I’ve been to Yellowstone National Park many times, but the most memorable experience we ever had was on a Shoshone Lake canoe trip. Shoshone Lake is a large lake in the backcountry of Yellowstone that is only accessible by canoe or trail.
In this Shoshone Lake guide, I’ll give you all the details you need to know to plan a canoe trip, including ways we would improve our trip if we did it all over again.
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Shoshone Canoe Trip Experience: What To Expect
Our Shoshone Lake canoe trip started in 2020. The world was closed down, so we thought this would be a perfect time to escape reality and get out in nature. We did a few different backpacking trips around Bozeman, Montana where we lived with our boys. They did well on these trips, so we looked into an exciting backcountry experience in Yellowstone National Park.
Mike heard of this canoe trip to Shoshone Lake, and if I’m being honest I was a little intimidated at first. It is about 6 miles to cross Lewis Lake and navigate down the Lewis River, just to get access to the largest backcountry lake in the lower 48. Those miles don’t even include getting to your campsite.
Ultimately, I’m glad he talked me into it. It was an experience I’ll never forget. The size of the lake is large, but the part that makes it phenomenal is the calm and peacefulness from being away from the busy parts of Yellowstone.
I think we saw one other group paddling and one other group hiking the whole 3 nights and 4 days we were out there.
The Day Before Paddling Out
Before setting out on your Shoshone Lake canoe trip, you will need to a little prep. Book one night at a campground in Yellowstone National Park near Lewis Lake. You will want to leave early in the morning on the first day, pick up your backcountry permit from the backcountry office, and get your boat inspected too.
Boat Check
In order to be allowed to put your boat in any water source in Yellowstone National Park, you need to get a permit. This prevents any invasive species entering the waterways and endangering the ecosystem.
The inspection is pretty easy. When your backcountry permit is reserved, you will get paperwork that tells you how to got about the inspection and getting your boat ready for your trip. We were staying in the Bridge Bay Campground the night before, so we went to the Bridge Bay Ranger Station to get the permit for our canoe.
There is also a location at the Lewis Lake Ranger Station. You will pay $20 for a 7-day permit or $30 for the season. We went up to the Ranger Station, paid for our permit, and then they directed us to the parking lot, where the inspection was to occur. The ranger looked over our canoe and attached the sticker. We were good to go.
Where To Camp In Yellowstone National Park
The night before paddling to Shoshone Lake, you will want to grab a reservation at a nearby campsite. The closest is the Lewis Lake Campground. We unfortunately weren’t able to get a camping site there or at Grant Village which are the two closest campgrounds.
We opted for the next best option which was Bridge Bay Campground. It was still about a 40-minute drive from Lewis Lake, but better than driving from Bozeman.
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The Route And Our Experience On A Shoshone Lake Canoe Trip
To get to Shoshone Lake, you can either canoe, kayak or hike. There are a few different options for hikes. All of them were a bit too long for our kids to manage at the time.
Instead we chose a canoe. We had never done a canoe trip before and it sounded fun. One reason we chose a canoe over a kayak was because we could haul a lot more things. Also, we only needed one canoe and the kids could sit in the middle and just enjoy the ride.
Lewis Lake
The first step to get to Shoshone Lake is to launch your boat from the boat launch on Lewis Lake. This is on the opposite side of lake from the river you need to access Shoshone.
Start early in the morning as it is the best chance for calm waters. We paddled the 3 miles in near perfect conditions and easily navigated to the river. The beginning of the trip was going just as planned.
Lewis River
The next section along the route to Shoshone Lake is to paddle the calm Lewis River. We look our time navigating the river, but not too slowly. We didn’t want to burn ourselves out before reaching the lake, but also didn’t know how long it was going to take to get there.
The time of year can make a difference on your conditions in the Lewis River. Our trip to Shoshone Lake was in late July. The earlier in the summer season you go, the quicker and the higher the Lewis River is.
The last mile or so, we knew we were going to have to walk, as the river gets too shallow to paddle the boat. We were just hoping the water would be high enough that the kids could stay inside the canoe. It think if they had to walk, it would have been a lot more of a challenge.
Thankfully, they were able to stay in the canoe almost the whole way. It worked out perfectly!
Shoshone Lake – Day 1
We were in awe when we reached Shoshone Lake. As we pulled up to the lakeshore, we had a few snacks before continuing on our journey. We paddled along the shore towards our first campsite, 8Q4.
The map showed that the campsite was still a little ways down the coast, so we didn’t waste much time. Thankfully the mid-day winds weren’t too strong when we arrived, making it fairly easy for us.
We arrived to our campsite about an hour later. All of the campsites are split up into an area to set up tents and sleep and another area for food. The bear polls to store your food are huge.
This campsite was no exception. There was a nice little beach, the bear poll stood high up the hill and was a great little area for eating and enjoying the view, and the tent area, the other direction was nice too.
After setting up camp, we still had some time to relax, jump in the lake and enjoy our surroundings before dinner and bed. So far our trip was going well, and we couldn’t be happier.
Shoshone Lake – Day 2
The next day, our plan was to keep paddling around Shoshone Lake and arrive at our next campsite. The morning looked nice, so we had breakfast and packed up for the day.
As we paddled we noticed something in the trees. We paddled a little closer and could see it was not one but two bald eagles. It was incredible to see them so close up in the trees.
While we were admiring the bald eagles, we saw a splash in the water. Three river otters were swimming out towards us and scared us! They didn’t harm us and honestly it was pretty cool experience to see them swimming around us.
A few years later, we heard a terrible tale of a Bozeman woman that got attacked by river otters while floating down a river. It was a good reminder that these animals can be aggressive, so don’t get too close!
We arrived to our campsite, 8T3, by mid-day and set up camp. It took a little work to carry our things up, but we liked this campsite a lot. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to enjoy this hilltop campsite or the surrounding area too long before the skies opened up poured down on us. It rained the rest of the afternoon and into the evening.
Eating dinner under the little protection of a tree, wasn’t what we had planned, but we made the most of it. The small deck of cards we brought helped.
Shoshone Lake – Day 3
The next day, our campsite was in the narrows, which is the skinniest section of Shoshone Lake. This is the only area of the lake where you should cross, according to Yellowstone National Park. It can be dangerous to cross any other section if the weather changes, and it gets too windy.
We chose the 8S7 campsite as our last one, so that we could be closer to the river on our way back, but somewhere new. This was our least favorite of all the campsites we stayed in.
I can’t even really pinpoint why. We just got this bad feeling about it. Much of that day was spent in the water and playing around. We just wanted to soak up the beauty of the lake before the long paddle back the next day.
Heading Back – Day 4
The longest day of canoeing was ahead of us. We woke up early, ate a little breakfast and had a cup of coffee before the long trek back. We crossed Shoshone Lake and got to the river with no problems. The mornings are the most pleasant time of the day.
The river didn’t have too strong of a current in late July, so it was easy for us to navigate back down. We even saw a couple of deer on the return voyage. Once we got back to Lewis Lake though, the weather was starting to change. With the wind picking up, we knew we were in for an adventure on Lewis Lake.
Instead of taking a dangerous, direct route across, we knew we were going to have to navigate the lake a little differently. Due to the direction of the wind we paddled to the right, next to the shore, until we were almost directly across from the boat launch. The lake is narrower in this section, so we thought we could get across the choppiest part there.
After much determination and using strength I didn’t know I had, we drifted into the Lewis Lake boat launch. We felt such a sense of accomplishment after fighting against the wind and waves to have arrived safely. We were dirty and stinky, but we felt great!
What We Would Do Differently On Our Next Shoshone Lake Canoe Trip
This Shoshone Lake canoe trip was unforgettable, but I still think about how I would do it differently. There are a few things I would change.
The Amount Of Days
The first thing I would do differently would be to increase the amount of days. Shoshone is such a large lake, that you really need one day to camp on the way in and one on the way out. With only one more day to play with, we just didn’t have enough time to go hiking or explore more of the lake that we wanted to see.
The weather wasn’t on our side for that day of exploration either, but if we had an extra day, it would have given us more flexibility.
Also, it would have been nice to stay at campsite 8T3 (our second campsite) an extra night. The extra time we spent having to set up and tear down camp ate into fun time.
So if I did it all again, I’d stay the first night at either 8Q9, 8Q7, 8Q6, or 8Q4.
The next day, I’d paddle to 8T3 and stay 2 to 3 nights there. 3 nights is the maximum number of nights you can stay in this campsite.
The last day, I’d paddle back towards the river. I would stay as close to the mouth of the river as I could, in either 8Q9 or 8S1.
That way I could wake up early and get on the river right away to try to get across Lewis Lake as early as possible.
More Hiking
With more time on the lake, I’d fill the days with more sightseeing. While staying at 8T3 campground, we would explore the Shoshone Geyser Basin area, go hiking on the other side of the lake on the North Shore Lake Trail and also part of the South Shore Lake Trail.
We didn’t get close to seeing all of the lake, there’s so much we could have explored.
What You Need To Know Before You Go
Before taking this adventure into the Yellowstone backcountry, there are a few vital things you should know.
When To Go
A Shoshone Lake canoe trip is really only possible a short time each year. The best time to go is July through early September. Earlier in the summer, the water will be colder and the river will be running more swiftly, making it a bit harder to navigate.
The later in the summer you go, the water is warmer, but also shallower in areas on the river. You would need to portage your canoe farther in August and September.
I have also heard from others that have done the trip in the late summer that the mosquitos can be terrible.
We were there the last week of July and it was a great time to go. The weather was nice, the bugs weren’t biting too much and we didn’t have too much trouble navigating the river.
How Many Days Do You Need For A Shoshone Lake Canoe Trip?
I would suggest at least 4 nights for a Shoshone Lake canoe trip. You will want plenty of time to paddle, enough time to hike to the Shoshone Geyser Basin, and downtime to enjoy the lake and relax in a hammock.
If you want enough time to see the rest of the lake, I would add an extra day at least.
Permits
You will need to get a backcountry permit to go camping by Shoshone Lake. As there is only a short window for camping on Shoshone, permits can be harder to get.
What to do in order to get the campsites you want:
- Early access lottery applications open on March 1. Fill this out and send it in before March 20.
- By March 25, you will hear when you can get early access to book a backcountry campsite. Early access will be sometime between April 1 and April 24.
- On your early access date, book your desired campsites. You can get your permit any time on that day or after, but I wouldn’t delay.
- General sale of backcountry permits open on April 26th. If you didn’t get a pre-access date, this is when you can go to the website to get your backcountry permit.
Note: This is just your reservation. You need to pick up your actual permit from the Backcountry Permit Office within 2 days of your trip.
Backcountry Campsites
There are a few rules with backcountry campsites, especially those on Shoshone Lake.
The first thing to pay attention to is the amount of days you can stay at each campsite. Some sites are reserved only for those coming or going on their first or last day on the lake. For those campsites, you can stay a max of 2 days only.
The other campsites around the lake have a maximum night limit of 3 nights. There are also only 8 people allowed per camping area.
The last rule to pay attention to when booking backcountry campsites on Shoshone Lake is that some are reserved for boat access and others for hikers. There are a couple where both hikers and non-motorized boats can stay.
You cannot book a campsite for hikers only if you are coming by boat.
What To Pack
In order to have a successful trip to Shoshone Lake, you will need to make sure you have everything you need. There are no stores and hardly any people out there. You will need to be prepared.
The Essentials
- Canoe or kayak – Got to get there somehow! We rented ours from Big Boys Toys in Bozeman, since we lived there. If you are flying into Bozeman, this would be a convenient location to rent a canoe; otherwise, try to find one in West Yellowstone or Gardiner.
- Life jackets – One for each person is required. (Big Boys Toys provided ours.)
- Tent – One with a nice rain cover is best. Ours is a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL4 Tent. It is super lightweight, easy to use, and kept us dry! We love it!
- Sleeping bags – All of our sleeping bags are from REI and REI brand. They are high quality for the price, pack up small and keep us warm.
- Sleeping pads – Our sleeping pads and sleeping pillows are both Sea to Summit. It is quite impressive how small these both pack down to while still being quite comfortable. I also enjoy that it is easy to inflate the sleeping pad without blowing air into it.
- Dry bags – I would get some big ones to carry your clothes and your food. Anything you don’t want getting wet. They worked great for us to hang our food from the bear poles and kept our food dry too. Sea to Summit is a good brand that we have, but I’m sure any dry bag will do the trick.
- Rope or bear resistant container – Speaking of bears, you need to bring 30 feet of rope to hang your food (and trash) on the designated bear poles. You can also bring a bear resistant canister like these ones to store these items too. We hung our food with no problems.
- Bear spray – You are hiking and camping in bear country. Always carry bear spray with you. Don’t pack it inside something. It needs to alway be easily accessible. You can buy bear spray in a number of stores near Yellowstone. It’s easy to find.
- Bug spray – We didn’t have too much trouble with mosquitos or flies, but depending on the time of year, they can be bad. I would bring some bug spray, just in case.
- Sunscreen – Protect your beautiful skin from the sun.
- Food – Pack in breakfast, coffee, tea, lunch, dinner and snacks. For dinners, we brought backpacking food to keep it simple.
- Camp stove – If you are cooking some of your meals or want hot coffee, you will need a camp stove. Something small like this camp stove works great. Don’t forget that you will need fuel and something to light it too.
- Pan and spoon – Something to cook and stir your meals and heat up the water.
- Plate, fork, and cup – There are so many great products you can use for backpacking, but really just need something to hold your food and drink. Don’t forget a little bit of soap and a small scrubber for clean up!
- Water – You will want to bring some water for the trip in. Carrying all the water you will need might not be the best option. Bringing a water filter is much more practical. We love our water filter. We have the Platypus Gravity Works Filter System. You fill one side full of water, hang it up and let gravity do all the work. After a little while, you will have a full bag of drinkable water.
- Shoes – I wore Chacos on our Shoshone Lake canoe trip. I didn’t need anything else for footwear. Something sturdy you can wear in the water for portaging the boat is important to have with you.
- Clothes – As far as clothes, it is summer so it will be warm during the day. In the evenings, the temperatures will drop, so bring at least one pair of pants and a sweatshirt. Don’t forget a swimsuit and a towel too.
The Nice To Have Items
You might not need the following items in this list, but they are nice to have.
- Hammocks – We knew we would want somewhere comfortable to hang out that wasn’t inside the tent. Hammocks were perfect solution. Small to transport and easy to hang. This is the hammock we have.
- Deck of cards – Good way to entertain the kids or yourself in the rain.
- Hat – A hat is a great way to protect yourself from the sun.
- Camera – Snap pictures to remember your time.
- Rain jacket or poncho – You never know when it is going to rain. It is better to prepared.
Shoshone Lake Last Words
If you are visiting Yellowstone National Park in the summer and want to have a memorable experience that most people don’t get, this is a great way to do it. A Shoshone Lake canoe trip will bring you back to nature, test your boundaries and be absolutely worth it! I highly recommend it.
