In the Flathead National Forest west of Whitefish, the hike to Sylvia Lake Overlook delivers sweeping 360-degree views of northwest Montana. The trail starts at the Sylvia Lake Campground and climbs quickly up a hillside that burned in a 2007 wildfire, so you’re able to enjoy great views and lush, low greenery right off the bat. When you hit the ridge, follow it to connect with another trail for a five-mile loop or head back the way you came to spend a sunny afternoon pulling arctic grayling and cutthroat trout out of Sylvia Lake.
Photo by Jeff Holm
