Taking advantage of sporadic sunshine, there is no better place to be than hiking the Beaver Lakes section of the Whitefish Trail west of Whitefish.
The trail heads out from the Beaver Lakes Trailhead with a short half-mile ascent. At the intersection, choose your own adventure as the trail splits to the north and south. The 2.8-mile loop is a beautiful, easy to moderate hike through Montana’s outdoors. Snow-capped Big Mountain emerges through the trees with brief views of the surrounding lakes and vistas. Looking to the west, the valley unfolds with autumn colors still speckling the landscape.
The trail includes all kinds of terrain. It sometimes borders ledges over shallow valleys, straightens out through thicker forest and winds across open areas.
From the split, you can also travel north on a longer hike – around 4.1 miles – to the North Beaver Connection. Or head south to Skyles and Lion Mountain trails.
Be aware of the weather as it can change rapidly this time of year and snow is accumulating on portions of the trail making it slippery. Signs that suggest hikers keep dogs under control, hike in groups and carry bear spray as, “Lions, bears, and wolves live here, too.”
How to get there: From downtown Whitefish, continue north on U.S. Highway 93. After about seven miles, turn right on Beaver Lake Road. There is a sign directing to Beaver Lake. Travel about 1.5 miles on Beaver Lake Road and the trailhead is very visible on the right side of the road.