Jewel Basin Hiking Area
Print
Email
Save to Favorites
Trip Ideas
View This Map
--- Click to Enlarge ---
The Jewel Basin Hiking Area was set aside as an easily reached wilderness-like area. There are 35 miles of trails that make day-hike loops or longer backpack trips.
To get there from Bigfork, take Echo Lake Road off Highway 83. (It can also be reached from the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir.) Pick up an extremely helpful map at Forest Service offices in Bigfork, Hungry Horse, or Kalispell.
Hikes take you through wildflower meadows and thickets of subalpine fir. Climbing in from the west, you’ll first have expansive views of the Flathead Valley and Lake, then pass over a ridge and realize that Jewel Basin is indeed a basin. It’s hard to say which are the jewels—the lakes that stud the basin or the Indian paintbrush, bear grass, fireweed, and showy daisies strewn throughout the meadows. Some of the lakes are stocked with trout.
© W.C. McRae & Judy Jewell from Moon Montana, 7th Edition
Buy Moon Travel Guides
Search
Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.