The forecast for Monday, September 16, 2024 called for sun so what better day for some exploring? As it was a Monday, we figured we would have anyplace to ourselves, so off we went to find a new spot for us, Red Meadow Lake.
Red Meadow Lake is located near Olney Montana, approximately ten miles from the Canadian border as the crow flies, although it's a lot further if you want to drive it! But back to Red Meadow Lake.
Access
To get to the lake, you need to take Route 93 north through Whitefish. When you get to Olney, you'll make a right onto Olney Crossover Road/Upper Whitefish Road, and you're going to take that about nine miles. At that point, it turns into Red Meadow Creek Road and you'll take that about 11 miles to the lake. Sounds easy, right?
How long could that 20 mile drive take? Well, the first nine miles is on a dirt/gravel road that was actually in good shape when we visited. It was being graded as we drove over it, so it did not have potholes or other issues. The following five miles which took us to Upper Whitefish Lake and campground, was also in decent shape. So the first 14 miles took us about 30 minutes.
The last six miles took us another half hour as it was NOT in good shape or maintained at all. It was a one and a half car length wide gravel/dirt road with huge holes, climbing terrain and blind corners. We averaged about 12 miles per hour on that part. So bottom line, once you get to the road off 93 that goes to the lake, you've got a good hour drive in front of you. And if you pass other cars, you'll need additional time to find someplace to pull over so you can both get down the road.
Amenities
Red Meadow Lake is supposedly stocked with fish, specifically Arctic Grayling and Westslope Cutthroat Trout. So if fishing is your thing, you can cast from shore or bring a small boat up with you.
There are two picnic tables, a pit toilet (which surprisingly enough had about nine rolls of toilet paper in there and was clean but the door lock wasn't working), and six campsites. There are no services available for campers, but there is enough room to bring up a smaller trailer.
While there is no hiking trail right at the campground/lake, you can head out on the road and walk as far as you'd like. Just bring that bear spray! Also, about midway up to the lake, there is a crossover for Whitefish Divide Trail #26, which is a 37 mile trail that is probably not used often.
Oh, and the lake is at 5500 feet elevation. That means it's one of the first places in the area that gets snow. In the Fall or Winter, the road might be blocked after Upper Whitefish Lake and you won't be able to get to the lake that way. So Spring and Summer and early Fall are probably the best times to visit.
Our day
So how did our day go? Great! We fished for a while but didn't get a nibble or even see any fish. And the water was clear. I wondered out loud whether there were even any fish in the lake, and just as I finished my thought, one jumped up to get a bug or something. So yes, there are fish there.
Our dog Hercules finally realized he could swim and he had a great time splashing around. Anthony had to stop fishing because Hercules decided he wanted to chase the bobber. So that ended that!
We enjoyed a picnic lunch in the sun which was of course wonderful. And it probably goes without saying that you have to bring your own food since there is no food truck up there!
And then we took a nice walk further north on the road past the lake.
The most surprising thing was that we were not alone. There were two campsites with tents and about five people fishing although they left right after we arrived. So there were people and another dog. But they all wanted what we did - a nice relaxing peaceful time at the lake. Which is what we all received.
Summary
If you are looking for a beautiful place to go on a sunny day, head on over to Red Meadow Lake in Olney, Montana. Just be sure to bring a sturdy car for those roads, and give yourself plenty of time to arrive safely. Oh, and give yourself time to drive back slowly as the views are amazing.
Happy exploring!
Comments(23)