You’ve hiked the usual suspects: Tubbs Hill, Mineral Ridge, and the Canfield Trail System. Perhaps you’ve ventured out to Harrison Lake, Trout and Big Fisher Lakes in the Selkirks, or Stevens Lake or Revett Lake in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. If you’re contemplating a new adventure that could be manageable as a day hike, but something you could make a weekend out of, then set your sights on a trail that is easily navigable, family friendly and accessible without the need for a high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle. Heart Lake, in Montana’s Bitterroot Range in the Lolo National Forest, might be the perfect destination. Heart Lake is a fantastic introduction to the region’s backpacking offerings, and is the perfect standby to keep in your quiver.
We set out on a sunny Saturday morning in late July for a visit to Heart Lake in the Lolo National Forest. Heart Lake is the largest alpine lake in the western portion of the Bitterroot Mountains and is stunningly beautiful, easily accessible and an idyllic spot to spend a weekend exploring. If I were to recommend an introduction to backpacking or a family friendly getaway, Heart Lake would be near the top of the list.
En route to the trailhead, we stop only once for our traditional visit to Montana’s ‘St. Regis Travel Center’ to fill the gas tank and wander inside. A huckleberry scent wafts through the store, but our keen ole-factory senses guide us to the complimentary popcorn stand where we help ourselves to a bag of popcorn in the name of managing our pre-hike salt intake. East of St. Regis, we exit at Superior, Montana, and make our way toward the trailhead. The pavement ends at a large sawmill and we begin to meander along Trout Creek until we reach the car park. It’s time to don the backpacks, and head into the wilderness for some R and R.
I have hiked this trail several times, yet I never tire of it. The beauty is so spectacular, and the lake is within such easy reach on the moderately gentle trail No. 171. We follow the trail along the South Fork of Trout Creek, and are led through thick stands of timber and grassy meadows. The soothing sound of the creek washes away our cares as we slowly gain altitude. The 3 mile trail gains less than 1200 feet of elevation, but delivers a backdrop of scenery we feel we didn’t quite earn on such a relatively easy hike. This area is part of the proposed Great Burn Wilderness area and evidence of the horrific Big Burn of 1910 is still visible.
We arrive at the crystal clear waters of the lake and gaze up at the snow cornice, precariously perched atop the cliffs at the far end of the lake. The lake itself is stunningly beautiful, surprisingly large, and full of small trout.
There are multiple campsites along the east shore of the lake, but I have my sights on my favorite spot further down the trail. Arriving at our camp spot, we look around and note the evidence of campers that have been impactful to the vegetation and shoreline. We lament over the woeful reminder that not everyone takes care to tread lightly, pack it in/pack it out and respect the vegetation and shoreline. Mindful that we are in bear country, we devise a plan for hanging our food and other bear attractants. This exercise involves a rock, some line, a ridiculous amount of time and a lot of laughs. We make the best perch for our food cache possible with the skimpy, sub-alpine firs we have available.
Food bag safely hung, we pitch the tent in the trees, organize our makeshift kitchen, and relax with a novel while taking in the sun atop a large, flat-topped boulder on the lake’s shore.
Evening comes too soon, but the setting sun casts a magical glow on the lake and mountains. I reach into my pack to fish out the Platypus bladder that holds the contents of a bottle of Three Rivers Winery Merlot. We sip wine and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings: the still waters of the lake, the ridgeline above and the seemingly endless forest. The gentle hike into Heart Lake allows for us to carry the extra weight of a proper feast. Like true gourmands, we snack on crackers with camembert cheese, sticks of Landjaegar meat and apple slices before devouring a skillet full of herbed potatoes and sockeye salmon. I take in a breath of the crisp night air and listen for sounds, yet hear none. I’m ready for a peaceful night’s slumber under a blanket of stars in this blissful, backyard retreat.
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Morning invites a new adventure to the ridgeline above, and two additional alpine lakes. After a light breakfast of granola with coffee, we grab a day pack and head up trail 175. The trail zigzags upward to a plateau where we are greeted by a lovely collection of Indian Paint Brush, Gentians, Lupine and Arnica. Shortly after the trail flattens, we come to Pearl Lake, a tranquil lake with plentiful frogs in the shallow water along the lake’s shore. Taking in the scenery, we walk the north shoreline of the lake and follow the trail up another series of zigzags to an overlook of Dalton Lake, which unlike Heart Lake, is actually shaped like a heart. The scenery from the Dalton Lake overlook is absolutely stunning, an irresistible mix of distant mountains, rugged backdrops, plentiful Bear Grass and a carpet of purple Heather. We continue on until we connect with trail 738, the Stateline Trail. The Stateline Trail takes us alongside the daunting cornice looming over Heart Lake that we were admiring from camp below. This proves to be an excellent spot to enjoy lunch and reap the rewards of the morning’s journey. Continuing on the Stateline Trail toward HooDoo Pass, we enjoy an overlook of Hidden Lake and marvel at how we are lucky enough to see four pristine, alpine lakes in one morning.
Along the Stateline Trail, we come to a family of mountain goats that are less than congenial before dropping back down toward Heart Lake. I have encountered these goats before, and have heard from friends that they have found these particular goats to be unfriendly, as well. We give them plenty of space and loop around them as they seemed to be making effort to block the trail. These are the most intimidating goats that I have happened across in the area. They are certainly not the mild mannered mountain goats that we enjoy on Scotchman Peak in the Cabinets.
We sneak by the ornery goats and wind down through the woods to the north end of Heart Lake. There is still time in the day to unpack camp and head back to the car park. I take a last glance at beautiful Heart Lake before heading down the trail and marvel at the world-class scenery to be found right in our backyard.
As we head home, we unanimously vote for dinner and a cold brew at Noah’s Canteen, on the patio under the gondola at Kellogg, Idaho’s Silver Mountain Resort. With a clink of our glass, we toast to a beautiful weekend in the Bitterroots. Cheers!
By Denise Lundy
Photography By David Ronalds
As Featured In: Summer/Fall 2015