Glacier Lake fishing

Fishing at Glacier Lake is on a high alpine lake, stocked with Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Brook Trout. It is stocked about 0.4 times a year since 2012, most often in June and July. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout and dawn, day, and dusk for Brook Trout.

Last stocked

August 4, 2025

Plants on record

6

Since 2012

Species recorded

2

Average size

3.2 in

Elevation

9,708.4 ft

Access and facts

Water type
high alpine
Facilities
camping

High-elevation (about 9,700 ft) lake at the headwaters of Rock Creek in the Beartooth Mountains, reached via the Glacier Lake trailhead by about 2 miles of steep trail. Camping is limited (best near the inlet) and heavily used. The lake's south end and shoreline extend across the Wyoming state line.

Sources: water_type , shore_notes , shore_notes , facilities , speciesFound

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How Glacier Lake is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the fourth week of July. In 2025 it was August 4, 2025, about when it usually is.

No plants recorded in 8 years between 2012 and 2025.

Albino Lake (2 mi), Black Canyon Lake (4.3 mi), and Greenough Lake (6.7 mi) were stocked more recently. Albino Lake is also stocked with Cutthroat Trout, Black Canyon Lake is also stocked with Cutthroat Trout, and Greenough Lake is also stocked with Rainbow Trout.

Fish at Glacier Lake

Fishing Glacier Lake is most likely to be for Cutthroat Trout. Cutthroat Trout accounts for 5 of 6 plants on record, ahead of Rainbow Trout.

Around the dates Glacier Lake is stocked, Open-Meteo's 2016-2025 archive puts mean air temperature at 52.5°F in July, 42.2°F in June, 50.9°F in August. That is air temperature at these coordinates, not water temperature. Open-Meteo

Cutthroat Trout 5 plants
Plants
5 of 6
Last stocked
August 4, 2025
Average length
2.3 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Cutthroat Trout guide.

Rainbow Trout 1 plant
Plants
1 of 6
Last stocked
June 24, 2013
Average length
7.5 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Rainbow Trout guide.

Fish stocked per year

  • 11,0002012
  • 6032013
  • 21,0002015
  • 10,0002019
  • 22,0002021
  • 24,0002025

Stocking history

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
August 4, 2025 Cutthroat Trout 24,000 2.34 in report
July 27, 2021 Cutthroat Trout 22,000 2.59 in report
July 29, 2019 Cutthroat Trout 10,000 2.4 in report
June 29, 2015 Cutthroat Trout 21,000 1.89 in report
June 24, 2013 Rainbow Trout 603 7.53 in report
July 30, 2012 Cutthroat Trout 11,000 2.4 in report

Species found here

Confirmed present independent of the stocking records above, not from a stocking event.

  • Brook trout : Listed as abundant and self-sustaining in FWP's Mountain Lakes Guide; not part of the recorded stocking history (only Yellowstone cutthroat and rainbow trout are stocked there). (source)

Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

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