Launching on the north shore of Lewis Lake, we paddle a short distance along the shore until we reach the Lewis River Channel. This beautiful two-mile section of the Lewis River, which connects Lewis Lake to Shoshone Lake, has a gentle current over a gravel and sand bottom. The upper mile has just enough current to make it impossible to paddle against it, but it is only ankle to knee deep, so we paddle, hike and wade upstream towing our kayaks until we reach the shore of Shoshone lake.

Shortly after we get to Shoshone Lake we’ll make camp at a primitive campsite on the beach. The next 2 days as we make our way around the lake, we’ll paddle along the rocky cliffs and gravel shores, and explore the Shoshone Geyser Basin, one of Yellowstone’s most spectacular and remote geyser basins. From there we paddle across, or depending on the weather, around the lake, spending the night at another beautiful campsite. We spend the third day paddling across to the other end of the lake, and enjoy a short hike up to the even more remote Pocket Lake. We’ll hike along side creeks through endless lodgepole forests, wildflower meadows, and abundant wildlife in their native environment.

The final day we start early, since we still have to go through the channel, moving downstream this time, and paddle across Lewis Lake to get back to the boat ramp by mid-afternoon. Adding a fourth day to this trip, gives us another full day to explore and enjoy the amazing scenery and solitude of Yellowstone’s vast wilderness.

This is an unforgettable journey with a perspective few people are privileged to see, this trip into the Yellowstone backcountry wilderness is truly one of the finest paddling trips in the country.