Elk Mountain Trail

Elk Mountain Trail is a 6.8-mile out-and-back from the Fielding access near US 2 to a 7,835-foot summit, with roughly 3,300 feet of climbing. Give it six to seven hours. Other published totals reach 7.4 miles; allow for the longer estimate if you need a planning buffer. The route climbs through timber, passes Fielding Patrol Cabin, then turns onto a steeper summit path. After a long forest stretch, the upper slopes open below the top. This is a hard, sustained climb for a full day, not a short viewpoint walk. The stored line traces the one-way corridor once; the mileage includes returning by the same route.

Fielding access is reached from US 2 near milepost 192, but parking descriptions place the pullout at slightly different points. Use only the marked access and check road restrictions before you go. The approach crosses private land and an active railroad; stay on the established line and use its crossing, never wander onto the tracks or adjacent property. There is no dependable water, and the steep, narrow trail makes the climb feel harder than the mileage alone. Pets are not allowed on park trails. High-elevation snow and ice can linger into summer and return in fall; check current access and trail conditions.

After climbing through timber, the path breaks into exposed upper slopes, with views across the Great Bear Wilderness, Great Northern Mountain, Stanton Glacier, Mount Saint Nicholas and the prairie. Concrete foundation and anchor hardware mark where a fire lookout once stood; the lookout was removed in 1965. Fielding Patrol Cabin dates to 1936. Choose this hike for the summit and the history, knowing the hard ascent is the main event. For a photo, include the old lookout foundation in the foreground with the southwest peaks behind it.