45° 29' 51.7" N 110° 31' 07.0" W

Route Type: Out and Back

Distance: 11 miles

Elevation Gain: 3635 ft

Trailhead: Pine Creek Lake Trailhead, Livingston MT

Permits Required: No

Recommended Duration: 3 days/2 nights

Post-Hike Beer: Kettlehouse Brewing Fish On! Juicy Montana Pale

The Hike:

The Pine Creek Lake Trail is a 5.5 miles out and back route (11 miles RT) with a leg busting 3635 ft of elevation gain. The hike can be completed as a day trip but it’s recommended to spend at least 1 night at the lake to truly take advantage of the scenery.

Logistics:

The closest towns to the trailhead are Livingston, MT (~30 mins) and Bozeman, MT (~1 hour) with either serving as a great jumping off point. Since the Absaroka Wilderness is administered by the National Forest Service there is no fee for camping or parking required, however, there is no reservation system and all of the campsites are on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a very popular hike so it is recommended to get an early start in order to have your pick of campsites and ensure there is parking available. Pine Creek Lake Campground is located directly adjacent to the trailhead and campsites can be reserved through Recreation.gov for a fee. Since the trail is easily accessible from both Livingston and Bozeman it is not necessary to camp at the trailhead the night before but it could make for a more relaxing start by saving driving time to the trailhead.

Note: The distance of the hike if viewing on AllTrails is not accurate. From GPS tracking the trail is ~5.5 miles each way.

Breakdown

Day 1 (5.5 miles)

Arriving to the trailhead early will ensure that parking is available and give you a head start on other hikers, providing you with more options when choosing your campsite. The hike begins with an easy portion through the pine forests and crosses a bridge before beginning the ascent to Pine Creek Lake. After hiking for approximately 1.25 miles you will come across your first landmark, Pine Creek Falls. This is typically where many hikers will turn around, with only the dedicated continuing on with the remaining 4.25 miles of steep climbing to the summit. Once past Pine Creek Falls, simply follow the trail as you wind through the lower elevation forest. At approximately 2.5 miles you will pass your second landmark, an easy crossing of Pine Creek via rocks and fallen trees. After crossing over the creek you will continue heading up as you wind your way around seemingly endless switchbacks en-route to the summit. On the climb up there are ample spots to take a quick break with great views of the valley below. Once you are ~4.0 miles along your journey you will come across a short, (relatively) flat section that gives you a quick reprieve from the climbing as the unnamed first lake comes into view, supplied by a tall cascading waterfall. Continuing on for another 0.5 miles will bring you to the crest of the climb as Black Mountain towers above Jewel Lake, fed by a small waterfall from Pine Creek Lake.

At Jewel Lake you will find many suitable campsites that provide great views of the peaks, however, continuing on the short distance to Pine Creek Lake provides many more campsites, each with unique vantage points. There are many different paths that can be taken from Jewel Lake to access Pine Creek Lake, some requiring light rock scrambling and others simply following the trails. No matter which path you choose, you will end up at Pine Creek Lake. For more secluded campsites, follow the shore towards the waterfall located on the backside of the lake.

Day 2 (varies)

Pine Creek Lake provides many options for a relaxing zero day. The crystal clear waters provide great swimming opportunities (although the water is VERY cold). The lake is also home to native trout species enabling you to try your luck fishing in one of the most scenic alpine lakes. Use your best judgement to fully enjoy a relaxing day in the alpine wilderness.

Day 3 (5.5 miles)

After having a full day to recover from the brutal hike to the summit simply follow the same route back to the parking area while taking in the views of the valley below. The descent is comparatively easy and will only take about two-thirds of hiking time to reach the parking area.

Best Time to Go:

The best time for hiking to Pine Creek Lake is between July and September. At ~9300 ft in elevation, snow will remain in the higher elevations later into the season and will make for potentially difficult hiking conditions until July. Late September can bring in cold temperatures and the potential for snow storms. Always check weather reports before hiking in order to be properly prepared.

Good to Know:

Water

The hike up to Pine Creek Lake roughly follows the creek the entire way up, providing opportunities to refill your water if necessary. It is recommended to carry enough water on your climb up so that you do not have to deal with filtering water during your hike. Once you reach ~3.0 miles the creek becomes inaccessible from the trail until you reach the summit. There is plenty of water available at the top (its a lake!) and the water is SUPER clear. With that being said, always filter your water as there is a lot of human and dog traffic up to and surrounding the lake. If using a gravity bag style filtration system (my favorite) it’s much easier to collect water from the creek in the section between Pine Creek Lake and Jewel Lake since there is a current through the rocks that filters out some of the surface debris on the lake (leaves, etc).

Campsites

There are established campsites surrounding the lake and they are available on a first-come first-served basis. Many (but not all) of the campsites provide great views of Pine Creek Lake, Black Mountain, or Jewel Lake. In order to get your pick of campsites it is recommended to start your hike on a weekday and get a fairly early start, as many of the overnight hikers did not arrive until late in the afternoon (we did Friday-Sunday and had our pick of any campsite when we arrived around noon). In the event that all obvious campsites are full, continue on around the lake where there are more secluded campsites.

Bear Safety

This hike takes place in bear country and it is important to be prepared for all possibilities. The National Park Service provides a good resource for traveling safely in bear country. The following guidelines can serve as a general safety plan:

• Carry bear spray. Bear spray has been proven to be very effective in deterring bears in the chance of an encounter.

• Don’t hike alone. If you are hiking alone be sure to make plenty of noise while hiking by clapping your hands, talking loudly to yourself, etc. This is especially important when traversing areas with obstructed views such as cresting hills, going around blind corners or passing through thick vegetation.

• Bring a bear bag and know how to use it. There are an abundance of trees that provide good enough access for hanging a bear bag. Keep all food, toiletries, trash, etc. in the bag when not in use.

Fishing

Both Jewel Lake and Pine Creek Lake provide plenty of shore line to try your hand at fishing. Pine Creek Lake is stocked with native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout every 4 years. Fishing licenses can be purchased through Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and costs $45 for a 2 day permit.