It is on the route from Wasdale to Borrowdale and is, therefore, a well-visited point in the Lake District.

It is also passed by walkers ascending Scafell Pike from Borrowdale via the Corridor Route.

The Styhead Gill is the tarn's outlet which, flows into the River Derwent.

Styhead tarn has aquatic plants including intermediate water-starwort, quillwort, shoreweed, floating bur-reed and awlwort and this lake is within the Site of Special Scientific Interest called Scafell Pikes (see Scafells).

[1][2] Although no official confirmation yet exists, Styhead Tarn is believed to hold the English record for the highest monthly rainfall total,[3] at about 1430 mm in November 2009.