While you wait for snow to melt in the high mountains, make the trip to Cyclone Lookout in the Whitefish Range and soak in expansive views of the North Fork drainage. A clear day from the top of the peak offers panoramic views of snow-capped peaks in Glacier National Park, as well as Bowman Lake. The trail starts at a gated dirt road, but quickly turns into a single-track dirt trail, which climbs a gradual 1,000 feet to the lookout tower. It is a short 2.5-mile jaunt to the 6,000-foot summit. The fire lookout is staffed during the summer months.
How to get there: From Columbia Falls, travel north on the North Fork Road for approximately 32 miles. Turn left at the Hay Creek marker (Road 316) and follow signs to the trailhead, about 5 miles up the Forest Service Road.