Directions: From Clearwater Junction, travel north on Hwy 83 for 25 1/2 miles. Turn east on Forest Road 552 and travel .5 miles to the junction with Forest Road 646. Turn right on Forest Road 646 and travel 2.3 miles, following the sign towards Colt Creek. Park off the side of the road just past an unmarked road junction.
Type of ride: Dirt road. A topographic profile of the road up to the lake is shown below.
Distance of ride: 11.6 miles round trip as described below. However, the road is drivable all the way to the gate just .3 miles from the lake, so the ride distance can be adjusted as desired. Low clearance vehicles are not recommended on the last 1.1 miles of travel on Forest Road 4356.
Description: This out-and-back ride starts at the point describe above just past the unmarked junction of road 646 and Forest Road 4366. Road 646 climbs steadily through a heavily-forested drainage. You can occasionally hear Colt Creek below you on the left side of the road. During early summer, look for wildflowers and beargrass along the route.
At about mile 1.6, you will see the first of two unnamed lakes below you on your left. The second lake appears at about mile 3.3. At mile 4.4, you come to a Y intersection (again unmarked) with Forest Road 4356. Take the left fork. From here, the road climbs a little more steeply as you approach the lake. About .6 miles up from the intersection, the road turns south and views of the Swan Range appear through the trees.
A gate blocks motorized travel at 1.1 miles past the Y intersection. Another .2 miles will bring you to the turnoff for the lake. At the turnoff, go left. The lake is .1 miles beyond the turnoff. There is also a primitive campsite at the lake.
The profile was created in TOPO, www.nationalgeographic.com/topo
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