Montana · Hiking

Lake Fork

Lake ForkPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
18.7 mi
round trip
3,847 ft
climb
11,042 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Lake Fork open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Beartooth Ranger District. It doesn't name Lake Fork, so check the source for the area it covers (14 listed).

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

Lake Fork is a hard hike in the Beartooth Ranger District of Custer Gallatin National Forest in Montana, about 18.7 miles long with a one-way elevation gain of 3,847 feet. The trail is an out-and-back that starts at a parking area named Lake Fork and climbs from a low point of 7,166 feet to a high point of 11,042 feet. The route is on natural surface and allows horses, but not bikes. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open from June 1 to September 30. Parkside, a lake fishing spot, sits about 1.2 miles away, and Limber Pine campground is about 1.4 miles off. The Parkside Trail and Greenough Lake campground are also within about 1.5 miles.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Lower Lake Fork TrailPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Lower Lake Fork Trail

~3 min drive

2.38-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 489 ft elevation gain and loss.

Bear TrackPhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Bear Track

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Moon Lake TrailPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Moon Lake Trail

~12 min drive

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Greenough LakePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Greenough Lake

~3 min drive

0.47-mile out-and-back trail to Greenough Lake in Montana.

Palisades TrailPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Palisades Trail

~15 min drive

7.23-mile out-and-back hike in Montana with 257 ft of elevation gain.

Glacier LakePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Glacier Lake

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Keyser Brown TrailPhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Keyser Brown Trail

~10 min drive

1.52-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 589 ft elevation gain.

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Hellroaring Plateau

~5 min drive

8.43-mile out-and-back trail on Hellroaring Plateau in Montana with 780 ft gain

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Lower Parkside Trail

~2 min drive

4.26-mile out-and-back hike in Montana with 1,134 ft elevation gain

Nichols ConnectorPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Nichols Connector

~13 min drive

4.78-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 298 ft elevation gain.