More Trails Near Seeley Lake

Once you have done Morrell Falls and Holland Falls, the Swan and Mission ranges on either side of the valley offer a long list of hikes to alpine lakes. These are short entries, each drawn from a single Seeley Swan Pathfinder trail article. Those articles date from 2014 to 2020, and several trailheads are on the Flathead National Forest rather than the Lolo. Confirm roads and conditions with the Seeley Lake Ranger District (406-677-2233) or the managing district before you go.¹¹

Every one of these hikes is in grizzly country. Carry bear spray, and follow the Forest Service food storage order (March 1 to December 31).¹⁰ Our wildlife and bear safety guide has the details.

Quick comparison

“Inferred” means the source gave no rating and we judged from the numbers.

Glacier Lake (Mission Mountains Wilderness)

The shortest alpine lake on this list: about 1.6 miles each way (3.2 round trip) with about 425 feet of climbing.⁶ Turn west off Highway 83 at mile marker 37 onto Kraft Creek Road. The trailhead has a pit toilet; dogs are allowed, and the Pathfinder notes no overnight camping at the trailhead itself.⁶ This is a Mission Mountains Wilderness access point, so wilderness rules apply past the boundary.

Lake Dinah (Trail #12)

Lake Dinah is a 2-mile hike from Lake Elsina, crossing a pass at 6,680 feet between Lake Elsina (6,320 feet) and Lake Dinah (6,480 feet).¹ To reach it, turn west off Highway 83 at mile marker 19.5 onto Boy Scout Road, go about 1 mile, then north on Fawn Creek Road #4349 for about 4.5 miles, following signs to Lake Elsina.¹ The Jim Girard Memorial Grove, home of Gus the giant larch, is also near Boy Scout Road.¹² The source article is from 2014.

Rumble Creek Lakes (via East Foothills Trail #192)

A steep climb in the Swan Range near Condon. The lower lake is 2 to 3 miles from a trailhead at about 4,800 feet and sits at about 7,000 feet; the upper lake is another half mile to a mile, at about 7,900 feet.² Turn east on Rumble Creek Road across from the Condon Community Church (Highway 83, mile marker 39) and drive about 4 miles to parking past Cooney Lookout.²

The same basin is the approach to Holland Peak. The Pathfinder describes that route as about 5 miles with 5,633 feet of gain, rated advanced, and notes it is not a Forest Service trail.³

Heart and Crescent Lakes

The Pathfinder rates this one moderate: 4.3 miles each way (8.6 round trip) with 1,368 feet of climbing.⁵ Turn west off Highway 83 at mile marker 37 onto Kraft Creek Road, then follow Forest Road 561 about 11.5 miles. The trailhead has a pit toilet and no water. Stock use is allowed.⁵

Upper Holland and Sapphire Lakes (Trail #415)

The big day on this list: about 7 miles each way to Sapphire Lake (14 miles round trip) with roughly 3,100 feet of total climbing, about 2,100 feet to Upper Holland Lake and another 1,000 to Sapphire.⁴ It starts from the large Holland Lake trailhead lot (pit toilet), the same area as the Holland Falls trail.⁴ Stock are allowed.

Fly Lake (Rattlesnake Wilderness, Trail #336)

South of the valley, off Highway 200 near Potomac. Take Gold Creek Road north about 5 miles on gravel to the trailhead; the lake is about 4.5 miles in, at 6,374 feet.⁷ The trail is closed to stock, bikes and motors, and the 2016 article described it as not fully cleared.⁷

Bob Marshall Wilderness access

The Bob Marshall, Great Bear and Scapegoat wildernesses together form the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, more than 1.5 million acres.⁸ From the Seeley Lake side, the documented entries are the Holland Lake trailhead on the Swan Front and Pyramid Pass in the Morrell Creek area. We have not verified Scapegoat Wilderness access points from Seeley Lake, so ask the ranger district. A Forest Service order sets occupancy, use and trail restrictions across the complex; read it before an overnight trip.⁹