On Wednesday we hiked the trail up to Lava Lake, a place we hadn’t visited in almost 3 years.
The last time we made it up to the lake, it was the beginning of July and the lake was bright blue under a sunny sky. This time, we made the hike in the middle of May, and the further we climbed up the mountain trail, the more ice and snow appeared until we were hiking in snow above our ankles.
The trail leading up to the lake—also called Cascade Creek trail—gains about 1600 feet in elevation and the hike is 5.5 miles round trip. It was definitely a rainy (and slippery) experience in the springtime, but the views of Cascade Creek and the waterfalls along the way were still beautiful.
Making it past the snow and ice near the top of the trail definitely slowed me down a bit, but the view at the top was definitely worth it! We enjoyed a nice break while taking in the sight of the frozen lake.
If you ever make it out to Bozeman or Big Sky in Montana, this hike is an afternoon well-spent! What are some of your favorite hikes? I’d love to have more suggestions!
I hope you are getting outside and enjoying nature, wherever you are!
– L
leslieannramey.com 