Elk Lake is one of those out of the way mountain lakes that many of us know for great fishing and some old school social distancing. Hidden Lake and Elk Lake below are both spring-fed with crystal clear waters. Whether you're planning a wedding at Elk Lake Resort or want to escape the crowds and enjoy some fishing at these remote lakes, this trail has something for you.
The first part of this trail is located in the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. This area is popular for birders and photographers wanting to photograph the once nearly extinct Trumpeter Swans. The remaining half of this trail is in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the largest national forest in Montana, covering 3.35 million acres.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Exclusive for our All-Access Members
Easily identify whether the trail is stock friendly
or not.
View 14 specific concerns along the trail such as
height and width restrictions.
Upgrade from free to our All-Access Membership and get
every detail, waypoint, photo, and more on every single
trail guide.
When you are an All-Access member, our trail guides
come with a short video of the author running the trail
to give you a visual understanding of what to expect.
Island Park, at Red Rock Pass and Highway 20 intersection or Monida ID along the I-15.
Island Park
From Highway 20 and Red Rock Pass Intersection, head west on Red Rock Pass for 7.1 miles.
Turn left to stay on Red Rock Pass and continue for another 11 miles. You will cross into Montana when crossing the continental divide. The trail starts and heads west at the intersection of N Valley Road and S Valley Road.
From Monida, Idaho, on the I-15
Head northwest on S Valley Road toward McDowell Road for 37 miles. The trail starts at the intersection with N Valley Road.
The snow on the mountains and flower covered fields made for a beautiful drive. We hiked to Hidden Lake and caught a couple of nice rainbows, but left early due to the incredible amount of flying insects. The trail is is a bit more rutted than previous years, but still easily passable.
We took a drive to view the changing colors in the Red Rock Lakes area and the surrounding mountains, then up to Elk and Hidden Lake to check out the aftermath of the Goose Fire. It was a beautiful day, so we hiked the loop trail on the southwest side of Hidden Lake. The fire was hit and miss, but the majority of the Hidden Lake Campground burnt. Be cautious if you decide to hike or travel this trail on a windy day: there are quite a few leaning and burnt trees that could come down at any time. The road itself hadn't changed and its still a pretty drive. Plus, we saw eight deer on our hike and drive between Elk and Hidden Lakes.
The Goose Fire area closure order was rescinded on October 7th, allowing the reopening of the following trails:
Cliff Lake Bench
Conklin Lake
East Bench
Elk Lake
Jackknife
Jackpine Gulch
South Bench
The condition of the affected trails is unknown and will be updated soon.
We made a loop around the Goose Fire, hoping to watch the air tankers or helicopters working the fire, but were unable to find a clear vantage point. We did see a moose and calf for the first time in many years, which was great! A fire camp was set up just past Waypoint 5, so we didn't try to go any further. Instead, we headed west on North Valley Road to Gravely Range Drive and went back into the Madison River Valley by way of Johnny Ridge. It was a great trip. In total, we saw three does, a buck, the moose and calf, a few small groups of pronghorn antelope, and a flock of sheep. The grass is still nice and green high on the mountains, with butterflies, wildflowers... and deer flies. Unfortunately, our lunch spot was short-lived.
Due to the Goose Fire, the following trails have been temporarily closed:
Conklin Lake
Elk Lake Road beyond Elk Lake to Hidden Lake is closed
Jackpine Gulch
Jackknife
Cliff Lake Bench
South Bench
East Bench
EDIT: Updated closure map July 16, 2021
Currently, the West Fork Madison River is the edge of the closure area. More info on the closure can be found here: Goose Fire Closure Order
Awesome trail that gives you an opportunity to dip your feet in two lakes, the Elk Lake, and the Hidden Lake, the trail is very popular with the locals. The Hidden lake at the end of the trail is one of very sought-after, and Google maps do not lead there. The hike to the lake is easy and takes you through an enchanted forest. If you are lucky to be at the lake on a still day you can see the reflection of clouds and trees in the water, multiplying the picturesque beauty of this hidden place. We were lucky to encounter cranes on both lakes on this trip. Will be coming here again!
View More Images
From the Community
Exclusive for our All-Access Members
Ask the author of a trail guide any questions you may have and
get a direct answer from the author and the community! One of
the many perks that come with an All-Access Membership.
Cory grew up traveling the logging roads outside Durango, CO, with his dad for his woodcutting business and fell in love with everything about the outdoors. He's moved around a lot since then, from several rural areas of Southern California to Montana, Wyoming to Arizona, even living and working on a gold mine in Nevada for several years. In all these areas, he has explored several thousand miles of old dirt roads and trails and many old mines and ghost towns. Located in the Mohave Desert of AZ in the winter and the Madison River Valley of MT in the summer.
By clicking "ACCEPT", you agree to be the terms and conditions of each
policy linked to above. You also agree to the storing of cookies on
your device to facilitate the operation and functionality of our site,
enhance and customize your user experience, and to analyze how our
site is used.