There are many special places in Montana’s backcountry. One that has always been special to us is a little lake in the Flathead National Forest called Elk Lake.
My two boys were back in Montana with their families for a visit and we were able to take a quick overnight horseback trip up to this gem.Usually we take day trips up here, which means we miss the best hrs of fishing during the early morning and late evening.

This year we were able to overnight at the lake and the fishing was excellent. You can fish from shore and do well, but the float tubes they make nowadays are pretty sweet if you have the means of packing them in.

Overnight pack trips come with open fire meal preparation. The aroma of bacon cooking is a great wake up call.

The trail heading into Elk Lake is well traveled with just a few brushy areas to pass through. The climb up and over Devils Hump is a pretty significant elevation change though so having stock and yourself in shape is important.

Very special to get the opportunity to take trips like this with my boys. When your children grow and have families of their own, it becomes difficult to coordinate having the time for these activities. These trips in Montana’s backcountry are the best.