Creeks and Lakes of the Swan River below Map
See also...
Regional Fly Shops and Guide Service
Via Highway
83
Note: Once you
leave the Seeley Valley and cross over the summit, you will be in the Swan
River drainage. I have picked up
the access points along the highway after Summit Lake. MM=highway mileage marker signs.
Access on the Swan River is
restricted from Lindbergh Lake crossing all the way down to Cold Creek. Many
roads cross the river, but for the most part the property is posted and there
is no place to park. The following information was excerpted from the pamphlet
"Fishing Waters of the Swan Valley", a joint publication sponsored by the
United States Forest Service for the Flathead National Forest and the Montana
Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Upper Section: "From Lindbergh Lake Road to Condon the upper
river is relatively shallow and wadable, containing numerous riffles and runs.
Water temperatures warm by mid-summer and smaller brook trout and rainbow trout
favor the area. Floating is difficult due to low water, logjams and split
channels on the lower end. General stream regulations apply (see fishing regs).
Middle Section: "The section from Condon to Piper Creek Road is
characterized by smaller flows, a diversity of channel conditions and pools
formed behind log jams and fallen trees. Good-sized rainbow trout are common
along with bull, cutthroat and brook trout and abundant mountain whitefish.
Logjams hamper floating above Cold Creek and skilled rafting is recommended
below this point. General stream regulations apply upstream from Piper Creek
Bridge (see fishing regs).
Lower Section: "From Piper Creek Road to Porcupine Creek Road this section contains the greatest diversity with respect to depth, cover and water volume. Stream banks are fairly open after spring high water and there is some channel splitting. Experienced canoeists and rafters navigate this section, but caution must be exercised due to fallen trees and log jams. Catch-and-release regulations for rainbow and cutthroat trout apply from Swan Lake up to Piper Creek Bridge." -USFS
MM 31: Summit Lake
Summit Lake is
a small, brushy-lined lake that freezes. It is rarely fished. The few rises
that you see are smaller cutthroats moving up or down from Bertha Creek. Bertha
Creek is so overgrown it is not worth the effort to fish it. Summit Lake is the
dividing line for the Clearwater that drains south to the Blackfoot River and
the Swan River drainage that flows north to Flathead Lake.
MM
34.3: Lindbergh Lake, Bunyon Lake, Meadow Lake, Crystal Lake
725 acres with
a maximum depth of 125 feet. Within a half-mile of exiting Highway 83, the road
crosses the Swan River. The campground is 4.5 miles from the highway and offers
a few camping sites, a picnic area and a boat launch. The lake is surrounded by
summer homes. The campground only offers four sites suitable for camping
trailers. Halfway up the road is a road to the right leading to Bunyon Lake, a
distance of seven miles. Bunyon Lake is a high-elevation lake with no camping
facilities, unless you are willing to pack your gear down to the lake, a
distance of 200 yards. This is not a road for trailers!
Bunyon Lake fishes very well for small cutthroats. For
every four 6-inch fish that you catch, you'll land a 10- or 12-incher. This is
a beautiful little lake a bit short of 10 acres. It would be the perfect spot
to launch a belly-boat and just cruise around catching hungry little cuts. Less
than a mile away lies Meadow Lake. Meadow
Lake is only slightly bigger. Somewhat swampy, the lake is
blocked by a gate so you must walk a short distance to the lake for 8- to
12-inch cuts. Crystal Lake
(186 acres) may be reached from a trail at Meadow Lake, the southern end of
Lindbergh Lake, or a trailhead may be taken from Beaver Creek Road, which is
just above Summit Lake. A relatively large lake, the lake seems to be declining
in both the numbers of fish and the size of the fish.
MM 34.3:Glacier Lake
In my sojourn
through this country, I didn't get a chance to hike in and fish Glacier Lake.
However, when I hiked down to Bunyon Lake, I ran into a family who had just
fished Glacier Lake. It was their first choice from all the lakes that they had
fished. Although they never caught anything larger than 12 inches, they watched
a lone fisherman pulling in some hefty 14-inch cuts, but by the time he headed
out, it was time for them to leave as well. Follow the Glacier Creek Road. Plan
on an hour's hike to reach the lake.
MM 35.6: Holland Lake
416 acres with
a maximum depth of 150 at the east end of the lake. Holland Lake offers two
large USFS fee campgrounds, a boat launch and a roped swimming area. Campsites
line the shore with spectacular views of the waterfall at the east end of the
lake. Fishing is generally good for cutthroats, rainbow trout, kokanee and a
few bull trout. Be prepared for lots of boating activity and jet skis. The
outlet creek is good fishing for small trout.
MM 43: Flathead National Forest Work Center
MM 46.7: Cold Creek Road Fishing Access for the Swan River plus access
to high-elevation lakes
The Swan River
access has good parking on both sides of the bridge. Peck Lake is six miles;
the trailhead to Cold Lakes is seven miles; Jim Lake is 10 miles.
Peck Lake
Peck Lake
access is six miles from the highway. Watch for the sign, as you will need to
make a right turn. Peck Lake can be accessed close to the road. The lake is a
shallow, swampy lake with stocked trout.
Upper and Lower Cold Lakes
Nestled close
to the Mission Mountains divide, both lakes are reached within 2.5 miles from
the trailhead, and each have healthy populations of cutthroats from 12 to
16-inches. At 2.9 miles from the highway, the road to Cold Lakes and Jim Lakes
turns to the right. At 5.9 miles the road forks to the left for the Cold Lakes
trailhead. From the turn-off to Cold Lakes continue four miles to Jim Lake. The
last four miles is a second-gear pull; the road is bumpy and should be
attempted only by high-clearance vehicles. The Jim Lakes basin is a
photographer's dream. Even in July there were slivers and patches of snow on
the mountain rims over looking Jim Lakes. Be forewarned that the narrow and
bumpy entrance to the lake is strictly for trucks. The primitive road
jack-knifes down to three compact camping sites on the lake. To make the turn I
had to back up a few times, and I was tempted to put my truck in four-wheel
drive. The lake offers excellent scenery and good fishing. Just after you cross
the bridge over the outlet creek, there is a turn-around and parking area for
non-four-wheel-drive vehicles. From that point to the lake is only a half-mile.
MM 50.8: Salmon Prairie Road
Good river
access less than a mile from the highway. Most floaters float to Fatty Creek.
MM 52: Lion Creek Road Lion Creek is closed to fishing.
MM 53.6: Piper Creek Road
Access is
three-tenths of a mile from the highway, but has limited parking.
MM 54.5: Van Lake Road #9882. 58 acres with a maximum depth
of 40 feet. Van Lake is a popular local fishing lake, but you will need a
pick-up truck and a small boat, as the shoreline is difficult to fish. After
two miles, stay left. The lake has primitive camping sites.
MM 58.5: Fatty Creek Road
Access to
Metcalf Lake, Shay Lake, Fatty Lake and Cedar Lake, Cedar Creek and Fatty
Creek. The bridge is three-tenths of a mile from the highway and offers a
boat-launching access. Across the river is Cedar Creek Campground, which
provides drinking water and toilets. On the far side of the bridge is a bumpy
road which leads to a nice picnic area with tables right on the river, about
100 yards down from the bridge. Cedar Creek is crossed right after the
campground, but it offers only very small cutthroats. From the highway
six-tenths of a mile, you will note a fork to the left. This road will lead to
Shay Lake. Caution: Shay Lake "road" should be driven to only in a 4X4 rig that
has already received abuse through the years, as the road is overgrown in
parts. If you have a new paint job, plan on scratches! After 1.4 miles, the
main road forks to the left.
Metcalf Lake
Metcalf Lake is
2.2 miles from the Cedar Creek Campground. Make the first right turn off of
Fatty Creek Road, and then make another right turn to the lake. There are no
signs for the second right turn except a "Pack it in - pack it out!" sign. The
lake may be almost reached by a car with a three-tenths-of-a-mile hike. Only a
truck should attempt the last section of the road. The lake is popular with
local youth. They have built a high swinging rope above the lake. The lake is
shallow except for the small portion by the swing. The lake is being managed
for trophy trout.
Fatty Creek
is crossed 3.6 miles from the highway. The Fatty Creek Road to the Cedar Lake
trailhead is exactly nine miles from the highway. The road is an ear-popping
second-gear climb high up in the Mission Mountains. It can be rutted and very
bumpy in places. Check with the forest service prior to driving the road with a
low-clearance vehicle.
Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake
trailhead has a large turnaround. The lake is about a four-mile hike. Keep in
mind that you are in grizzly country, so if you are traveling alone or in a
group, pepper spray may be a prudent purchase. Camping at the lake is
designated as no-impact camping. Fatty Lake is accessed by a hunter's trail
about 1.5 miles before the trailhead. I could not find it. Although it
reportedly fishes well, I would recommend the established trail to Cedar Lake,
which has a healthy population of cutthroats.
MM 63.5: Point Pleasant Campground
The campground offers a boat access, but it is very
overgrown and easily missed. This is a beautiful non-fee campground right on
the river.
MM 66.7: Road #10161
Easily missed,
this site offers a great access to the river as well as a take-out for rafters.
Camping is allowed on a "pack it in - pack it out" basis.
MM 68.2: Porcupine Creek Road
The Swan River
is crossed one mile from the highway. Access is good for wade fishers, but you
will have to drag your raft or canoe up a 15-foot bank to the road.
MM 71-72: Swan Lake, Montana.
MM 71.9: Swan Lake Campground
USFS. 36
campsites for trailers, RVs and tents. Fee area. Water available, vault-type
toilets, swimming beach, boat ramp.
MM 82.5: Junction
Montana State
Route 209 heads west five miles to the town of Bigfork and Highway 35, which is
the westside route along Flathead Lake, beginning at Polson and ending at
Kalispell.
MM 86: Echo Lake
The highway now
turns due east. Follow the signs to Echo Lake. The lake is popular for water
skiing and summer homes, but it does have fair fishing, nonetheless.
