Montana · Hiking

Fish Lakes

3.3 mi
round trip
167 ft
climb
3,764 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Fish Lakes open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Three Rivers Ranger District. It doesn't name Fish Lakes, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Three Rivers Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Fish Lakes is a 6.5-mile out-and-back hike in the Three Rivers Ranger District of Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route starts and ends at the low point of the trail, which sits at 3,585 feet and climbs to a high of 3,764 feet. The one-way gain is 167 feet, and the trail is rated moderate. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July and August highs reach about 81°F with lows in the low 40s, and those months also have the fewest wet days of the year, around six or seven. These are typical averages from a nearby weather station at Yaak, which sits several hundred feet lower than the trail's high point. The trail is open from May 1 to November 30, and it is open to bikes on natural surface. Purcell Summit and Bunker Creek Tie are both within about 3 miles, and Upper Ford Cabin Rental and Caribou Campground are within about 6.5 miles for an overnight stay.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Fish Lakes

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      29° / 14°

      14 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / 14°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      44° / 22°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 27°

      11 wet

    5. May

      65° / 35°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 41°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 43°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 42°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 35°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      53° / 28°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      36° / 21°

      13 wet

    12. Dec

      27° / 15°

      14 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yaak 9nne, MT, 6.1 mi away at 3,085 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.