Trail Description
Canyon Lake located in the Bitterroot Mountains is an excellent day hike or backpacking trip. Canyon Lake Trail starts out walking next to the Canyon Creek. You hike up and down a few small hills before reaching an exposed rocky switchback section. After the switchbacks, it turns into a fairly gradual hike for the next few miles. When we hiked this, the trail was fairly overgrown. It was common to hike through bushes and have the surrounding plants grazing your legs. After around 3.5 miles the trail starts to incline. Gaining in steepness as you continue going, you will reach a very exposed rock field where the trail switchbacks up a very steep section. Once you get out of the boulder field you head into a small patch of trees and go down in elevation over exposed granite. You hike along this for between .25-.5miles until you reach the lake. Amazing views of Granite Mountain and surrounding areas.