Spruce Lake

029 - SPRUCE LAKE

• Respect Wildness... Practice the 7 Leave No Trace Ethics
• Plan ahead and prepare: Plan your trip carefully. Prepare for extreme weather, hazards and emergencies. Plan for the least experienced member of your party.
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces: Hike single file in the middle of the trail or side by side in areas without trails. Camp in hardened areas only, not in meadows or on vegetation.
• Dispose of waste properly: Pick up all spilled foods and trash. Disperse washing and cooking wastewater 70 adult steps (200 feet/60 meters) from camps and all water sources. Leave no evidence of your stay.
• Leave what you find: Leave plants, rocks, antlers and artifacts as you find them for others to enjoy.
• Minimize campfire impacts: CAMPFIRES PROHIBITED AT THIS SITE. Use portable stoves only.
• Respect Wildlife: Use carry-in/carry-out bear resistant food storage canister April 1 through October 31. Minimize noise. Avoid lakes and streams at dawn and dusk.
• Be considerate of other visitors: Respect the quality of every visitor’s experience.

EMERGENCIES: In case of emergency, call 911. Area map shows the location of the nearest phone.

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Site Location: Site is in a spruce/fir forest on north side of lake. Trail from Fern Lake to Spruce Lake is not maintained, and horse use is not permitted. Backpackers permitted for this site are allowed to enter this area despite the trail closure. A wood sign indicates the path to the site; the path may be marked by red arrowheads on trees. Camp safely away from standing dead trees, as near as is safely possible to the silver metal arrowhead.

Number of Sites: 2
Elevation: 9,670 feet
Distance: 4.6 miles from Fern Lake TH, 5.5 miles from Bear Lake TH
Approximate Travel Time: 5 to 6 hours
Elevation Change: 1,520 feet gain from Fern Lake TH, net gain 190 feet from Bear Lake TH (1,380 feet gain; 1,190 feet loss)
Privy: YES

Water Source: Water is available at inlet or outlet streams of lake. Boil or adequately treat all water.

To Reach the Trailhead (TH): Fern Lake TH: From Beaver Meadows Visitor Center follow Hwy 36 west to Bear Lake Road (approximately 1.3 miles). Turn left onto Bear Lake Road and follow for 1.3 miles, then turn right onto Moraine Park Campground Road. After a short distance turn left at a sign indicating that Riding Stable and Trailheads are ahead. This road will take you along the edge of Moraine Park to the TH. The TH is at the end of the road.

 

Modified: 08/24

NPS