Hike down and around a pristine alpine lake at the base of a dramatic mountain.

Fairy Lake is a pristine alpine lake nestled at the base of Sacagawea Peak—the highest point in the Bridger Range. While it's a long drive to reach the trailhead, the hike from the parking lot down and around Fairy Lake is quite easy yet unbelievably scenic.

The trail descends directly from the parking lot to the lake. This stretch of is wide, well-developed, and reinforced to protect against erosion from all of the feet that pass this way. Once on the shore of the lake, the well-developed trail ends abruptly, but you can still follow a rougher, rootier singletrack trail all the way around the lake, gaining different perspectives of this idyllic spot from many angles.

Most visitors to Fairy Lake stop along the shore and set up for a day of swimming and cavorting in this beautiful alpine environment. While the clear waters look inviting, even during mid-summer the water still feels bitterly cold!

Whether you're here to swim or you just want to enjoy an idyllic walk in an incredible environment, you're bound to have a fantastic day at Fairy Lake.

**Note:**

The Bozeman area is renowned as prime grizzly bear country. Signs at every trailhead warn that bears are highly active in the area. To mitigate the risk of bear encounters, make plenty of noise while hiking, try to hike with a group of people, and consider attaching a bear bell to your backpack. Also, make certain that you carry bear spray with you every time you hike, in case you do get into an encounter with a grizzly. Written by Greg Heil

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