Willow Lake
- 5.5 mi
- round trip
- 848 ft
- climb
- 8,552 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Willow Lake 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.
Willow Lake is an out-and-back hike of about 5.5 miles in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest, within the Pinedale Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail rises from a low point of about 7,700 feet to a high point near 8,550 feet, a climb of about 850 feet. The route is rated easy, and the trail surface is natural. Horses are allowed, and bikes are not. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July averages from a nearby weather station in Cora run around 78°F for highs and 39°F for lows. That station sits roughly 1,200 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures up top run cooler. The trail is open from May 1 through October 31. Willow Lake Campground is about 3.6 miles away, and Snake Lake and Summit Lake are each within about 2 miles. Climbers can find Moosehead Bay about 2.7 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Yellowstone Trail RV Park11 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Snake LakeHiking1.4 mi
- Summit LakeHiking1.9 mi
- Moosehead BayRock climbing2.7 mi
- Pine CreekCanoeing2.9 mi
- Willow Lake CampgroundCamping3.6 mi
- North ButtressRock climbing4.1 mi
- Trails End CgCamping4.3 mi
- Willow CreekCanoeing4.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
CCC Ponds TrailHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: BLM_Wyoming — Public Domain Mark 1.0 (via Flickr)- Summit LakeHiking · ~3 min drive
- Fremont PeakHiking · ~7 min drive
- Fortification MountainHiking · ~10 min drive
- Snake LakeHiking · ~2 min drive
- Long LakeHiking · ~5 min drive
- Boulder Basin/Lowline TrailHiking · ~14 min drive
- Heart LakeHiking · ~12 min drive
- WHITE PINE-THE LOOPHiking · ~8 min drive
- Pine Creek Canyon TrailHiking · ~7 min drive
Best time to visit Willow Lake
Best months: June–August. 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.
Jan
26° / 1°
Feb
28° / 2°
Mar
37° / 10°
Apr
48° / 21°
May
59° / 27°
Jun
69° / 34°
Jul
78° / 39°
Aug
77° / 37°
Sep
68° / 30°
Oct
53° / 22°
Nov
37° / 11°
Dec
27° / 3°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cora, WY, 9 mi away at 7,347 ft. The station sits about 1,200 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
