Hike to Crescent Lake
Seeley Lake, Montana
Details
Distance
9 miles
Elevation Gain
1500 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
Added by Chris Engelsman
Located in the Mission Mountains Wilderness, this is a fun day-hike, or turn it into a multi-day trip and camp, fish, and explore the other lakes from the Glacier Lake Trailhead.
An hour drive north of the town of Seeley Lake Montana is the Glacier Lake Trailhead and the starting point for your hike. Glacier Lake Trailhead is a popular trailhead, and the parking lot can fill up quickly on hot summer weekends since it provides access to trails which lead to three different lakes.
From the Glacier Lake Trailhead, you can access Glacier Lake, Turquoise Lake, along with Crescent and Heart Lakes.
We only had a couple of hours but wanted to hike a bit further than the 3-mile out and back for Glacier Lake, so we chose Crescent Lake and are glad that we did.
Located in the Mission Mountains Wilderness, horses and pack mule teams are allowed, but no mountain bikes or motorcycles.
Start off on Trail 690 which follows Glacier Creek. You will cross Crazy Horse Creek and Crescent Creek via small footbridges. A little less than a mile in you will hit a junction, stay right on the Crescent Lake Trail which will lead you up seven switchbacks.
At the 5th switchback (3-mile mark), you will have magnificent views of Glacier Lake and Glacier Creek descending into it. This overlook is a great place to take a break and take in the views. From the overlook, it's another mile and approximately 300 more vertical feet of climbing.
Once you get to the lake, the trail wraps around the south side of the lake. You can hang out on the rocks, swim, fish, or continue another .7 miles to Heart Lake. We were pressed for time and decided to swim and head back.
The trail is well traveled, has a consistent grade and few boulders/rocks which make it excellent for trail running. The Mission Mountains Wilderness is bear country (black and brown), so be sure to bring your bear spray.
For some reason, Google Maps doesn't show the road all the way to the trailhead. Head West on Kraft Creek Road from Highway 83 and follow the signs. Stay on the main road, and you'll end up at the Glacier Lake Trailhead, which has a vault toilet as well.
Download the Outbound mobile app
Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.
Get the appFeatures
Hike to Crescent Lake Reviews
Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
Nearby
Snowshoe to Holland Falls
Stand Up Paddle at Holland Lake
Holland Lake and Falls
Climb Holland Peak
Hike to Morrell Falls
Explore Ewam Garden of One Thousand Buddhas
Community
© 2023 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy