Looking Glass Lake
Difficulty: Hard
Trip Type: Multi-Day Backpacking / High-Alpine Route
Distance: ~8.2 miles from starting trailhead / ~3 miles from Splinter Lake Basecamp
Elevation: 10,282 feet
Coordinates: 45.11034, -109.80980
Time: ~2.5 hours from Splinter Lake Basecamp
Access: Unmaintained off-trail high country navigation. Departs via cross-country from the adjacent bench lakes.
Bugs: Minimal (little to no bugs)
Getting there
The multi-day backpacking route departs from the Lady of the Lake Trailhead. Please note that this is a thru-hike itinerary; our group dropped one vehicle off at the Beaten Path Trailhead first, then jumped in the truck and drove over to the Lady of the Lake Trailhead to begin hiking. This ensures a vehicle is waiting for pickup at the other side when you finish the trip.
The hike
If you are traveling straight from the vehicle turnaround, the route to Looking Glass Lake spans roughly 8.2 miles from the starting trailhead and involves almost 2,500 vertical feet of total elevation gain. For backpackers tracking directly from your multi-day basecamp, this destination sits about 3 miles past camp at Splinter Lake. If tracking sequentially along your upper basin route, Looking Glass Lake is located past your last stop at Rain Lake, climbing 1,500 vertical feet of elevation from basecamp.
The cross-country route continues navigating along the rugged upper alpine shelf. The terrain forces you to move through high rocky gaps and granite benches to pass the high ridge. Looking Glass Lake sits nestled extensively in the rugged granite fields at an elevation of 10,282 feet. [1, 2]
Tips & safety
High Country Navigation: There are no maintained paths leading through this upper section. Continuous cross-country route-finding is required to travel safely between the lakes on this high shelf.
Thru-Hike Logistics: Because this extended itinerary finishes at a completely different exit point, ensure your logistics are arranged with a shuttle vehicle waiting at the final trailhead before you set out.
Fishing: No official Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks data is listed for this alpine basin.
