Last evening, Columbia Falls’ Boy Scout Troop 41 made its way up the Columbia Mountain Trail, spending about 3 hours hiking up and down the mountain.
The Columbia Mountain Trail leaves Columbia Heights near the Heights’ Flathead River fishing access and climbs between 7 and 8 miles to the peak of Columbia Mountain.
The first half has its moments of steepness, but our entire crew of 18 hikers from the ages of 12 to 57 made the first 2 1/2 miles without much difficulty (note that I didn’t say without much sweat). The 2nd half of the trail is more difficult, but definitely worth it.
Bring water, good shoes, bear spray, a first aid / survival kit and a companion. The trail can be used by just about anyone and anything, eg: hikers, mountain bikers, dogs and so on, so be prepared.
How to get there: Drive out of Columbia Falls on Highway 2 toward Hungry Horse (East). As you pass the “House of Mystery”, the road starts a big sweeping right turn and you should begin to slow down. A few hundred yards later, you’ll see a “Historical Point” sign. At this point, a turn signal and slow going is a necessity as the turn comes up quickly. The unmarked turn is just after the sign, to the right. A couple of hundred yards later, you’ll see a parking lot to the left. Park there, the trailhead is marked.