Hey all you MT folks, I am going to be up in MT in the Libby/Troy area soon and was looking for a simple backpacking trip... just looking for 5 miles or so, maybe with some side hike options. A 1 night trip. I know it is not up to par with the long trips, but it would be the first night my wife and I can take a trip (or spend a night) without our 2 year old.

Any ideas, please let me know.

Also, if anyone has any hike suggestions for that area or Whitefish or West Glacier, let me know!

Thanks All!!!
- jake

Libby Hiking
The Cabinet Wilderness is located very close to Libby so consider hiking there. I've only seen the Cabinet range from afar but hear it is gorgeous.

The Northwest Peaks Scenic Area and the Ten Lakes Basin areas are very gorgeous and accessible via vehicle for good day hiking. They are however located at a great enough distance from Libby that the Cabinets are probably going to provide you your closest option.

A link to an area map of the Cabinet Wilderness

A link to the large USFS PDF map of the Libby area

This large map is entitled Cabinet Travel

Whitefish/West Glacier Hiking
Hikes in this area are so prolific that I don't even know where to start. Stop in or give the folks at Rocky Mountain Outfitters (406)752-2446 in Kalispel a call and they'll point you in the right direction.

Jake,

I asked a buddy who was raised in Libby and goes back to visit frequently. He said, "Bear lake in the Cabinent Wilderness or Geiger Lake".

Just got back from a road trip, mostly in Idaho and Montana, and I spent a little bit of time in that area. First of all, if you're going to be near Libby and Troy, be sure to visit Kootenai Falls. It's about two miles east of the MT-56 and US-2 junction off of US-2.

It was my first time going through the Kootenai National Forest and I fell in love with the area immediately. The area that struck me the most was along Bull River near the junction of MT-200 and MT-56, and the Bull Lake area. While I don't know of any specific trails in the area, I'm certain I passed by a few trailheads along MT-56.

Here is a picture of the area I am talking about: