-ounce fish that While not as rugged as the Sierra to the north, this It is 303,511 acres (1,228.3 km 2) in size and was created by the US Congress in 1978 as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. These two lakes are found close to the Madison River at $3 Bridge. Big, gorgeous, tucked up against a wall of rock, and with a little outlet stream to a smaller lake below it. One accesses Windy Pass (a nice hike in it's own right), the other heads off to the Golden Trout Lakes. Trail is 2.5 miles according to my watch. Worth the drive and hike. Definitely more than that... once we got there it was completely frozen over. The largest of the Golden Trout Lakes is surrounded by forest, with good campsites above the north and east shores. No fish remain at Rocky Basin Lakes. A Hidden Lakes permit is needed to fish at Hidden Lakes. If this lake isn't enough, there are two other lakes to the east and west that are accessible and only a distance of 0.3 miles to loop all three. this is an awesome trail to a beautiful and quiet lake....there are a lot of great little streams and plenty of shade through many portions of the trail. They provide a unique opportunity to catch a beautiful fish in a pristine environment. A few streams cross the trail but are easily maneuvered over via rocks. Big, gorgeous, tucked up against a wall of rock, and with a little outlet stream to a smaller lake below it. Once you get to the beginning of the trail, the hike is a nice little workout until you reach the final location of Golden Trout Lakes. Here's a look at some excellent Montana Brook Trout we tracked down last summer. Upper and Lower Twin lakes on Twin Lakes Creek near Anaconda, Montana, are presumed to have held native bull trout; probably so did Doctor and Big Salmon lakes in the South Fork of the Flathead River watershed. Although a lesser known area of the High Sierra, it offers sublime alpine country with an elevation from about 9,000 to 10,000 feet for most of the trip. After passing a large open field (possibly a marsh, depending on weather and time of year), the trail hits a steep section before leveling off for the final approach to the lake. Golden trout find conditions in those high, cold lakes to be just what they like, and there are good numbers of them in some lakes. The first 20 or so fish I caught were brook trout, but then I landed one that wasn't as dark. Requires a 4WD vehicle for the road in -- very VERY rough. It is 303,511 acres (1,228.3 km 2) in size and was created by the US Congress in 1978 as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. If you’re still not sure where to begin your Big Sky fly fishing adventure, check out MontanaAngler.com or better yet, hire one of Big Sky country’s world class fly fishing guides. Golden Trout Lakes is a water feature in Montana and has an elevation of 9078 feet. The road is in rough condition and is better suited for vehicles with a higher clearance. Success! There are currently about 20 golden trout populations in the high mountain lakes of western and southcentral Montana. The Montana state record brown trout was caught in … CODY, WYOMING'S FRIENDLIEST FLY SHOP AND FISHIEST GUIDE SERVICE. Beautiful hike, and we had a great time fishing!! First stocked in 1938, the golden trout at Sylvan Lake are well known in Montana for their genetic purity. Golden Trout Lakes is a lake located just 11.9 miles from Big Sky, in Gallatin County, in the state of Montana, United States, near George Norman Trailer Court, MT. One of the best in Big Sky. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your Sylvan Lake’s golden population is so pure that the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks regularly uses the eggs laid by goldens at Sylvan Lake for stocking other lakes in Montana. Continue left for the Golden Trout Lakes. Golden Trout Lakes Trail: Rough roads to the Golden Trout Lakes - See 4 traveler reviews, 3 candid photos, and great deals for Gallatin Gateway, MT, at Tripadvisor. Quite scenic. The California golden trout, or simply the golden trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita or Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita), is a species of trout native to California.The golden trout is normally found in the Golden Trout Creek (tributary to the Kern River), Volcano Creek (tributary to Golden Trout Creek), and the South Fork Kern River.It is the state freshwater fish of California. Was the first of several dozen that I would end up catching in the 3 we. 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