Mystic Lake Trail: Another Boomer Hiking Adventure

Emerald Lake near the trailhead to Mystic Lake

During last year’s visit to Fishtail, Montana, Alan and I discovered that the hiking opportunities in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness are some of the best that we have ever experienced. Boomers visiting this corner of Montana, just north of Yellowstone National Park, will find that the trails are accompanied by alpine scenery, white-water filled rivers and rewarding vistas that provide plenty of photo opportunities, too.

From my perch on the deck of Mystic Rose Cabin near Fishtail, I noticed an unusual amount of cars towing boats and camper traffic turning left onto West Rosebud Road. It wasn’t long before I put the coffee cup down, took my bare feet off the railing, laced up the hiking shoes and convinced Alan to drive 14 miles down the dirt road to see where everyone was going. It turned out to be another scenic Montana road leading to a campground and our third beautiful hike of the trip.

You won't be alone on the trail to Mystic Lake

The trailhead to Mystic Lake (approximately 6 miles round trip) appeared to be a little more developed than the ones we experienced on the hike to Elk Lake or the Stillwater Trail. Perhaps it was the larger campground, two lakes for fishing — Emerald Lake and West Rosebud Lake — or the presence of a hydro-electric dam.

But it didn’t take long – maybe a half a mile or so – before we were walking through the Custer National Forest, signs of civilization behind us. I chattered away in an effort to scare off any bears that might be hiding in the undergrowth. But that was a needless worry on this hike. The trail was well-traveled, much more so than our previous two hikes. Family groups, fishermen and women carrying poles, a group of friends hiking with their dogs — all were headed for Mystic Lake or beyond. What we didn’t see were the deer, mountain goats, elk, moose, bear or bighorn sheep that call this part of the Stillwater drainage home.

Alan hikes across the bridge on the Mystic Lake Trail

Once the trail officially entered the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, it began to gain elevation — the trail gains 1200 ft. in all. Soon we were hiking up switchbacks. After climbing out of the forest, we looked up to see a longer series of switchbacks that traversed a boulder field. A view of Mystic Lake was just beyond that stony obstacle, so other hikers told us. We didn’t reach the rewarding scene that Mystic Lake provided because this is where we stopped — two-thirds of the way there.

One lesson that Alan and I have learned during our boomer adventures is to listen to our bodies, appreciate what we can do and know when to call it a day. So we sat on a rock overlooking the valley, enjoyed the effort it took to get there, chatted with passing hikers and lingered for some photography fun.

A little more than half-way and our stopping point

To fully appreciate the hike to Mystic Lake, baby boomer hikers need to begin early in the day. On our next visit, I’ll skip the morning cup of coffee on the deck of Mystic Rose Cabin so that we arrive at the trailhead sooner. Next time, I’ll be dipping my itchy travel feet in the cold waters of Mystic Lake.

We found a copy of Day Hikes in the Beartooth Mountains on the bookshelf at Mystic Rose Cabin. Written by Robert Stone, the book gives excellent description and advice on hiking to Mystic Lake and many other trails in the area. We’ll be buying our own copy for the next visit to Fishtail, Montana.

Want to read more about hiking to Mystic Lake?

Check out this fun interactive map from EveryTrail.com (hey, they have apps for iphone and Android) that travels beyond the lake. Click on the link for the flash version.

Mystic Lake, Montana at EveryTrail

EveryTrail – Find the best Hiking in Montana

And here’s a blog post from a couple who hiked to Mystic Lake earlier this summer.

Have you explored the trail to Mystic Lake? Post a comment to share your experience. Alan and I will definitely hike this one again. We’re determined to make it all the way to the lake.

To see more of our photos from this adventure, visit the My Itchy Travel Feet page on Facebook. Be sure to click the like button while you’re there.

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I have included an Amazon link to Day Hikes in the Beartooth Mountains for your convenience, however My Itchy Travel Feet does receive a small percentage for purchases made at Amazon.com.

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Tagged as: absaroka-beartooth wilderness, adventure, beartooth mountains, beartooth wilderness, boomer, boomers, hike, hiking, Montana, montana everytrail, mystic lake, trails, United States