Palisade Mountain National Recreation Trail

Palisade Mountain National Recreation Trail Map

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Palisade Mountain Trailhead Directions:

Trails 44 & 86;

Turn east off of U.S. Highway 93 three miles south of Hamilton onto Montana Highway 38. Continue on 38 for about 9 miles until you enter the Bitterroot National Forest and turn left on Forest Service route 714. Continue on 714 for approximately 20 miles to the trailhead.

Trail 300;

Turn east off U.S. Highway 93 at Woodside, 6 miles north of Hamilton, and follow road east for approximately 24 miles to FS 1348 and follow 1348 a short way to trailhead.

Palisade Mountain Trail Description:

All three trails are in the Stony Mountain Roadless Area of the Sapphire Mountains. The trails are well maintained and of moderate difficulty. Trails 44 and 86 are ridgetop trails with outstanding views of the surrounding country. Trail 86 cuts through the northern part of the Skalkaho Game Preserve and joins with trail 313, the Easthouse National Recreation Trail after a 6 mile hike.

Trail 44 branches off of trail 86 toward Palisade Mountain. A short side hike drops you down to Fool Hen Lake and some outstanding alpine fishing. There is know maintained trail to Fool Hen Lake. Continuing on trail 44 for 3.5 miles brings you to Palisade Mountain.

Trail 300 skirts the northern boundary of the Skalkaho Game Preserve. A short side hike north on a maintained trail takes you to Gleason Lake which at times can produce some outstanding cutthroat trout. At about 5 miles, trail 300 intersects with trail 44 and then continues on another mile to Burnt Fork Lake, which is also an outstanding fishery.

Use:

Moderately heavy in July and August.

The area is also a popular hunting location.