Strawberry Lake hike steep but stellar

Rising through the mists of what had proven to be a fun and challenging ascent to Strawberry Lake, my breathing was finally beginning to regulate.

If you haven't ever hiked Trail #5 (near Foot Hills Road) to Strawberry Lake, you don't know what you're missing. The experience is a great one, in more ways than one, but you will put in some sweat equity along the way.

A lot of people complain about the grade of the Strawberry Lake Trail, and when you're gaining around 785 feet in elevation every mile, it's no wonder. Actually, you gain a little more than that until the last half mile of the hike, since almost all of the climbing is done in the first mile and a half of the trail.

That said, the lure of Strawberry Lake is in the ability to attain some truly beautiful alpine vistas in a relatively short hike. Altogether, the hike entails two miles of uphill climbing and two miles of downhill on your return — a four mile round-trip with a little more than a quarter-mile stretch of fairly level ground immediately before reaching the lake, offering some incredible views of Flathead Lake and the North Valley.

It's not often that I'm able to gain those kinds of views without some serious effort — and time commitment — to reach them, so a good two-mile workout enroute to Strawberry Lake was well worth the four hours of hiking that was required.

I took about two hours to reach the lake, I could certainly have reached it much sooner. Although I had plenty of work waiting for me upon my return, the trail beckoned me to stop and take in the full experience.

Strawberry Lake is one of those hikes that changes dramatically, depending on the time of day during which you undertake it.

The first time I endeavored to brave the 1,570 foot elevation gain between the trailhead and the lake was two years ago, when I took my oldest son — then, just six years old — and two brothers-in-law, with the intent of making it all the way to Wildcat Lake. The afternoon was unbearably hot, and we had been smart enough to bring a change of clothes for everyone, so we quickly made our way into the cool water of the lake to gain a bit of respite from the heat, before launching out again toward Wildcat.

Afternoon hikes are great for this very reason. Although you are already damp from sweating by the time you reach the lake, it is nothing that a nice swim and a change of clothes won't fix. Strawberry Lake is fairly shallow at the end where the trail comes out, so swimming is easy to do, even with children.

This time, I chose to make the ascent alone in the morning hours, when the mountains were still hidden in the clouds and the foliage was heavy with dew. Everything around me begged to be photographed, and—being the sensitive guy that I am—I found myself scarcely able to decline the requests of the Indian paintbrush, purple bluebells, mountaintop mist and windows in the clouds that opened intermittently over the Valley permitting glimpses of Echo Lake and beyond.

When the clouds permit — or if you choose to hike later in the day — the peak of Strawberry Mountain comes early into view, along with other peaks that stand sentinel over the basin. Around 11 a.m., those peaks begin to push their way through the clouds, which is a breathtaking sight to behold.

Eventually, I made it all the way to Strawberry Lake. The parking area at the trailhead sits at an elevation of 4,020 feet, and the elevation of the lake is about 5,590 feet. Strawberry Mountain looms over the lake at an elevation of 6,204 feet.

Alpine Trail #7 passes through here, and Strawberry Lake Trail #5 terminates in a "T" with the Alpine Trail. A short jaunt up Alpine Trail #7 in either direction affords some impressive views of Strawberry Lake. If you go to the right, toward Wildcat Lake, you get scenes of the lake with Strawberry Mountain in the background. However, I almost prefer the view from the shoulder of the mountain, to the north (left), which allows you take in even more of the lake and its surroundings.

To be truthful, anyone who makes it to Strawberry Lake should not leave without first heading north on Alpine Trail #7, over the shoulder of the mountain and between the peaks. The additional half mile this will add to your trip each way, along with a couple of hundred additional feet in elevation gained, is well worth the rewards that will be afforded by the endeavor.

Peters Ridge and Hash Mountain (7,063 feet) are visible at this point, as is the ridgeline of Strawberry Mountain. But, more notable is the unrestricted view of Flathead Lake and Flathead Valley.

For those who may not be used to the quick elevation gain of Strawberry Lake Trail #5, the return trip can be somewhat hard on the knees, but avid hikers, runners, joggers and anyone who stays in fairly good physical condition shouldn't notice it much, if they notice it at all.

The trailhead is located in an old-growth Hemlock forest, as is most of the trail. This can be be beautiful in itself, but is not nearly as photographic as the rest of the hike, once the views open up and the wildflowers take over the trail.

To reach the trailhead from Montana Highway 83, simply head toward the Swan River School, turning north on Echo Lake Road, then proceed to the junction with Foothill Road and turn right. Traveling east on Foothill Road, continue on past the Jewel Basin access until reaching Krause Creek Road (FS #5390), which leads to the Strawberry Lake trailhead. Follow Krause Creek Road for three miles until you reach the trailhead at the end of the road.

As a sidenote, this trail is open to motorized off-road vehicles, including dirt-bikes and ATVs, since it is not part of the Jewel Basin complex. You may notice tracks on the trail, but motorized traffic is seldom encountered.