Ice Lake Trail (to wheelchair accessible Campsite 4D3)

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The Ice Lake Trail (to wheelchair accessible Campsite 4D3) leads .2 miles to the Ice Lake South Campsite 4D3, one of just two wheelchair accessible backcountry campsites in Yellowstone. Visitors with special needs may need assistance to reach the campsite near the southwest shore of beautiful Ice Lake.

This trail can be accessed from the Ice Lake Trail (to Howard Eaton Trail) which starts from a pullout on the north side of the Norris to Canyon Road, just west of where the one-way Virginia Cascade Road rejoins the highway. At the .1-mile point the trail forks. The right fork leads to campsite 4D3 (the left fork leads another .5 miles to a junction with the Howard Eaton Trail: Cascade Lake-Norris Campground).

Past the trail junction, the trail continues to the right through forest-fire affected lodgepole pine forests and reaches the Ice Lake South Campsite at the .3-mile mark. This campsite is only reservable by parties with special needs.

Ice Lake is a beautiful lake surrounded by trees. It was named “ice” lake because in the late 1800s and early 1900s it was used to supply ice to concessions located near Norris Geyser Basin. The lack of good spawning streams feeding the lake is likely the reason fishing is very poor here.

Ice Lake South campsite (4D3) is one of the only wheelchair accessible backcountry campsites in Yellowstone. It may be reserved only by parties with special needs. Persons with such needs may need assistance to reach the campsite.

Thanks to guidebook author, Tom Carter, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about visiting Yellowstone, check out his book, Day Hiking Yellowstone.