Cover photo courtesy of Holly Weiler
Little Spar Lake is located on the Montana side of the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness just west of Highway 56 near the Bull River in Montana. The hike is not long, but the trail is rugged and steep. Most visitors come for the day, but there are a limited number of campsites on the northeast side of the lake for those who wish to spend the night.
One of the best ways to enjoy Little Spar Lake is to join a Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness day hike or backpack trip in order to enjoy a guided experience, as portions of the route in can be tricky for a first-time visitor (speaking from experience, as my first trip accidently included a short and steep detour most of the way to nearby Spar Peak before I realized my mistake). If the timing doesn’t work out to join a guided hike, do the self-supported version described here, but do a better job than I did of studying the maps ahead of time!
Access is via the Forest Service Road west of Highway 56, with the road growing increasingly rough beyond big Spar Lake (high clearance vehicles advised). There is a large trailhead marking the beginning of the hike, which initially is along a former roadbed. When the trail leaves the road, it soon crosses a stream that might be tricky in the early season. Beyond the stream, prepare to climb! It’s only 3.7 miles from the trailhead to Little Spar with close to 2000’ elevation gain, but the majority of the gain occurs in the last two-thirds of the trail.
The return trip is tough on the knees instead of the lungs, so be sure to pack some trekking poles. But the views at the lake are well worth the effort involved in getting there, and, as a relatively warm alpine lake, Little Spar can be fantastic for a refreshing dip as reward for the challenging hike.
Getting There:
Take Highway 56/Bull Lake Road north just east of Heron, Montana. Travel 24.6 miles north to Asarco Mine Road and turn west. Continue on Forest Road 7148 and 384. Continue past big Spar Lake and campground to road-end at the Little Spar Lake trailhead. //
Holly Weiler is the Eastern Washington Region Senior Coordinator for Washington Trails Association and will be spending much of her summer in the Salmo Priest Wilderness working on trails.
