Wyoming Hiked: Lake Louise

No, not the famous Lake Louise that is in Canada… this is the gorgeous Wyoming version! 😀

It feels great to go back and accomplish a hike that I did not finish in the past. In August 2020, I had tried to hike to Lake Louise in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness near Dubois after a failed summit attempt of Whiskey Mountain. The strenuous climb, combined with wildfire smoke and hot temperatures had me turning around before I reached the lake. The hike stayed in the back of my mind all these years…

When a weekend activity (the Wyoming Becoming an Outdoors Woman program, which I will blog about in a later post) took me back to the outskirts of the Fitzpatrick Wilderness, I knew I just had to go back and make it all the way to Lake Louise!

Sitting in the insanely beautiful (and rugged) Wind River Range in northwestern Wyoming, Lake Louise is a 5-mile out-and-back hike with roughly 950 (AllTrails estimate) to 1500 feet of elevation gain (Garmin Enduro 3 watch). It’s uphill, sometimes in both directions! The max elevation is 8,500 feet, so it can take your breathe away in more than one way as well.

The trail is accessed from Trail Lake Trailhead, which is about 13 miles from the town of Dubois, and includes roughly 9 miles of gravel roads, which I have found to be decently maintained, with just a few potholes to watch out for (especially as Trail Lake Road narrows after the Whiskey Mountain Conservation Camp).

Under sunny skies that soon turned cloudy, I set out on the trail, immediately gaining elevation as the trail switchbacked through sage brush, scrubby trees, and wildflowers. After a half mile, I reached the junction where the Whiskey Mountain Trail splits off to the right (as of June 2025 the signs are missing at the junction, so keep to the left to stay headed towards Lake Louise).

After about fifteen minutes I reached the junction where Glacier Trail and Lake Louise Trail split from each other. Taking the Glacier Trail to the left leads down to Torrey Creek Falls, which is a must-see waterfall and easy detour from the trail! I had hiked to the waterfall a few days prior so I skipped it on this hike, but I did visit in 2020 and you can see pictures in my post. Glacier Trail continues beyond the falls to the backcountry of the Winds, and is an approach route for Gannett Peak, Wyoming’s high point (it’ll be a 25+ mile one-way trek if you’re headed there!).

The trail gets rockier as time goes on, but I quickly reached my turn around point from the last time I hiked it. Yay, new terrain for me to see! I was marveling in the wildflowers, and overall serenity of being out in the mountains – my happy place!

This area is bear country, including grizzly bears, so in the wooded parts I took to singing myself little songs and keeping my awareness up as I screeched about all the lovely moss.

After reaching the outlet of Lake Louise, I just had to navigate a rocky portion to get to the lake. It does get a bit confusing in this part, and I ended up following a trail that was not the trail and arriving at a part that was higher than the actual trail. A quick scramble down, and I was back on course (the trail was much easier to see on the return trip!).

And before I knew it…

BAM!

Lake Louise!

Oh my goodness. Wow! I quickly found a good sitting spot and sat down to soak in the scene laid before me, Lake Louise stretching back through West Torrey Creek Canyon that is formed by Whiskey Mountain, to the north, and Middle Mountain, to the south. The occasional fish popped out of the water, and a chipmunk took to harassing me for food (my only wildlife encounter of the day). Though the low clouds obscured the high mountain scenes at the end of the lake, it was still a sight to behold.

I spent about thirty minutes at the lake, just staring at the lake, snacking, and taking video. I really did not want to leave, but I had a 5.5 hour drive home waiting for me. Just as I was leaving the clouds parted slightly to show me the mountains that had been hiding, making it even harder to leave. Alas, I finally managed to wrangle myself away, knowing that in just a few months I would be back in the Winds to see more of the awesomeness they have to offer.

The hike out was quick, though I felt like I had to concentrate on the rocks to ensure my ankles didn’t roll. I finally ran into another hiker about a half mile after leaving the lake, and a few more as I neared the trailhead.

Overall, my hike came in at 2 hours 26 minutes, including my time at the lake. It was the perfect morning to cap off an adventurous weekend, and to get some miles in my legs before the long drive!

Details:
All Trails Link
Date Hiked: June 8, 2025
Trailhead: Trail Lake
Total Mileage: 5.05 miles (Garmin Enduro 3)
Total Elevation Gain: 1529 feet (Garmin Enduro 3)
Total Time Spent: 2 hours 26 minutes
Weather: Mix of sun and low clouds
Trail Conditions: Dry, rocky at times
Special Considerations: This hike is in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest. Wilderness regulations are in place. There is no fee to park at the trailhead. Vault toilets are located nearby, along with some dispersed camping sites and horse trailer parking. Grizzly bears do occupy the wilderness area, I highly suggest bringing bear spray on this hike, and practicing good bear awareness. And for goodness sake, don’t feed the chipmunks at the lake!