Harlequin Lake
| Trail Features: | Scenic Lake Views, Quiet Forest Hike |  |
|||
| Trail Location: | Madison Junction | ||||
| Roundtrip Length: | 1.0 Miles | ||||
| Trailhead Elevation: | 6790 Feet | ||||
| Total Elevation Gain: | 155 Feet | ||||
| Avg. Elev Gain / Mile: | 310 Feet | ||||
| Highest Elevation: | 6915 Feet | ||||
| Trail Difficulty Rating: | 1.31 (easy) | ||||
| Parking Lot Latitude | 44.6404 | ||||
| Parking Lot Longitude | -111.88737 | ||||
Trail Description:
The hike to Harlequin Lake in Yellowstone National Park begins from the Harlequin Lake Trailhead, located 11.5 miles east of the West Entrance on West Entrance Road (or roughly 1.5 miles west of Madison Junction). The pull-out for the parking area is located on the south side of the road. From there you’ll have to walk to the eastern end of the parking area to reach the trailhead, which is located on the opposite side of the road. It probably goes without saying, but caution should be used while attempting to cross this very busy road.
The hike begins by passing through a dense tunnel of new growth lodgepole pines that sprouted after wildfires scorched this area in 1988. That year a total of 793,880 acres, or 36% of the park, was burned, making it by far Yellowstone's worst wildfire season in recorded history.
During the first quarter-of-a-mile the trail ascends more than a hundred feet in elevation, before descending back down towards the lake. After topping out at the highest point hikers will lose most of the noise from road traffic. At roughly four-tenths of a mile hikers will reach the southeastern shore of Harlequin Lake. From here the trail continues for another tenth-of-a-mile as skirts along the southern edge of the lake.
Covered in lily pads, with a marshy shoreline, the lake area offers great habitat for a variety of waterfowl, birds, beaver and other wildlife. In fact, towards the end of the trail we saw many signs of beaver activity.
Harlequin Lake is a nice and easy hike if you wish to get out and stretch your legs before venturing further into the park, or possibly take as an after dinner walk, since it’s only a few minutes from West Yellowstone. This also makes for a nice hike for the entire family.
Additional Resources:
* Yellowstone National Park website
* Trail Map (trails are not included on the official park map)
* Lonely Planet Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks