Maps: Our Lake USGS Quad and Lewis and Clark National Forest Map.

Finding the trailhead: Drive 4 miles north of Choteau on U.S. Highway 89 and turn west on Teton River Road (Forest Road 144). Follow this paved road (which doesn't cross the river) for about 15 miles until you see the sign for Ear Mountain Ranger Station. Here, turn south on South Fork Road (FR 109). Cross the Teton River and follow the South Fork of the Teton River for 9 miles until FR 109 ends. Trails 184 and 165 to Our Lake begin where the road ends.

Parking & trailhead facilities: Limited parking, restrooms.

The hike: This is a popular overnight or day hike with a well-maintained trail, outstanding scenery, good fishing, and excellent opportunities to view wildlife.

From the trailhead, it's only 2.5 miles to Our Lake. The trail climbs 1,500 feet to the lake, and the last half a mile switchbacks up a steep slope that can be hazardous if tried before the snowbanks disappear. It's best to wait until July or August to try this hike. There is a good source of water at about the 2-mile mark, but the rest of the trail is dry, especially in late August and September.

Bears are common in the area, and you can almost always spot mountain goats on the alpine slopes behind Our Lake. If you're lucky, you may also see bighorn sheep near Rocky Mountain, the highest peak in the Bob Marshall Wilderness (9,392 feet). In addition, expect to see marmots and pikas. Asters, daisies, and lupine seem to prevail among the abundant supply of wildflowers along this trail. Skunkflower is common on the alpine slopes above the lake.

The Forest Service recommends camping below the waterfall about half a mile before the lake. The basin was burned somewhat by the Gates Creek Fire in 1988, but the area around the lake itself was spared entirely.
Since access is easy, the lake is heavily used at times. Still, the fishing remains good. Ten-inch rainbow trout make up most of the catch. The lake also has cutthroat trout, but they're harder to catch.

For moderately experienced hikers, there's a good side trip to the saddle west of the lake above the basin. From this saddle, you can view the Chinese Wall, the backbone of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The distance to the saddle is about 0.8 mile. This spectacular mountain country is part of the Teton Peaks Special Management Area and is designated as roadless.