Lion Lake
Near Hungry Horse, Montana · on Whelp Creek
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Lion Lake
Lion Lake is a 35-acre swimming hole in the Flathead National Forest's Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District in northwest Montana, about one mile from the town of Hungry Horse just off US Highway 2. Two Forest Service day-use picnic sites (North and South Lion Lake) sit on its shores, both with an official 'swimming' recreation designation alongside fishing and non-motorized boating, making this a convenient lake to swim in right off the highway.
The lake sits in forested terrain along the Hungry Horse Reservoir corridor on the South Fork Flathead River drainage, reached via Forest Road No. 895 off US Hwy 2 en route to Hungry Horse Dam, with Glacier National Park about 15 miles further up the highway.
Swimming at Lion Lake
Both Forest Service picnic sites (North and South Lion Lake) list swimming as an official designated activity. A travel-guide source describes a sandy swimming beach on the lake's north shore. A first-hand visitor account describes the lake as calm and freshwater, with children wading along the shore, consistent with a low-key, family-friendly lake swim rather than a whitewater or waterfall setting.
How to get to this swimming hole
From the town of Hungry Horse, Montana, take US Highway 2 and turn onto Forest Road No. 895, the road that also leads to Hungry Horse Dam; the North and South Lion Lake picnic/day-use sites are just off this road within about a mile.
The hike in
North Lion Lake Trail
- Time on foot
- 30-60 minutes for the full loop
Difficulty: easy (visitors uniformly rate the trail easy; ~82 ft elevation gain)
Trailhead: Starts at the North Lion Lake Picnic Site parking/day-use area off Forest Road No. 895, about 1 mile from Hungry Horse off US Hwy 2.
An easy ~1.4-mile loop trail connects the North and South Lion Lake Picnic Sites through pine/larch forest, with small offshoots down to the water's edge; walking the full loop requires a short stretch on Forest Road No. 895. This trail is optional scenery/connector walking, not a required approach, the swimming beach and picnic sites themselves are reached by a short walk directly from the parking areas.
No hike is needed to swim, park at either picnic site and walk a short distance to the shoreline/beach. The North Lion Lake Trail is a bonus loop for visitors who want to walk between the two sites or explore the shoreline.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Forest Service designates swimming as an official activity at both day-use sites; a sandy beach on the north shore and a first-hand account of children wading along the shore suggest calm, gentle shoreline entry typical of a small forest lake rather than cliffs or current. No lifeguards are present (unstaffed FS day-use site), so adult supervision is still needed.
Parking
Free
Free day-use parking at both the North and South Lion Lake Picnic Sites just off Forest Road No. 895; official USFS pages list picnic tables and vault toilets but don't specify whether the lot is paved, gravel, or a pullout, or give a space count.
Restrooms
Yes
Vault toilets at both the North Lion Lake and South Lion Lake Picnic Sites; no potable water at either site.
Hours
Day use only, sunrise to sunset, at both North and South Lion Lake Picnic Sites (no overnight camping/parking).
On the water
Restrictions: Non-motorized boating only, per both official USFS Forest Service recreation-site pages for North and South Lion Lake Picnic Sites; no mention of an exception for electric trolling motors.
35-acre lake size makes it well suited to a short paddle; put in from either picnic site shoreline.
Rentals nearby
Rafts, hardshell and inflatable kayaks, paddleboards, one-man pontoons, and tubes; also offers vehicle racks and shuttle service, plus guidance on nearby launch sites (Hungry Horse Reservoir, Flathead River, Glacier Park-area lakes).
8990 Highway 2 East, Hungry Horse, MT 59919, in the same town as Lion Lake, about 1 mile away.
Backstory
The lake was chemically treated with rotenone in 1992 to remove perch and pumpkinseed sunfish that had been illegally introduced, then restocked with trout; it is heavily managed as a put-and-take rainbow and cutthroat trout fishery (reported as receiving more angler days per acre in 1998 than any other lake among 509 tracked in northwest Montana) intended to reduce fishing pressure on native bull trout and Westslope cutthroat populations elsewhere.
Lion Lake: FAQ
Does Lion Lake charge a fee?
No fees required at either the North or South Lion Lake Picnic Site (Forest Service day-use sites).
Is Lion Lake kid friendly?
Forest Service designates swimming as an official activity at both day-use sites; a sandy beach on the north shore and a first-hand account of children wading along the shore suggest calm, gentle shoreline entry typical of a small forest lake rather than cliffs or current. No lifeguards are present (unstaffed FS day-use site), so adult supervision is still needed.
Do I need to hike to reach Lion Lake?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Lion Lake?
Free day-use parking at both the North and South Lion Lake Picnic Sites just off Forest Road No. 895; official USFS pages list picnic tables and vault toilets but don't specify whether the lot is paved, gravel, or a pullout, or give a space count.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lion Lake?
35-acre lake size makes it well suited to a short paddle; put in from either picnic site shoreline.
What are the rules at Lion Lake?
Day use only, open sunrise to sunset, at both North and South Lion Lake Picnic Sites; no potable water on site (vault toilets provided); transporting live fish into Montana lakes is illegal (noted due to past illegal fish introductions at this lake).
What water body is Lion Lake on?
Lion Lake is on Whelp Creek, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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