DAY HIKES AROUND Missoula M O N T A N A IncludIng the BItterroots and the seeley–swan Valley Robert Stone 4th EDITION Day Hike Books, Inc. red lodge, montana Published by Day Hike Books, Inc. P.O. Box 865 • Red Lodge, Montana 59068 www.dayhikebooks.com Distributed by National Book Network 800-462-6420 Cover photograph by Nelson Kenter kenterphotography.com Back cover photograph by Robert Stone Layout and maps by Paula Doherty The author has made every attempt to provide accurate information in this book. However, trail routes and features may change— please use common sense and forethought, and be mindful of your own capabilities. Let this book guide you, but be aware that each hiker assumes responsibility for their own safety. The author and publisher do not assume any responsibility for loss, damage, or injury caused through the use of this book. Copyright © 201 3 by Day Hike Books, Inc. 4th Edition ISBN: 978-1 -57342-066-2 eISBN: 978-1 -57342-035-8 All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Control Number: 2011920362 Cover photo: Clark Fork River Back cover photo: Lake Como also by robert stone Day Hikes In Yellowstone National Park Day Hikes In Grand Teton National Park Day Hikes In the Beartooth Mountains Day Hikes Around Bozeman, Montana Day Hikes Around Missoula, Montana Day Hikes In Yosemite National Park Day Hikes In Sequoia & Kings Canyon Nat’l. Parks Day Hikes On the California Central Coast Day Hikes On the California Southern Coast Day Hikes Around Sonoma County Day Hikes Around Napa Valley Day Hikes Around Big Sur Day Hikes Around Monterey and Carmel Day Hikes In San Luis Obispo County, California Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara Day Hikes In the Santa Monica Mountains Day Hikes Around Ventura County Day Hikes Around Los Angeles Day Hikes Around Orange County Day Hikes In Sedona, Arizona Table of Contents Hiking Missoula .............................................................................................................1 1 map of the hikes ........................................................................................................1 4 THE HIKES Northeast Missoula Rattlesnake National Recreation Area (including the Sawmill–Curry Trail System) northeast missoula map (hikes 1 –21 ) ......................................................................1 6 1 . Boulder Point and Boulder Lake ................................................................................1 8 2. West Fork Gold Creek Trail to Primm Lake and Rattlesnake Creek ....................................................................21 3 . Main Rattlesnake Corridor ..........................................................................................24 4. Basic Rattlesnake Loop .................................................................................................28 5. Stuart Peak Trail: Spring Gulch Loop .....................................................................30 6. Curry Gulch Trail to Curry Cabin ...............................................................................32 7. Lower Sawmill Gulch Loop .........................................................................................35 8. Upper Sawmill Gulch Loop to Overlook ............................................................37 9. Ravine Trail to Overlook ...............................................................................................38 1 0. Woods Gulch: Sheep Mountain Trail ....................................................................40 Mount Jumbo Recreation Area East Missoula lower rattlesnake Valley (hikes 1 1 –21 ) ..........................................................44 1 1 . Saddle Trail ..........................................................................................................................46 1 2. North Loop Trail ...............................................................................................................48 1 3. L Trail ......................................................................................................................................50 1 4. Mount Jumbo Traverse in Hellgate Canyon .......................................................51 1 5. Canyon River Trail .............................................................................................................54 North Hills • Rattlesnake Valley 1 6. Upper Rattlesnake Greenway ...................................................................................56 1 7. Lower Rattlesnake Greenway ...................................................................................58 1 8. North Hills: Rattlesnake Greenway Loop North Hills Open Space ...............................................................................................60 1 9. Waterworks Hill–Randolph Hill–Cherry Gulch Loop North Hills Open Space ...............................................................................................63 20. Moon–Randolph Homestead from the Orange Avenue Trailhead ........................................................................66 21 . Greenough Park: Bolle Birdwatching Trail ...........................................................68 Missoula City of Missoula • Mount Sentinel Pattee Canyon Recreation Area • South Hills missoula map (hikes 22–36) ............................................................................................70 22. Clark Fork River Trail in Hellgate Canyon: Ben Hughes Park ......................72 23. Tower Street Open Space along the Clark Fork River ...............................74 24. Kelly Island ...........................................................................................................................76 25. Clark Fork Northside Riverfront Trail: Orange Street Bridge to Van Buren Street Pedestrian Bridge .................78 Downtown missoula map .....................................................................................................78 26. Clark Fork Southside Riverfront Trail: McCormick Park to University of Montana ........................................................82 27. Kim Williams Nature Trail ...............................................................................................83 28. Hellgate Canyon–Mount Sentinel Loop .............................................................84 29. M Trail .....................................................................................................................................88 30. Mount Sentinel Loop: Mount Sentinel Fire Road to the M ......................90 31 . Crooked Trail–Pengelly Ridge Trail Loop...........................................................92 32. Crazy Canyon Trail to Mount Sentinel Pattee Canyon Recreation Area ..............................................................................96 33. Northside Trails: Meadow Loop Trail Pattee Canyon Recreation Area ..............................................................................98 34. Sam Braxton National Recreation Trail Pattee Canyon Recreation Area ...........................................................................1 00 6 - Day Hikes Around Missoula, Montana 35. Middle Fork Deer Creek Trail ..................................................................................1 02 36. Moose Can Gully and Peery Park South Hills Trail System ...............................................................................................1 04 Blue Mountain Recreation Area blue mountain recreation area map (hikes 37–43) .....................................1 06 37. South O’Brien Creek Loop ........................................................................................1 08 38. Vista Point Loop ..............................................................................................................1 1 2 39. Maclay Flat Nature Trail ..............................................................................................1 1 4 40. Deadman Point .................................................................................................................1 1 6 41 . Hayes Point.........................................................................................................................1 1 8 42. Blue Mountain National Recreation Trail and Blue Mountain Nature Trail ...............................................................................1 20 43. Blue Mountain Lookout from Blue Mountain Saddle ..................................1 22 Northwest Missoula Frenchtown • Ninemile Valley 44. Council Grove State Park ...........................................................................................1 24 45. Erskine Fishing Access Trail .......................................................................................1 26 46. Grand Menard Discovery Trail ................................................................................1 28 47. Kreis Pond Trail ................................................................................................................1 30 48. Bike Trail Loop at Kreis Pond...................................................................................1 32 ninemile Valley map (hikes 46–50) ..........................................................................1 34 49. Sleeping Woman Trail to Cha-paa-qn.................................................................1 35 50. Reservation Divide East Trail to Cha-paa-qn ..................................................1 36 southwest Missoula: highway 1 2 Lolo to Lolo Pass including the Fish Creek Drainage highway 1 2 map: lolo to lolo pass and idaho (hikes 51–65) .............1 40 51 . Traveler’s Rest Interpretive Trail Traveler’s Rest State Park ..........................................................................................1 42 52. Cache Creek Trail ...........................................................................................................1 44 53. Burdette Creek Trail .....................................................................................................1 48 102 Great Hikes - 7 lolo trail and connecting hikes (hikes 54–61) ...........................................1 50 54. North Fork Howard Creek .........................................................................................1 52 55. Lolo Trail from Howard Creek Lewis and Clark/Nez Perce National Historic Trail ....................................1 54 56. Lolo Trail: Fish Creek Road to Granite Creek Lewis and Clark/Nez Perce National Historic Trail ....................................1 56 57. Lolo Trail: Fish Creek Road to Canyon Overlook Lewis and Clark/Nez Perce National Historic Trail .....................................1 57 58. Lee Creek Interpretive Trail ......................................................................................1 61 59. Wagon Mountain Trail from Lee Creek Lewis and Clark/Nez Perce National Historic Trail ....................................1 63 60. Wagon Mountain Trail from Packer Meadows Lewis and Clark/Nez Perce National Historic Trail ....................................1 64 61 . Glade Creek Loop .........................................................................................................1 68 Lolo Pass into Idaho 62. DeVoto Memorial Cedar Grove ............................................................................1 70 63. Jerry Johnson Hot Springs ........................................................................................1 72 64. Hot Springs Lookout Trail along the Lochsa River .......................................1 73 65. Colgate Licks Nature Trail ..........................................................................................1 76 Bitterroot Valley bitterroot Valley map (hikes 66–85) .....................................................................1 78 66. Bass Creek Trail ...............................................................................................................1 80 67. Larry Creek Fire Ecology Trail..................................................................................1 83 68. Charles Waters Nature Trail ......................................................................................1 86 69. Kootenai Creek Trail ......................................................................................................1 87 70. Bitterroot River Recreation Area Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge ................................................................1 89 71 . Kenai Nature Trail Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge ...............................................................1 90 72. Stevensville Nature Trail: Stevensville River Park..........................................1 94 73. Willoughby Environmental Education Area ......................................................1 96 74. Big Creek Trail ..................................................................................................................1 98 8 - Day Hikes Around Missoula, Montana 75. Glen Lake ...........................................................................................................................200 76. Bear Creek Trail to Bear Creek Falls ....................................................................202 77. Mill Creek Trail to Mill Creek Falls .......................................................................204 78. Teller Wildlife Refuge: Teller Trail ........................................................................206 79. Calf Creek Wildlife Management Area ..............................................................208 80. Hieronymus Park...............................................................................................................21 1 city of hamilton map ................................................................................................21 2 81 . River Park ............................................................................................................................21 4 82. Blodgett Canyon to the waterfall ........................................................................21 6 83. Blodgett Canyon Overlook Fire Ecology Interpretive Trail ................................................................................21 8 84. Canyon Creek Trail to Canyon Falls and Canyon Lake ..............................220 85. Lake Como .........................................................................................................................223 rock creek DraiNage 86. Valley of the Moon Nature Trail ...........................................................................226 87. Babcock Creek Trail to Mormon Spring ............................................................228 88. Grizzly Creek Trail.........................................................................................................232 89. Welcome Creek Trail....................................................................................................234 90. Beavertail Hill State Park.............................................................................................236 Blackfoot riVer recreatioNal corriDor 91 . Whitaker Bridge to Belmont Creek .......................................................................238 92. Whitaker Bridge to Red Rock Flat and Goose Rock Flat ..........................239 seeley–swaN Valley seeley–swan Valley map (hikes 93–102) ...........................................................242 93. Morrell Lake and Falls: Morrell Falls National Recreation Trail .............244 94. Big Larch Nature Trail ..................................................................................................246 95. Clearwater River Canoe Trail ...................................................................................248 96. Lake Dinah Trail from Lake Elsina...........................................................................250 97. Clearwater Lake Loop ................................................................................................252 98. Holland Lake and Falls ..................................................................................................254 102 Great Hikes - 9