Take a Hike | Moose Lake Loop
If you’re looking for a challenging hike served up with a side of epic views, the Moose Lake Loop trail is for you. At just about 7 miles long, this is the perfect day hike that offers a variety of scenery and terrain. Moose Lake Loop is labeled as “moderate” in All Trails, but I think it’s more on the cusp of being a “hard” trail. That being said, I am not in peak hiking condition so that could definitely be a factor.
The hike begins with an easy incline of about two miles into Moose Lake. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a dazzling sight as a boardwalk guided us through the trees as they open to the lake and peaks above. Surrounded by wildflowers, huckleberry bushes, and towering pines, this is easily one of the more beautiful alpine lakes we’ve visited so far.
We were there on a busy weekend and despite all the cars at the trailhead, we had the lake almost to ourselves as most hikers and backpackers were at Estelle Lake nearby. There are a few dispersed camp spots and at least one bear box for food storage. From the camp spots, the trail meanders along the edge of the lake through bushes and brush and quickly steepens as you begin to ascend toward the peak of Moose Mountain.
When we visited, there were still several areas of the trail that were overgrown, although it was obvious in other areas that crews or volunteers had been doing some maintenance. That aside, the hillside above and below the trail was covered in wildflowers and bear grass - which is always a treat to see. The trail after arriving at the lake is significantly more narrow with some tree roots and loose rock to keep you on your toes.
As we climbed up around the backside of the lake, the grade steepened pretty significantly and only continued to climb and become more challenging as we neared the peak. Once the trees cleared slightly and we reached the ridgeline, the 360-degree views were nothing short of stunning. From the peak we saw the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains, Mt. Pend Oreille, Lunch Peak, Benning Mountain, Trestle Peak, and so much more. And of course, as we peered down the side of the mountain we had just climbed, we saw the small, cerulean lake from where we began our journey upward.
Not as distracted by my heavy breathing and leg fatigue, I found it easier to enjoy my surroundings on the way down. We saw several frogs, more bear grass, and even a hummingbird or two. Throughout the hike, we also saw signs of moose, bear, and possibly a wolf or a large coyote - so be sure to bring your bear spray and be alert on the trail.
On the way down we discussed, and both agreed, that Moose Lake Loop is definitely in our top five most beautiful hikes we’ve done, I highly recommend checking it out and doing the whole loop. It may be tempting to stop at the lake and hang out for a bit, but the views from the top are what really make it worth it.
