Wyoming · Hiking

Lava Creek

20.4 mi
round trip
1,682 ft
climb
8,433 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Lava Creek open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Bridger-Teton National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Bridger-Teton National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Lava Creek is a 20.4-mile out-and-back hike in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest, within the Blackrock Ranger District. The trail rises from a low of about 6,880 feet to a high of about 8,433 feet, and the total elevation gain is 1,682 feet, which makes it a hard route. The trail is natural-surface and allows horses, so riders can plan a ride along with a pack. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. At a nearby weather station, typical July averages are a high of 77°F and a low of 42°F, and there are no snow days from June through September. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the high route run cooler. The hike is open year-round, and several campgrounds lie within a few miles, including Buffalo Valley 2, Buffalo Valley 12 and Hatchet Campground. For more time on foot, Box Creek is about 4.5 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Lava Creek

    Best months: June–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      24° / 1°

      14 wet · 14 snow

    2. Feb

      30° / 4°

      12 wet · 11 snow

    3. Mar

      39° / 12°

      12 wet · 9 snow

    4. Apr

      46° / 21°

      12 wet · 6 snow

    5. May

      56° / 31°

      12 wet · 2 snow

    6. Jun

      67° / 37°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      77° / 42°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      76° / 40°

      8 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 34°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      51° / 25°

      9 wet · 3 snow

    11. Nov

      35° / 14°

      12 wet · 9 snow

    12. Dec

      24° / 4°

      15 wet · 14 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Moran 5wnw, WY, 10.3 mi away at 6,805 ft. The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

HIKE

East Boundary Turnout

~8 min drive

Stop and grab a photo with the iconic wooden "Grand Teton National Park" sign at our eastern boundary and enjoy some of your first views of the Teton Mountain Range. For visitors driving in from places like Dubois, Lander, and Riverton, this is where you will first cross…

Lookout Rock Cutoff TrailPhoto: Anton Molodtsov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lookout Rock Cutoff Trail

~15 min drive

Quick out-and-back hike to scenic overlook views in Wyoming.

Grand View Point TrailPhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Grand View Point Trail

~15 min drive

3.4-mile out-and-back trail in Wyoming with 1,218 ft elevation gain

HIKE

Box Creek

~8 min drive

24.84-mile out-and-back trail in Wyoming with 1224 feet of elevation gain.

HIKE

Emma Matilda Loop Trail

~15 min drive

Moderate 9.15-mile out-and-back trail with scenic mountain views.

A River's StoryPhoto: Open Source Dude, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

A River's Story

~12 min drive

The Snake River is a dynamic force of nature that has sustained life for thousands of years. The Shoshone, Bannock, and other tribes have long lived along its shores. And the shores are ever-changing—the Snake River carves new routes every year, riverbanks erode, and flow rate…

Oxbow Bend TrailPhoto: Anton Molodtsov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Oxbow Bend Trail

~15 min drive

Easy 1.63-mile out-and-back riverside walk with excellent wildlife viewing.

HIKE

Skull Creek Trail

~13 min drive

5.16-mile out-and-back trail in Wyoming with 670 ft elevation gain and loss.

HIKE

Clear Creek Trail

~10 min drive

11.09-mile out-and-back hike on Clear Creek in Wyoming with 1,661 ft gain.

HIKE

Oxbow Bend Turnout

~14 min drive

While there are countless breathtaking views of the Teton Range throughout the park, Oxbow Bend is one of the most iconic. A channel of the Snake River "bends" towards the turnout with the water often reflecting the towering Mount Moran in the background. Year-round, this…