HARRISON LAKE
This short but demanding hike leads to a sapphire pool in a granite cirque. The small campground here is worn bare from overuse. Camping is to be discouraged. Walk around the lake or go for a swim; the lake has a sandy bottom.
Difficulty: easy
Elevation gain: 379m (1242’)
Distance: 9.7km (6mi) round trip
Time: 4 hours
Season: July through mid-October
Map: USGS The Wigwams, Roman Nose
Drive:
From Creston. BC. Drive Hwy 21 south and enter Idaho at the Rykerts/Porthill border crossing.
0.0. US customs building. Drive south to Bonners Ferry. Turn west of Idaho Hwy 1 into Downtown Bonners Ferry.
From Bonners Ferry. Drive to the intersection of First and Riverside streets, on the north edge of the historic downtown. Set your odometer to 0.0.
0.0. Go west on Riverside St.
.2km (.1mi). Cross railroad tracks. Follow signs for Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge in 5 miles.
.8km (.5mi). Pass the mill.
5.6km (3.5mi). Go right.
5.8km (3.8mi). Go left and cross a bridge.
6.2km (3.8mi). Pass 2 wildlife refuge parking lots in the wetlands.
8.1km (5mi). Go right (north). The road to the left goes to Snow Creek Road.
8.6km 5.3mi). Pass the Wildlife Refuge visitor centre and cross Myrtle Creek bridge.
10.5km (6.5mi). At junction, go straight (north) on the paved Westside Rd. Myrtle Creek Rd #633 goes left (west).
From Pyramid or Trout Lakes. Follow Trout Creek Road #634 east. Turn right onto Westside Road and drive south 13.5km (8.4mi). Then turn right onto Myrtle Creek Road #633 (note – this road and stop signs at this junction face south and are easy to miss from the north. Reset odometer to 0.
0.0. Go west on Myrtle Creek Road #633.
3.1km (2mi). Go straight. Burton Creek Rd #2411 forks right.
11.6km (7.2mi). Go straight. Road #1309 descends left.
15km (9.3mi). Go straight. Road $2405 forks right.
16.1km (10mi). Just after a descent, cross a bridged creek, then pass a left fork.
16.9km (10.5mi). Go straight. Myrtle Creek Trail #286 is right.
19.1km (11.8mi). Cross a small bridged creek. A granite dome is visible ahead.
19.6km. Continue driving NE on Road #661. TH for Two Mouth Lakes Trail #268 (1418m 4650’).
21.8km (13.5mi). At the junction, go right (south) onto Upper Myrtle Creek Rd #24.
24km 14.9mi). Park 1555m (5100’). TH for Harrison Lake Trail #6.
Route/Trail: Start on barricaded Road #6 heading south. Pass a trail register.
15 min. Now a trail, turn north, ascend
22 min. A narrow overgrown trail turns south for moderate ascent.
1¼ hours. Go right (west) and cross the shoulder of Harrison Peak (1872m 6140’). Descend, follow cairns across rock slabs. Right (north) is craggy 7292’ (2223m) Harrison Peak.
4.4km (2.75mi). At the junction, go right, and ascend rock slabs. The left fork is trail #217 which descends east to the Pack River Road TH, assessed from Sandpoint.
4.8km (3mi). The SE shore of Harrison Lake (1885m 6182’) is surrounded by granite walls and talus slopes. Little greenery remains in the camping area.