United States · US

Carlton Lake

Carlton Lake is a stunning high alpine lake nestled in the rugged Carlton Lake basin of Montana's Lolo National Forest, cradled beneath the 9,096-foot wall of Lolo Peak. Reached by a challenging 10-mile round-trip hike from the Mormon Peak Trailhead, this remote gem rewards visitors with dramatic mountain scenery, a unique sphagnum moss meadow, cold water fishing, and a sense of wild solitude rare in any lake within an hour's drive of a city of 75,000 people. The lake sits at approximately 7,000 feet elevation in a basin surrounded by boulder-strewn ridges, alpine larch groves, and the dramatic scars and regrowth from the 2017 Lolo Peak Fire. Whether you're fishing for cutthroat trout, scrambling up to Lolo Peak's summit, or simply soaking in panoramic views of the Bitterroot and Missoula valleys, Carlton Lake offers one of western Montana's most rewarding day hikes.