Paddle Lake
Difficulty: Moderate
Trip Type: Multi-Day Backpacking / High-Alpine Route
Distance: ~6.2 miles from starting trailhead / ~1 mile from Splinter Lake Basecamp
Elevation: 10,070 feet
Coordinates: 45.09788, -109.83615
Time: ~1 hour from Splinter Lake Basecamp
Access: Unmaintained off-trail high country navigation. Departs via cross-country from Recruitment Lake.
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 Paddle Lake spans roughly 6.2 miles from the starting trailhead and involves almost 1,886 vertical feet of elevation gain. For backpackers tracking from your multi-day basecamp, this destination sits about 1 mile past camp at Splinter Lake. If tracking sequentially from your last water stop, it is located right next to Recruitment Lake, sitting 686 vertical feet above your basecamp.
Once you are on top of this upper shelf, the walking is pretty easy. Paddle Lake sits nestled right in the core of this tightly clustered group, meaning it is less than an eighth of a mile away from Recruitment Lake and Production Lake.
Tips & safety
Terrain and Route Warning: Pay close attention to your lines when navigating this lake group. You can walk directly in between Paddle Lake and Recruitment Lake, even though the gap does not look very promising when you are actually looking at it. Be absolutely certain to head back toward Recruitment Lake immediately after exploring this gap so you do not accidentally walk onto the 100-foot cliff that drops straight down to Production Lake.
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 small alpine basin.
