Lillis Lake

Drainage: Clarks Fork (MT)
Approaches: Russell Creek trailhead — 1.9 mi one way, on trail; about 318 ft up

Elevation: 8,184 feet
Fish: Brook trout (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.01777, -109.83975
Bugs: Extreme, heavy mosquito pressure

Getting there

Park at the Russell Creek trailhead.

The hike

Just under four miles round trip, about two hours, and the shortest of the lakes on this trail.

Follow the main trail for roughly 1.2 miles and 118 feet of climbing. Just before you reach Kersey Lake, bank right and head south onto the Vernon Lake trail. That is the turn. Miss it and you carry on to Kersey instead, which is where everyone who gets this hike wrong ends up.

From the junction it is another seven tenths of a mile and about 200 feet up to Lillis. The stretch getting into and out of the lake is slightly steep, but the ground at the lake itself is nice and flat.

Lillis holds brook trout. We did not catch any.

Everything else on this trail runs through here. Margaret is four tenths of a mile further and then off trail, Vernon another seven tenths, and Reed just past Vernon.

Tips & safety

• The turn is just before Kersey Lake. Bank right, head south. If you reach Kersey you have gone too far.

• Bring serious repellent. The mosquitoes on this trail are extreme. Head net weather, and this is true of every lake in the system.

• Slightly steep in and out. Short pitches either side of the lake, flat once you are there.

• Fishing: FWP lists brook trout. We caught none.

• Camping: Lillis has flat ground at the lake, which is more than Margaret or the brushy shores at Vernon and Reed offer. At under two miles in it is also the most realistic first night for anyone easing into a pack.

• 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.