Lady of the Lake

Drainage: Clarks Fork (MT)
Approaches: Lady of the Lake Trailhead — 1.9 mi, all on trail; about 270 ft up

Elevation: 8,981 feet
Fish: Brook trout (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.06789, -109.89070
Bugs: Minimal on our visit

Getting there

Lady of the Lake Trailhead, and that is the whole of it. Under two miles on maintained trail with about 270 feet of climbing. This is the easiest lake in the Sky Top drainage by a wide margin and the only one most people will reach without route finding.

We also used it as the start of a four day thru hike that exits at the Clarks Fork end of the Beaten Path, which takes two vehicles and a shuttle. That is a different trip entirely. As a destination on its own, Lady of the Lake needs nothing but a morning.

The hike

An easy, pleasant walk. The trail is well maintained the whole way with no strenuous climbing in it, and it took us about 45 minutes with full packs on the first day.

Lady of the Lake is 42.8 acres at 8,981 feet, the second largest water in this drainage after Rough. FWP lists brook trout, which makes it the closest fishing water to the trailhead in this drainage.

Past the lake the trail splits, and that split is where the easy hiking ends. The lower fork carries on toward Cliff Lake and the upper drainage, another four miles and change with a steep pull up Sky Top Creek and a creek crossing in the willows. Everything above Cliff is cross country.

Tips & safety

• The trail split: as soon as you pass the shoreline you hit a distinct fork. Take the lower path to continue toward the upper basins. If you are only here for Lady of the Lake, this is your turnaround.

• Fishing: FWP lists brook trout.

• Camping: Lady of the Lake sits at 8,981 feet in timber, well below the open benches higher up, so there is genuine wind shelter and duff underfoot. Being under two miles from the trailhead makes it a realistic first night for anyone easing into a longer trip. We walked through on our way to a camp further up and did not scout sites, so take this as terrain description rather than a report on what is available.

• Thru hike logistics: if you are using this as the start of a point to point, your ride has to already be parked at the exit trailhead.

• Little Legs: we walked this one with our own young kids and they finished it on their own feet. That is a record of one day with our kids, not a rating. Read what Little Legs means.