Broadwater Lake (Clarks Fork)

Drainage: Clarks Fork (MT)
Approaches: Clarks Fork Trailhead — 5 mi, on trail; 600 ft up, 100 ft down · From Curl Lake — about 0.5 mi northwest
Elevation: 8,623 feet
Fish: Brook trout, Yellowstone cutthroat (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.06017, -109.84858
Bugs: Minimal on our visit

Getting there

Most people reach Broadwater from the Clarks Fork Trailhead, about 5 miles up the valley on trail.

We came the long way. Broadwater was near the end of a four day thru hike that started at the Lady of the Lake Trailhead. A thru hike takes two vehicles. We left one at the Clarks Fork end of the Beaten Path, drove around to Lady of the Lake in the other, and started walking. Set the shuttle rig before you leave, not after.

The hike

Day four, roughly 31 miles into the trip.

Coming down from Dollar Lake you leave the upper shelf and drop through timber toward the valley floor. It is about two and a half miles of descent and there is no tread for most of it, so you navigate it yourself. That stretch took us close to three hours with packs, though we were unhurried by then and stopped often. The descent brings you out on the maintained valley trail near Curl Lake.

From there Broadwater is about half a mile northwest, on trail. It is 93.6 acres stretched along the valley floor, the biggest water anywhere in this stretch and a noticeable change after three days of small high country lakes sitting on open rock. FWP lists brook trout and Yellowstone cutthroat.

From Broadwater the walking is easy the rest of the way out.

Tips & safety

• Fishing: FWP lists brook trout and Yellowstone cutthroat, the only lake in this part of the drainage carrying both.

• Route: the drop from Dollar is the last off trail work on this itinerary. Once you are on the valley trail the rest is straightforward.

• Camping: Broadwater sits on the valley floor in standing timber, which after the high basins is the first place with real wind shelter. The ground is duff rather than rock, the trail runs along it, and at 93.6 acres there is a lot of shoreline to choose from. We came through in the late afternoon on our way out without scouting sites, so take this as terrain description rather than a report on what is available.

• Thru hike logistics: this is point to point, not a loop. Your ride has to already be parked at the exit trailhead.