Sometimes you just need to get out of the city, drive to a nice, secluded trail and get away from it all. These five waterfront trails in Montana are a perfect way to get your nature fix and let the workaday world fade away. You may even want to stop and do a bit of fishing or swimming.
- Maclay Flat Nature Trail
Greg Rutzky/AllTrails
Chris Villagrana/AllTrails Maclay Flat Nature Trail is an easy 1.7-mile loop trail in Lolo National Forest. It is great for a quiet hike and isn’t too busy. You can bring your dog, and some areas will even let them be off-leash. It’s a beautiful, simple stroll any time of year. Forest Road 19155, Forest Rd 19155, Missoula, MT 59804, USA
- Grinnell Lake Trail
Taylor Calcagni/AllTrails
Carlos Fernandez/AllTrails At 7.1 miles, Grinnell Lake Trail in Glacier National Park takes about 2.5 hours to complete and is wonderful for hiking, fishing, and birding. Your furry friends will have to stay at home for this one, as dogs aren’t allowed on the trail, but the views are absolutely gorgeous. June through October are the best times to hike, but be sure to check ahead to make sure the trail is open before embarking on this adventure. 59417, St Mary, MT 59417, USA
- Lake Como Loop Trail
Amanda Morrison/AllTrails
Amanda Morrison/AllTrails Lake Como Loop Trail in the Bitterroot National Forest is loved by birders, campers, and fishers alike. Your dog is welcome as long as it is on a leash. June through November are the optimal times to visit. Darby, MT 59829, USA
- Lake McDonald Trail
Brian Cain/AllTrails
Brian Cain/AllTrails Lake McDonald trail is a long, yet easy 13.7-mile out-and-back trail in Glacier National Park. Dogs are not allowed, however, it is the perfect trail for hiking, birding, and fishing with a decent amount of solitude. April through October are best for this one, and it is a lovely getaway. West Glacier, MT 59936
- St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail
Jeremy King/AllTrails
Jeremy King/AllTrails St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail in Glacier National Park is a moderate difficulty hike, yet it is short, at 2.9 miles out and back. It’s one of the more popular trails for birding, fishing, and running, and dogs are not allowed on this one. The best times to hike are from January through September. The hike will reward you with soothing waterfalls. Browning, MT 59417, USA
If you’d like to see some more waterfront trail options, take a look at this list of 7 more Montana waterfront trails. You’re sure to find something just right for you.
Greg Rutzky/AllTrails
Chris Villagrana/AllTrails
Maclay Flat Nature Trail is an easy 1.7-mile loop trail in Lolo National Forest. It is great for a quiet hike and isn’t too busy. You can bring your dog, and some areas will even let them be off-leash. It’s a beautiful, simple stroll any time of year.
Forest Road 19155, Forest Rd 19155, Missoula, MT 59804, USA
Taylor Calcagni/AllTrails
Carlos Fernandez/AllTrails
At 7.1 miles, Grinnell Lake Trail in Glacier National Park takes about 2.5 hours to complete and is wonderful for hiking, fishing, and birding. Your furry friends will have to stay at home for this one, as dogs aren’t allowed on the trail, but the views are absolutely gorgeous. June through October are the best times to hike, but be sure to check ahead to make sure the trail is open before embarking on this adventure.
59417, St Mary, MT 59417, USA
Amanda Morrison/AllTrails
Lake Como Loop Trail in the Bitterroot National Forest is loved by birders, campers, and fishers alike. Your dog is welcome as long as it is on a leash. June through November are the optimal times to visit.
Darby, MT 59829, USA
Brian Cain/AllTrails
Lake McDonald trail is a long, yet easy 13.7-mile out-and-back trail in Glacier National Park. Dogs are not allowed, however, it is the perfect trail for hiking, birding, and fishing with a decent amount of solitude. April through October are best for this one, and it is a lovely getaway.
West Glacier, MT 59936
Jeremy King/AllTrails
St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail in Glacier National Park is a moderate difficulty hike, yet it is short, at 2.9 miles out and back. It’s one of the more popular trails for birding, fishing, and running, and dogs are not allowed on this one. The best times to hike are from January through September. The hike will reward you with soothing waterfalls.
Browning, MT 59417, USA
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
