Reed Lake (Lower Vernon)
Drainage: Clarks Fork (MT)
Approaches: Russell Creek trailhead — 2.8 mi one way on trail past Lillis and Vernon; about 458 ft up. Bushwhack to the shore
Elevation: 7,859 feet
Fish: No FWP data
Coordinates: 45.00729, -109.83548
Bugs: Extreme, heavy mosquito pressure
Getting there
Park at the Russell Creek trailhead.
The hike
Five and a half miles round trip, about three hours, and the whole navigation problem is in the first mile and a bit.
Watch for the Vernon Lake trail split at 1.2 miles. Miss it and you end up heading toward Kersey Lake instead, which is a different trip entirely. That junction is the one thing to be paying attention to on this hike.
Past the split, follow the main trail up to Lillis Lake, then continue another seven tenths of a mile past Vernon. Reed sits right beside Vernon, a short distance further along the trail, at 2.8 miles total from the trailhead.
Getting to the shoreline means bushwhacking through thick brush. The trail gets you next to the lake, not to the water.
Reed is also called Lower Vernon.
Tips & safety
Bring serious repellent. The mosquitoes here are extreme, not moderate. Head net weather.
The 1.2 mile split is the mistake to avoid. Missing it sends you toward Kersey.
Bushwhack at the end. The last stretch to the water is thick brush, so plan on long sleeves regardless of the temperature.
Fishing: no FWP data. We did not catch anything.
Camping: Reed sits beside Vernon at the end of a maintained trail, so it is reachable with a full pack, but the brush around the shore makes flat open ground scarce. The mosquito pressure is the real consideration for an overnight here.
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.
