Montana · Hiking

North Clearwater Loop

4.9 mi
round trip
1,561 ft
climb
4,923 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jul–Sep
best months

Is NORTH CLEARWATER LOOP 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.

North Clearwater Loop is a 4.9-mile moderate hike in the Seeley Lake Ranger District of Montana's Lolo National Forest, set at an elevation of about 4,120 feet and climbing to a high point of roughly 4,920 feet. The route is an out-and-back, and it totals about 9.8 miles round trip with a total gain of about 1,560 feet. The steepest part of the climb comes near the start, with a grade of about 11 percent at around half a mile in. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Lindbergh Lake weather station, which sits a few hundred feet lower, show July and August highs around 78°F and lows near 50°F, with only about seven wet days a month. Winter there is cold and snowy, with highs in the low 30s and snow on 14 to 17 days a month from December through February. The trip takes about four hours. The Rovero Trail starts just 0.3 miles away, and Rainy Lake Campground and the Rainy Lake East and West trails are about 1.4 miles off. Paddlers can reach the Clearwater River, roughly 4.3 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jul–Sep

    Best time to visit NORTH CLEARWATER LOOP

    Best months: July–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

      31° / 16°

      19 wet · 17 snow

    2. Feb

      34° / 17°

      16 wet · 14 snow

    3. Mar

      42° / 23°

      16 wet · 11 snow

    4. Apr

      50° / 30°

      14 wet · 6 snow

    5. May

      60° / 38°

      14 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      68° / 45°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 50°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      78° / 49°

      7 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 41°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      51° / 32°

      12 wet · 3 snow

    11. Nov

      38° / 24°

      16 wet · 10 snow

    12. Dec

      29° / 16°

      19 wet · 16 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lindbergh Lake, MT, 6.7 mi away at 4,320 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.