Salmon Lake

Salmon Lake State Park encompasses 42 acres on the northeast shore of Salmon Lake in Missoula County, along the scenic Highway 83 corridor in the Clearwater drainage. The park provides lakeside camping and fishing in a beautiful western Montana mountain lake setting.

Salmon Lake supports kokanee salmon, bull trout, rainbow trout, and largemouth bass. Loons, ospreys, and bald eagles are common on the lake. The surrounding forests shelter black bears, moose, and white-tailed deer.

Douglas fir, western larch, and ponderosa pine forests surround the lake. The understory includes huckleberry, serviceberry, and other native shrubs. Aquatic vegetation grows in the shallower bays.

Salmon Lake is a natural lake in the Clearwater River system, formed by glacial processes during the Pleistocene. The lake covers about 960 acres at approximately 3,800 feet elevation in a valley between the Mission and Swan ranges.

The Clearwater corridor experiences cold winters and mild summers. Annual precipitation varies from 16 to 25 inches depending on elevation. The lake freezes in winter and is ice-free by May.

The Clearwater drainage has been important to the Salish and Pend d'Oreille peoples. The Seeley-Swan corridor became important for logging in the early 20th century.

Salmon Lake State Park was established to provide public access to one of the scenic lakes along the Highway 83 corridor in western Montana.

Fishing for kokanee, trout, and bass is the primary draw. Swimming and boating provide summer recreation. The mountain lake setting with views of the Mission and Swan ranges is scenic.

The park offers 20 campsites, a boat ramp, and a swimming area. It is located on Highway 83, about 5 miles south of Seeley Lake.

Bull trout conservation is a priority in the Clearwater drainage lakes. The park manages recreation to minimize impacts on water quality and native fish populations.