Curl Lake

Drainage: Clarks Fork (MT)
Approaches: Clarks Fork Trailhead — 4.25 mi, all on trail; 600 ft up, 100 ft down · From Broadwater Lake — about 0.5 mi southeast
Elevation: 8,544 feet
Fish: Brook trout (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.05452, -109.84023
Bugs: Minimal on our visit

Getting there

Most people reach Curl from the Clarks Fork Trailhead. FWP puts it at 4.25 miles, all on trail, with 600 feet of climbing and 100 feet of descent. For a lake this deep in the drainage that is an unusually easy walk.

We came the long way. Curl was the last named lake on a four day thru hike that started at the Lady of the Lake Trailhead and exited at the Clarks Fork end of the Beaten Path. A thru hike takes two vehicles. We left one at the exit, 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, and by the time we got there we had roughly 31 miles behind us.

We came down from Dollar Lake, which is two and a half miles back to the southeast and about 550 feet higher. That stretch took us most of three hours with packs on, though we were in no hurry by then and stopped often. We reached Curl a little after three in the afternoon.

The lake is 30 acres at 8,544 feet, sitting in timber rather than up on open rock like most of what we had walked through the previous three days. FWP lists brook trout.

Broadwater Lake is about half a mile northwest and 200 feet above Curl. If you are working between the two, that stretch took us a little over 40 minutes.

Tips & safety

• Fishing: FWP lists brook trout.

• Camping: Curl sits at 8,544 feet in standing timber, which is the first real wind shelter you get coming down from the high basins. The ground is duff rather than rock, and the trail runs close enough that water access is easy. We passed through 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. Curl is near the end, and your ride has to already be parked at the exit.