Porcupine Lookout Trail

From the Waterton Valley Trail junction, Porcupine Lookout is a 5.0-mile climb to a historic fire lookout on Porcupine Ridge, then back the same way: 10.0 miles round trip, with roughly 2,600 feet of gain. Plan most of a day; around eight hours from the junction is a reasonable estimate. The trail is a good fit if you want a remote ridge hike and are comfortable with a long climb.

The 10.0-mile figure covers the named spur only. From Kootenai Lakes Campground, the documented approach adds a 0.3-mile link and 1.5 miles along Waterton Valley Trail before the spur, for about 6.7 miles one way and 13.4 miles round trip from camp.

The Kootenai approach includes a ford of the Waterton River, followed by a wade through Valentine Creek. The river is slow-moving but can be deceptively deep and cold; reports describe it nearly waist-deep even late in the season. Check current water conditions before committing, and don't assume the crossing will be shallow just because summer is ending. Water shoes are useful for both crossings.

After the lower brush and creek crossing, the route climbs at a fairly even grade. Early openings look toward Kootenai Peak and up the Valentine Creek drainage. As the vegetation thins, the view broadens to Carter Glaciers, Vulture Peak and Two Ocean Glacier. It is a long climb rather than a technical one, but the mileage, elevation gain and remote access make this a hard day.

From Porcupine Ridge, look east over Kootenai Lakes and the winding Waterton River. Turn north for Waterton Lake, Mount Cleveland and the Stoney Indian Peaks; the Valentine Creek drainage frames Rainbow and Carter Peaks. Moose feed around the lakes and can look like small figures from above. Bring binoculars if you want to spot them. For a photo, keep some of the lakes and river below the ridge in the frame so the scale of the valley comes through.

Porcupine Ridge Lookout was the last of eleven Glacier fire lookouts built between 1929 and 1939. It served the Waterton Valley for about thirty seasons and was no longer manned after 1970. This remote post is the point of the climb, along with the long view over the lakes and valley.

There is no road access or parking at the junction; reach the spur on Waterton Valley Trail from the backcountry. Kootenai Lakes and Goat Haunt are both documented approaches. Overnight backcountry camping requires a permit. If you arrive at Goat Haunt from Canada and hike beyond the Ranger Station, report your U.S. entry through CBP ROAM. Pets are not allowed on Glacier trails or in the backcountry.