Mountain Lakes Fishing
At roughly 3,000 square miles, the Beartooths are one of North America's largest land masses rising above 10,000 feet. This is a land of glacier-carved cirques, high alpine lakes, and fragile tundra.
The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness encompasses a million acres of rugged high country just north and east of Yellowstone Park. The bulk of this wilderness lies in Montana, although its southern tip extends into Wyoming.
Descending, the Beartooths reveal themselves as lake country. Almost a thousand lakes fill the wilderness. Indeed, in all of the Rockies, only the Wind River Range surpasses the Beartooth Mountains for sheer numbers of good, high lakes.
Not surprisingly, the mountain lake fishing in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area is some of the finest to be found in Montana. Many of these crystal clear lakes have excellent fishing for cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and, occasionally, golden trout.
Deep Lake is one of the largest and least accessible lakes in the Beartooths. Created by an 800 foot dam from a natural landslide, its beauty and superior fishing make it a tempting destination. Surrounded by almost vertical cliffs and cascades rolling from lake to lake, the canyon above East Rosebud Lake epitomizes the Beartooths. Cutthroat, rainbow, golden, brook trout, and arctic grayling are found in many of the lakes.
Since there are literally hundreds of fishable lakes in the wilderness area, and many other lakes that are fishless due to winter kill, it is imperative that any person venturing out into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area for purposes of fishing know whether or not the lake they are heading to actually holds fish.
Due to its vast size, the Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness offers serene solitude and an abundance of outdoor recreational activities. Hundreds of miles of trails provide spectacular hiking, and with many of the trails being interconnected, long expeditions are possible.
Cross-country skiing is available even in June and July. Horseback riding is permitted, and camping is also of high quality. In winter, when the road is closed to automobiles, snowmobilers are allowed to soak up this season's extreme beauty.
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