Middle Thompson Lake day hiking opportunities?

[dexnrex]

I could use a little help from the folks from the Kalispell/Libby area. I'm from the prairie of eastern Montana, but we will be at a family reunion next week on Middle Thompson Lake. I'm wondering about any good day hikes in the area that my 13yr. old son and I can take while there. I'm really looking forward to being in the mountains and going on a good hike to guage my fitness for the upcoming archery season.

If there is anything else in the area that we should do or check out let me know. Thanks in avance for any input.

 

[troydave]

Day hikes in the Cabinets

I don't know how much time you have but if you want to drive to Libby there are some good day hikes in the Cabinets. One is Leigh Lake which is off of Bear Creek road just east of Libby. Its a 1.5 mile trail one way and takes about 2 hours. A beautiful lake and you have a good chance of seeing some goats. Another is Cedar Lakes trail that is just west of Libby on Cedar creek road. This is a 5 mile hike that will take about 4 hours one way to the upper lake. This trail will let you know what kind of shape you are in. Both of these access roads are off of highway 2. There are several more in the northern Cabinets that you would enjoy.

 

[dexnrex]

Thanks, TD. Unless my wifes uncle can point us to something comparable closer to his place on the lake I will check out Leigh Lake. I was told that since it is a family reunion I should not be gone from sunup untill sundown.

 

[npaden]

Leigh lake is for sure worth the hike. Just one steep spot that I remember but that has been a long time ago. Some really neat old growth timber at the start of the hike.

If the bears haven't eaten them all there are some great huckleberry patches around the lake.

 

[npaden]

http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGR027-007

Here's a couple pictures I just found on the web. You'll only get this view if you climb quite a way up on the east side of the lake.

This is the way I remember it. You have to have a wide angle lens to get the mountains in the background if you are all the way down by the lake.

A little vertical on the back side, just the kind of stuff you would expect to find mountain goats.

 

[dexnrex]

Thanks Nathan. As flatlanders that is exactly the kind of destination I was looking for. Due to the shorter distance of the hike it may be something the whole family will do.

 

[npaden]

If I remember right there is one creek crossing near the top of the trail before you get to the lake, but this time of year you should be able to get across without getting your feet wet.

Another nice thing about that area is that it is actually fairly low elevation compare to some areas. The lake is just over 5,000' elevation which is lower elevation than most mountain trails start at. It does climb about 1,000' in 1.5 miles though so not exactly flat.

Here's another link with driving directions to get to the different trails.

http://www.libbymt.com/outdoors/trails.htm

 

[Ben Long]

I agree the Cabinets are great and not too far. Another lake to consider is Geiger Lake up Lake Creek on the southern end of the range. You can keep climbing up the Cabinet Divide for great views.

 

[theat]

The Cabinets are my backyard wilderness. I will third the Leigh Lake hike. It is one of the easiest lakes to get to in the wilderness, but is also one of the most spectacular.

I only have a few pictures on this computer looking down on the lake from the top of Bockman Peak. Last one is from near the top of Snowshoe Peak with Blackwell Glacier in the foreground.

 

[troydave]

Where the trail crosses the creek below the waterfall going to Leigh Lake you can go to the right and come out at the west side of the lake. It is a scramble for a while going up the face but there is a trail. Just keep an eye out where it bears to the left. Most people take this route as it is flat rock on this side by the lake. Geiger Lakes is a moderate hike also, but it is located off WEST FISHER ROAD not Lake Creek.

 

[dexnrex]

Leigh Lake looks perfect for my 13 yr. old son and my wife and I. How about my 7 yr. old son? He has tons of stamina when he is pestering me, but I don't know if that will transfer to a hike in the hills.

 

[Ben Long]

I stand corrected, Dave.

 

[Selkirk]

Your 7 yr old should be fine and it's not a bad hike. It's not long enough to be too painful