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Location: 40 miles southeast of Kalispell, just northeast of Condon in the wild Swan Range. Type of hike: Out-and-back backpacking trip. Total distance: 19 miles. Difficulty: Strenuous. Best months: July through September.
Finding the trailhead: Drive south of the junction of Montana Highways 35 and 83 on MT 83 for 39.4 miles (about 20 miles past "downtown" Swan Lake). Turn east off MT 83 onto Lion Creek Road 9769. Follow the Lion Creek Road for 3 miles to the trailhead on the left. The road continues as an access to private land adjacent to the creek, but there is no public access farther in. Parking & trailhead facilities: Ample parking, hitch rail, and ATV/snowmobile ramp. Key points 0.8 Trail enters from Van Lake RoadThe hike: In contrast with most hiking in the rugged Swan Range, the trail up Lion Creek climbs gradually from the Swan Valley to the large basin beneath the Swan Divide. From the trailhead, Trail 25 descends and crosses the creek where there was a temporary log bridge in place; it is likely there will be a new bridge here in the future. After crossing the creek, the trail climbs gently through very old ponderosa and larch trees in an open forest. At 0.8 mile, a trail enters from the left, an extension to the Van Lake Road; stay right, continuing east on the main trail. The trail leaves the main Swan Valley, climbing rocky benches sprinkled with a few old ponderosa pines. After a short drop, an outfitter trail enters from the right; stay left, continuing east on Trail 25. The trail is heavily used by horses and becomes wide and muddy, even during dry periods, as it enters the narrow canyon of Lion Creek. After about 5 miles is the first of the several waterfalls on Lion Creek. It cascades down from the glaciers and snowfields of Swan and Union peaks. Continuing on, the trail passes through a majestic
grove of old western red cedars. After the grove, another series of falls
appears on the creek just after the South Fork of Lion Creek joins the
main stream.
-Originally contributed by John Gatchall 
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contents © , Travel Montana. All rights reserved. |
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Highlights:
A mixed old-growth forest and scenic views of the Swan and South Fork of
the Flathead River Valleys.
