Mileage: 7 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 1,800 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
High Point: 5,263 feet (Little Spar Lake)
USGS Map: Spar Lake, Mount Pend Oreille
GPS: 48 15 39.2N 115 57 21.5W
Description: From the same trailhead you can access both Spar Peak and Little Spar Lake – which is the largest alpine lake in the Scotchmans! Both of these hikes start out on an old logging road and involve a creek crossing in the first mile that can be difficult in the early season. You’ll see the sign for Spar Peak a couple hundred yards before the sign for Little Spar Lake. A solid 1,800 feet of elevation gain provides a reasonable challenge, taking you through a canyon of lush, inland temperate rainforest. There may be snow fields in the shadows of the cliff along the stream late into summer. Giant old growth western hemlocks can be spotted through the middle section of the trail. The trail ends at Little Spar Lake where you can find a few camp sites and good picnic spots.
Getting There: From Highway 56 in Montana, turn West onto Arco Mine Rd. Continue on Arco Mine Rd. for about 3 miles before turning right onto National Forest (NF) Rd. 7148 and then continue onto NF Rd 384. Follow NF road 384 for about 5 miles past the Southern end of the lake until the road ends. The trailhead will be at the end of this road.
Always be prepared when hiking. You’ll want to bring:
- There is plenty of water access. The trail follows the creek to the lake.
- Hiking Poles. The trial is steep in sections.
- A map. The trail can be hard to find sometimes.
- Long pants. Overgrown brush and downed trees can be abundant in early summer before our volunteer trail crew clears the path.
- A trowel to do your business and a bag for your trash. There is not bathroom at the trailhead so you’ll have to bury your business and pack out your toilet paper.
GPS Coordinates: 48.244668, -115.959050
