French Lake
- 7.4 mi
- round trip
- 1,581 ft
- climb
- 6,901 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is French Lake open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Lolo National Forest.
East Fork Big Creek Road & Trail Closure- Superior Ranger District
Agency alert covering Lolo National Forest · Order 26-003- · USFS · Lolo National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Lolo National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
French Lake is a hard hike in the Ninemile Ranger District of Montana's Lolo National Forest, about 7 miles from the trailhead. The route is an out-and-back that climbs from a low point of about 4,400 feet to a high of about 6,900 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 1,600 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows both horses and bikes, so it works for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. Plan for a long day: the route is about 7.4 miles long, and the climb is steep enough to make it a challenging outing. Several other destinations sit within a few miles. Saint Patrick Peak Summit is about 2.6 miles away, and Trio Lakes and Dalton Lake are each within about 3.5 miles. For an overnight base, Clearwater Crossing Campground is about 5.4 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Granite Peak RV Resort36 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Saint Patrick Peak Summit
~4 min drive
1.03-mile out-and-back trail to Saint Patrick Peak Summit in Montana, 444 ft gain.
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Lightning-Windfall
~6 min drive
11.80-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,494 ft elevation gain.
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Pearl Lake
~6 min drive
4.68-mile out-and-back trail to Pearl Lake in Montana with 1,318 ft gain.
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BOUNDARY CREEK
~14 min drive
5.94-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 3,580 ft elevation gain
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Trio Lakes
~5 min drive
1.77-mile out-and-back trail to Trio Lakes in Montana with 181 ft of elevation gain.
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Saint Patrick Peak
~7 min drive
11.05-mile out-and-back trail to Saint Patrick Peak in Montana with 1,521 ft gain.
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STEEP LAKES
~9 min drive
2.9-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,177 ft elevation gain and loss.
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FISH LAKE
~15 min drive
12.72-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,552 ft elevation gain and loss.
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Dalton Lake
~6 min drive
Dalton Lake is a 0.48-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 7 feet of elevation gain.
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Heart Lake
~8 min drive
7.92-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 2,045 ft elevation gain.
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