With time off last week, I took a short hike with the dogs to a lake in the back of the Rattlesnake Wilderness and saw no one else on the trail.
Fly Lake is nestled among some small, forested mountains on the northern edge of the wilderness. Despite its name, it wasn't that buggy - but the trail there passes through prime mosquito habitat.
The route begins by dropping less than half a mile from the trailhead, then crossing Gold Creek. A logjam just upstream is passable if you don't want to get your feet wet. From here, the trail roughly parallels the creek northwest, though it isn't always visible, then turns back and crosses the water again at about 1 2/3 miles. Another logjam here is passable.
After turning west again, the trail arrives at a large, open meadow with several small channels of water crossing it. Look for wildflowers such as elephanthead and bog rein orchid along the edge of the forest at this time of year.
The next mile of trail was the buggiest when I was there, with standing water in several places and a lot of mud. At about 2 2/3 miles the trail again crosses the creek - there's another logjam, too - then arrives at a junction at about 3 miles.
From the junction, follow the trail to Fly Lake northwest as it climbs almost 1 1/2 miles out of the creek bottom, into drier terrain, then drops slightly to the lake. Friends have camped here in the past, but I've only ever day hiked in and out.
In addition to bugs, many downed trees crossed the trail when I was there - the worst blockage was about half a mile before the lake.
See more pictures from Fly Lake here.
Distance: About 8 3/4 miles out and back.
Trailhead: Fly Lake is accessed from the main Gold Creek trailhead (not West Fork). From Bonner, drive 8 1/2 miles northeast on Montana Highway 200. Turn north on Gold Creek Road and follow the signs 17 miles to the main trailhead along forest roads 126 and 2121.
