The proposed Great Burn Wilderness never disappoints, of which this 50+-mile loop is proof. Kelly Creek is a world-renowned blue ribbon trout stream and the backcountry is rich with large game animals, including moose, elk, blackbears, and wolves.
Category: Bitterroot Mountains
Siamese Lake Loop
The Siamese Lake Loop features the kind of variety in flora, fauna, and features that you rarely find in a dayhike. West Fork Fish Creek surprises with a lushness reminiscent of rainforest, followed by the picturesque lake, views across vast elk meadows and a patchwork of larches from Chilcoot Pass, and finally a series of terraced waterfalls in the much drier Straight Creek drainage.
Great Burn Loop
Sweeping views, endless strings of alpine lakes and vast meadows are the hallmarks of the proposed Great Burn Wilderness. This loop explores an old mining settlement, visits many of the lakes, and climbs to the top of Schley Mountain for grandiose views into the canyons and ridges traversed earlier.
French Lake
French Lake makes for an interesting side trip when hiking the North Fork of Fish Creek in Montana’s proposed Great Burn Wilderness. It starts about in the middle of that trail and climbs steadily over 3 miles to a bright-green lake with a magic little island. What more could you ask for?
Upper Siamese Lake
One of many lakes that string along the Idaho/Montana stateline, Upper Siamese Lake is among only two that are trail-accessible between Goose Lake and Fish Lake. With water at a premium on the Stateline Trail, this presents a welcome opportunity to top off empty waterbottles and if you don’t mind mountain goats for company you could even stay the night.
Mallard-Larkins Snow Peak Loop
The hallmark of the Mallard-Larkins are steep pinnacles, dozens of sub-alpine lakes, a flora ranging from rainforest-like ancient cedars to subalpine fir, and world-famous herds of mountain goats and elk. Couple that with unequaled solitude and tranquility and you have the makings for a superb backpacking trip through some of Idaho’s finest woods.
Hoodoo Lake
Hoodoo Lake is a quick but uphill 1.5-mile hike to one of many superb alpine lakes in the Bitterroot Mountains. The water is refreshing, there’s camping, there’s fish, and you’ll likely have the place to yourself. We sure did!
Stevens Lakes
There really is only one downside to the Stevens Lakes trail, the result of all its upside: the trailhead is easily accessible, right off I-90, it’s a short hike in well-shaded woods, there are lots of camping opportunities, and two cooling and picturesque lakes await you, nestled up high below Stevens Peak. The downside? Everyone goes there on a sunny day, so expect heavy foot traffic!
St. Regis Lakes to Copper Lake Loop
The St. Regis Lakes are Montana’s twins of Idaho’s Stevens Lakes, nestled close together just across the stateline. This trail conveniently starts out near the Lookout Recreation Area and visits both lakes, then climbs an avalanche chute to the stateline and its sweeping views. It follows the stateline eastwards, up an unnamed knob and steeply downhill into the Copper Lake basin. An easy hike along Copper Gulch and the Nor-Pac trail completes the loop.
Nelson Ridge Loop
Nelson Peak is located just east of Avery, population 25, sandwiched between the St. Joe River and its north fork. The Milwaukee Railroad put Avery on the map in the early twentieth century by routing a railroad through Montana and down the North Fork St. Joe and St. Joe river valleys. The North Fork section is now a rail-to-trail called Route of the Hiawatha. From its beginning at the St. Joe River, the Nelson Ridge trail climbs the eastern flank of Nelson Peak, traverses the southeastern face below the peak, drops down the western side along Telichpah Creek and returns to the trailhead following the St. Joe North Fork. It is a National Recreation Trail.
Lone Lake – Stevens Lake Loop
Named after Isaac Stevens, first governor of the Washington Territory in the mid-1800s, Stevens Peak is the tallest mountain in this area of pristine alpine lakes, jagged crags, and stunning waterfalls. Stevens Lake and Lone Lake are exceedingly popular weekend destinations for hikers and campers, not least due to their close proximity to Mullan and I-90.
Bacon-Bean Loop
Azure-blue skies. Emerald-green slopes. Towering pines. Fields of bracken fern. Lazily meandering rivers. Lush moss-covered tributaries. Steep talus slopes. Picturesque alpine lakes. Tumbling rapids and waterfalls. Lichen-covered logs. Endless stretches of huckleberries and beargrass. No wonder the St. Joe was designated a Wild & Scenic River.