Alpine Lakes Loop

Centennial, WY – 7 miles into a 12 mile hike, I arrive at a stunning high elevation lake and take in the views of nearby Medicine Bow Peak. I follow the trail with my eyes and notice it steeply ascends a saddle, cresting a rocky outcropping and then descending to another alpine lake. The only problem, the saddle is covered in icy snow fields, making a safe ascent an unsure bet. Do I turn around or go for it, knowing the saddle is another mile away? If I can’t get up the snowfields I’m facing a 16 mile round trip back to the car.

View from Alpine Lakes Loop Trail

I started this hike at the Brooklyn Lake trailhead in the Snowy Range Mountains, about 45 minutes from Laramie, WY. For hikes in this region, we refer to “Hiking Wyoming’s Medicine Bow National Forest” by Marc Smith. The hike is aptly named Alpine Lakes Loop, for you will see many alpine lakes, at least a dozen. This loop trail is cobbled together using a number of existing trails, the first of which is Twin Lakes. Ascend about 200’ over 1.6 miles to reach North Twin Lakes, which is picturesquely arrayed at a slightly lower elevation as you trot down the trail. Turn West (you have no choice) on the Sheep Lake Trail, which visits its namesake lake at 3.8 miles. Instead of continuing on Sheep Lakes Trail, turn West on Gap Lakes Trail.

The trail included snow fields in mid-July

One of the Twin Lakes

The other Twin Lake

From the Twin Lakes section of the loop

Flowers along the trail

Sheep Lake

This next section, which visits both Gap Lakes, while ambling through spruce forests and climbing scree slopes to lofty saddles, is my favorite part of the hike. As you hike this section, look to the South and you’ll spot both the route you’ll be hiking as well as why this trail is named Gap: because of the “gap” between Browns Peak and Medicine Bow Peak. You can make quick work of this section as it’s fairly level and there are no snow fields to cross. As you approach North Gap Lake, note there is only one way out this cirque, by climbing up the steep saddle directly in front of the lake.

Snow on the trail

Snow and an unnamed lake

Unnamed Lake heading toward Medicine Bow (r) and Browns (l) Peaks

Hiking toward the Gap Lakes

North Gap Lake and the saddle between Medicine Bow (r) and Browns (l)

Medicine Bow Peak and North Gap Lake

Saddle between Medicine Bow and Browns

While I was hesitant about this climb due to lingering snow fields, it was actually quite easy, thanks to a large jumble of boulders about halfway up that had melted out by the time of my hike, July 11. Just scramble up these boulders and ogle the view down to South Gap Lake. Work your way down to shoreline and continue following the trail though a swampy area (my feet got totally wet here) until a trail junction with Lost Lake Trail, about 8.1 miles in. Head East on the Lost Lake Trail — your last trail of the day! If your feet are tired by now, as mine were, you will not appreciate this trail, as it undulates up and down over rocky, sun exposed terrain. This final 3.6 miles of this trail were just a slog, although Lost Lake, West Glacier Lake and East Glacier Lake took my mind off the pain for a bit. Finally, after 11.8 miles arrive at Brooklyn Lake Campground, which is not where you started (or parked) so continue walking down the dirt road about 0.2.