Yellowstone National Park · Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

Lewis River Channel Trail

6.1 mi of trail, end to end · about 250 ft of climbing · 7,784 ft–7,846 ft · earth surface · trail class Minimally Developed · hiking

7,785 ft 7,812 ft · 2.4 mi high 7,815 ft

Trailhead Shoshone / Dogshead Trailhead 7,794 ft Drive there

Lewis River Channel/Dogshead Trail the Park Service's write-up

5-8 Hours · no dogs · Summer, Fall

Start Lewis Lake

A hiker follows a trail alongside a river through a forest.
Photo: NPS / Jacob W. Frank

This trail gives you a feel for Yellowstone’s backcountry. Hike through forest to the crystal-clear waters of the Lewis River Channel. Look for eagles and osprey fishing for trout in the shallow waters.

Safety notes: Always be aware of your surroundings. Return on the forested Dogshead Trail.

Trailheads: Approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of the Grant Village intersection, just north of Lewis Lake on the west side of the road.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

Other trails from the Shoshone / Dogshead Trailhead

All 473 trails in Yellowstone National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.