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Best Lake Hikes in Montana

The directory currently contains 7 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Montana. Their average mapped distance is 8.2 km and average recorded ascent is 164 m (538 ft); the longest route in the set is 21.3 km.

This subset represents 20% of the 35 quality-checked routes in Montana. Its average distance is 8.2 km, compared with 15.5 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 164 m (538 ft), versus 509 m (1,670 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set carries a lake tag in the directory. Whether the mapped line reaches the shore and whether swimming is allowed must be checked locally. Within this set, 1 routes (14%) are rated easy, 1 (14%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

2.2 km

Mokowanis Lake Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

91 m

Mokowanis Lake Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Hard

Montana · United States

Distance
21.3 km
/ 13.2 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
4 hr 48 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Sedimentary rock layers (light coloured) capped by a sill of diorite (dark coloured) at Iceberg Lake Ridge in Glacier National Park in Montana, USA.
Moderate

Montana · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
156 m
Typical duration
56 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Moderate

Montana · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
91 m
Typical duration
36 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Cosley Lake, Glacier N.P.
Easy

Montana · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
92 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Moderate

Montana · United States

Distance
8.9 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
420 m
Typical duration
2 hr 29 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Moderate

Montana · United States

Distance
6.8 km
/ 4.2 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
1 hr 31 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Bowman Lake TrailMontana21.3 km117 m4 hr 48 minHardJune to October
Iceberg Lake TrailMontana3.4 km156 m56 minModerateJune to October
Mokowanis Lake TrailMontana2.2 km91 m36 minModerateApril to October
Cosley Lake CutoffMontana3.4 km92 m51 minEasyApril to October
Como Lake Loop National Recreation TrailMontana11.7 km199 m2 hr 45 minModerateApril to October
Akokala Lake TrailMontana8.9 km420 m2 hr 29 minModerateApril to October
Helen Lake TrailMontana6.8 km75 m1 hr 31 minModerateApril to October

Bowman Lake Trail, Iceberg Lake Trail, Mokowanis Lake Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

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