Outdoor Recreation Is Endless At This Secret Wyoming Lake Tucked Away In A Beautiful Forest

Wyoming is teeming with very little-known national parks and destinations perfect for family friendly vacations, and Black Hills National Forest is just one of these places. This beautiful setting is home to a peaceful lake that has its own campground, perfect for those seeking a nature escapade filled with outdoor recreation and adventure.

Black Hills National Forest is located between the states of Wyoming and South Dakota, with Cook Lake being the forest's prized remote gem hidden amongst the 1.2 million acres of the pine covered hills. The lake's recreational area is set to accommodate all types of campers and visitors, even those who bring their own RVs. It's also the ideal place for fishing, horseback riding, hiking, biking, and more. The best part is that most of the company you'll encounter at Cook Lake will be local wildlife such as bighorn sheep, elks, deer, and birds such as eagles and ospreys, adding to that feeling of wilderness adventure.

The lake's campground is one of Wyoming's best outdoor recreational spots, offering families and travelers of all ages seemingly endless nature activities to enjoy. For those interested in fishing, the lake is home to a vast population of brown and rainbow trout as well as catfish. Non-motorized boats can be easily tossed into the lake from the piers, perfect not only for avid fishermen, but for enjoying a ride around the water. The piers are also great for enjoying the scenery as well as for swimming and diving into the lake's pristine waters. There are several picnic areas set around the campground as well.

The grounds also offer visitors two hiking and biking trails, each with a different difficulty level. Visitors should be mindful of which one to choose depending on their physical condition. Cook Lake Trail is the easy route, as this path is only a 1.5-mile loop around the lake with only some steps and stones to watch out for. Cliff Swallow Trail is 3.7-miles long, and the difficulty is moderate. Both trails are perfect for watching the local wildlife like the bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, ducks, ospreys, swallows nesting on the nearby cliffs, and if lucky, mountain lions strolling through the forest.

The Cook Lake campground and recreational area is situated near Aladdin, a small town in northeast Wyoming. Taking Interstate I-90 near Aladdin is one way to reach the campground; however, visitors can also start at Sundance, another town in Wyoming, and then head to Black Hills and the Sundance campground. However this spot is about 10 miles away from Cook Lake, so reaching Aladdin first and then heading out from there might be the best option.

As for other nearby attractions to Cook Lake, there's Warren Peak Lookout, just one easy hike away from the campground. At this spot, you'll be able to enjoy the amazing surrounding scenery. The Devils Tower National Monument is also located very near to the lake's campground. This amazing geological monument — highly valued by the Northern Plains Indigenous people due to its natural and cultural significance — along with Warren Peak Lookout are two of the many must-see attractions when visiting Black Hills, on top of the many hidden paradises for outdoor adventures in both Wyoming and South Dakota that you're not going to want to miss.