Article Contributed on: 8/17/2009 2:19:49 PM
Cascade Lake is one of a series of lakes that run parallel to the Norris-Canyon road and are linked by trails. Cascade Lake has two trailheads, Cascade Lake Picnic Area on the Tower-Canyon road and Cascade Creek Trailhead, ¼ mile west of Canyon Village on the Norris-Canyon Road.
Our group started at the latter trailhead, an 11-mile round trip to Observation Peak and back.
The section from the trailhead to Cascade Lake is relatively flat and meanders through lodgepole pine forest and between marshes (bring bug spray!) before entering a section of charred trees and blowdown. This trail must not have been on the maintenance schedule for this year, because there was some blowdown blocking the trail that had to be crossed.
After crossing a footbridge over Cascade Creek and joining the path from the other trailhead, you enter a mile-long section of open marshland before reaching Cascade Lake. Even in mid-July, this stretch was wet and muddy. Although the sogginess of this section of trail increased the nuisance of mosquitoes, it also preserved a series of recent wolf tracks in the mud.
At Cascade Lake, there were several fishermen casting their lines, but not as many as Trout Lake. The scenery wasn't as pretty as Trout Lake, either, with the lake framed by scorched, dead trees - evidence of the 1988 fires - instead of tall, snow-capped peaks.
After eating lunch one the lakeshore, we continued up to 9,397-foot Observation Peak, which is a 1,400-foot climb in three miles. A wet June also benefitted the wildflowers, providing enough moisture for an explosion of colors along the flanks of Observation Peak.
As the trail wound along the foot of the mountain, the views alternated among the Absarokas to the north and east, the Hayden Valley to the south and the Gallatin Range to the west. There also were several more instances of blowdown across the trail that had to be navigated, some spots were barricaded several feet tall and multiple logs wide.
As you reach the higher elevations, the top Observation Peak itself remains elusive, as don't get a glimpse of the summit until you emerge from the charred forest and actually see the campsite (shack) at the top.
From the summit, you can see in nearly every direction, with prime views of the Gallatin Range to the west and Grebe Lake (in the same chain as Cascade Lake) below you. The summit is rocky and windy, with a sheer drop to the south.
We stopped for a snack and some photos at the summit, when we were approached by a large
yellow-bellied marmot. He watched us for awhile before cautiously approaching us and investigating us. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to fear us much and advanced rather close to our group, which meant he probably had been fed by previous hikers.
After about half an hour on the summit, we returned the way we had come, with the last mile or two seemingly the longest.