Explore Montana: Clearwater Canoe Trail
SCHOOL IS OUT FOR THE SUMMER, AND WE ARE READY FOR ADVENTURE. WE’LL BE FEATURING OUR LOCAL TIPS AND GUIDES TO SOME OF THE GREAT ACTIVITIES AND NEARBY ADVENTURES FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES.
For decades now, our family has spent the summers in Seeley Lake, MT. My husband’s grandfather was the local sheriff and longtime Seeley Lake resident for many years until he passed away in 2018 so Seeley Lake has almost been a second home for our family. Summers have been filled with camping, fishing, water sports, hiking and other shenanigans. But in all the years we’ve ventured to Seeley Lake to enjoy the sunshine, sand, and water, this was the first year that I floated the Clearwater River Canoe Trail and the second year for my sisters in-law.
What you’ll need
Lake kayaks and paddle boards are all the craze lately so we’ve acquired quite a few of them, but if you don’t want to make the purchase or don’t have room to store them there’s a great little rental store in Seeley Lake: Heritage Outdoors. For our trip down the canoe trail, we also decided to pack a little cooler that we strapped onto one of the kayaks. Don’t forget your life jacket and plenty of sunscreen!
How to Get There
Accessing the canoe trail put-in area is relatively easy, it’s the journey back that you’ll have to plan for. To get to the Clearwater Canoe Trail put-in area from Seeley Lake, drive four miles north on Highway 83. Turn left at the Clearwater Canoe Trail sign and drive about 0.5 miles to the put-in. The common take-out area is located at the Seeley Lake Ranger Station, approximately 1.5 miles before the put-in area.
Unless you have someone dropping you off and picking you up, you have a couple of options for getting back to your vehicle at the canoe trail put-in area: 1) leave a second vehicle at the Seeley Lake Ranger Station take-out area or 2) hike the 1.5 miles back to the canoe trail put-in area (a trail is located just off the shore where you exit).
the trail
Upon launching, you’ll notice the gentle current making this relaxing and easy float with minimal paddling needed other than steering along the bends. There is a dense willow marsh that surrounds the trail and the water is relatively shallow most of the way. We encountered a few deep areas but for most of the canoe trail, we could see the river bottom.
The canoe trail is about 3.5 miles and it took our group roughly 2.5 hours to float the entire trail, primarily because we took a left when we reached a fork in the trail instead of staying right and ended up at a dead end. Our group didn’t mind the accidental detour but if you want to stay on course, stay right and follow the current throughout the canoe trail. There are plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities along the way however, we a had a pretty large and exuberant group so we only saw ducks, birds, and geese.
Once you reach the lake, paddle to the left of the lake (east) towards the shore at the Seeley Lake Ranger Station take-out area. You’ll notice a brown ranger station building as you approach the shore. If you decide to hike the 1.5 miles back to the canoe trail put-in area, there is a small wooden sign noting the trail that will lead you back.
Good to Know
The canoe trail is easy and great for all ages—the youngest in our group was my four year old son and he even floated the trail the year before with his aunts. On hot days and weekends, the canoe trail is popular for locals and visitors alike so plan to wait while others put-in and again when you’re ready to load up at the take-out area.
From the inlet where the canoe trail meets the lake to the shores of the take-out area is a ‘no wake zone’ so you shouldn’t be disturbed by large waves from motorized watercraft, however, the water is deep so keep that in mind. Overall, this was an easy and relaxing float and we will definitely be going a few more times this summer!
