Montana · Hiking

Slate Lake

8.2 mi
round trip
415 ft
climb
6,261 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Slate Lake open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Slate Lake is an out-and-back hike in the Helena Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana, managed by the Forest Service. The route is about 8 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 415 feet, and it rises from a low point of about 5,800 feet to a high of about 6,260 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Elliston, which sits roughly 1,200 feet lower, show July highs around 81°F with lows near 46°F. That station's figures are not directly comparable to the higher trail, so expect cooler temperatures on the route. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows bikes. It is open year-round, and the trip is rated hard. Several other destinations sit close by. Negro Mt 1 is about a mile away, and Negro Mt 3 and Negro Mt 2 are each about 2 miles off. Kading Campground is roughly 6 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Slate Lake

    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

      33° / 11°

    2. Feb

      33° / 12°

    3. Mar

      43° / 19°

    4. Apr

      51° / 26°

    5. May

      60° / 35°

    6. Jun

      69° / 41°

    7. Jul

      81° / 46°

    8. Aug

      80° / 44°

    9. Sep

      69° / 36°

    10. Oct

      53° / 27°

    11. Nov

      39° / 17°

    12. Dec

      31° / 10°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Elliston, MT, 3.8 mi away at 5,080 ft. The station sits about 1,200 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.