Preview: Outstanding panoramic views of northwestern Montana and Flathead Lake from a delightful ridgeline trail. This backpacking route is not for beginners or small children. (You may, however, consider an easier and popular option of hiking only to Strawberry Lake.)
You can cover this route (and 3,500-foot elevation gain) in two days, but to really enjoy the scenery on this high-altitude hike, allow three days. Although the trail is remote and primitive, it’s well maintained and easy to follow. There is a fair chance of spotting elk or deer, and a great variety of wildflowers will greet you in summer, particularly in mid-July. Snow may lock this trail until early July. The main attraction is the views. There is water at many places along the trail, but there are also some dry stretches on the northern half of this hike. Mosquitoes can be a problem early in the season, but they seem less severe than in many areas. Drinking water and shelter from the wind can often be found by dropping over the ridge to the east into the high meadows.
