Pelican Creek Nature Trail is, at less than 1 mile, one of the shortest trails in Yellowstone Park. It winds along the north shore of Yellowstone Lake, through dense pine forest. It is flat and easy and very scenic, great for kids and families. The trail starts at the point where East Entrance Road crosses narrow Pelican Creek, east of Fishing Bridge. Park rangers often offer interpretative walks for interested visitors. Keep an eye out for many birds, especially in the marshy area where the creek spills into the lake. You can see lesser scamp, mallard, Canada geese, common merganser and goldeneye, and even white pelican. There is a lovely sandy beach on the northern shore of the lake called Diamond Beach. Yellowstone Lake is incredibly beautiful and massive, and at 135 square miles it is the largest high-altitude lake in North America.

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