Trail Lake | Lolo National Forest, Montana

Val is back on trail and we're going up to Trail Lake in the Bitterroots!

[@aaronfulwider779]

One thing that all trips have in common, no matter the length is that there is always a beginning and an end. We are just visitors but every moment must be cherished. If this is done, a simple overnight could be treated as an entire week. Great video and take care.

[@valwentz]

Honestly, it felt longer! You are absolutely right:)

[@mountainwanderer]

Poetic and on point!

[@ursinidaho]

Awesome!!! So beautiful! Hope that Val gets better and stronger every day.

[@mountainwanderer]

She is doing great!

[@tangenttrails]

A perfect lake nestled among the mountains and a 5 star campsite. What more could one ask for? Well done, well done.🙌

[@mountainwanderer]

Really that is all that I am ever after!

[@amypetersen4904]

Great to see Val out with you again. Wonderful video, as always.

[@valwentz]

Thank you! I’m excited to go again. And really thankful I can do it.

[@mountainwanderer]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@tuckerg1975]

Hi Travis, so happy to see you all out in the woods again; beautiful work! Thank you for sharing!!

[@mountainwanderer]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@Lloyd-ho9du]

Once again your videos keep getting better by way of videography and music. Your vids are my favorite on KZbin. Keep on doing what you do.

[@mountainwanderer]

You are too kind! I'm so glad that you enjoy them! When I post a video, I never know how it's going to go.

[@trailslug893]

Your videos are some of the most enjoyable on youTube. Thanks for taking us along with you. I've had back surgery and it's tough to get back to "normal" afterwards. Glad Val could make it back out and hopefully it was a successful trip for her.

[@mountainwanderer]

Thank you so much! This is her 2nd "recovery" so hopefully the back problems are in the past now!

[@bobparsons77]

Some very nice plant shots. Timber looks great. Good luck Val.

[@mountainwanderer]

The mountain flowers were all over the place!

[@lulugallo7032]

Just breath taking wow!!!❤

[@mountainwanderer]

The Bitterroots are beautiful!

[@trakyboy5128]

Gorgeous just absolutely gorgeous 😍. And I really love that road coming in really makes you feel like you're exploring,,, in the comfort of your vehicle😂😅

[@mountainwanderer]

That last road into the trailhead was a little sketchy.... 😂

[@Olympic_TryAthlete]

Love the Bitterroots. Glad Val is able to get back out into the mountains again. Six months is a long, long time. Looks like a perfect place to get back into it.

[@mountainwanderer]

We both love the Bitterroots then! This was a nice fairly easy hike with just enough gain to make you remember what it is like!

[@valwentz]

Thank you! I have been doing some strength training because I was a little worried about carrying weight on my back again. Turned out that it was much easier than I expected!

[@Olympic_TryAthlete]

@@valwentz it was bad enough for me having laparoscopic surgery at the end of May and waiting a month to get out. Was kinda feeling it after what I thought would be a leisurely 20 mile out and back on the Elwha. Backs, though can be really rough. I’ve had a few instances where I was not tsp nicely reminded how vulnerable they can be. Glad you’re able to get out.

[@thathikingguy]

Travis that lake was gorgeous! Nice overnighter. I appreciate you sharing this. Loved it.

[@mountainwanderer]

Thanks THG! I've got a few lakes like this that I have yet to get to. Maybe this is the year!

[@birddogfarms6981]

Really enjoyed this video, Travis....So glad to see Val is up and about again. Fantastic! Tom

[@valwentz]

Thank you! I’m working my way back into it! So happy not to have issues from back problems:)

[@mountainwanderer]

Glad that she is back on trail just as the hiking is getting good!

[@PumpkinVillage]

Another beautiful hike and stay. I can see why it was hard to leave. Glad the back surgery turned out all right for the wife. Take care, Al

[@mountainwanderer]

She did great on trail! Looking forward to the next one now!

[@valwentz]

Thank you! I was a little scared to have the surgery but so glad I did it!

[@ThailandOutdoors]

So beautiful this time of year, thanks for the look around.

[@mountainwanderer]

We're getting to the best time of year!

[@RL31363]

What a beautiful spot. Drone shots were fantastic. I'm sure those tacos were delicious.

[@valwentz]

They were! Except I forgot the lime:(

[@mountainwanderer]

They were some of the best tacos I've had out there!

[@jacqueline7118]

Wonderful overnighter! I was eyeing that lake and thinking it would be perfect for a paddle in my packraft! It looks like your wife's back was holding up well, that is wonderful! A great way to start a work day, thanks for the mountain views! :) :)

[@mountainwanderer]

We were wishing that we would've brought something to float out on to the lake with! This would be a perfect lake for that!

[@valwentz]

I wanted to fashion a raft out of logs but turns out I don’t have the skill level;) The lake was the perfect temp for swimming!

[@DrJohn493]

Thanks one more time for the great western scenery! The drone makes it easy to see the forest and the trees. I can't tell you how lucky you are to live so close to some great western national forests with all the mountains, streams and lakes. It takes me a 4-day drive from the southeast just to get to Colorado, which I'm headed to in September this year. I could use a gourmet camp chef! 😁😉

[@valwentz]

That was the fanciest food we’ve had in a long time;)

[@mountainwanderer]

I love this area! The way I explain it to people, is that if you like the outdoors, it's a paradise!

[@kimklopp7688]

Love it.

[@valwentz]

Maybe we can go together someday little lady!

[@SaraB1686]

Ya'll spoil yourselves with those nice camp meals! It looked delicious!

[@mountainwanderer]

We're trying to, that is for sure!

[@ChristianPaulPhotography]

Looks like a great place! I feel the deadfall thing in this video. That forest looks very happy! Man I wanted to be there seeing those fish jump! Congrats to your friend for getting out after back surgery! At 10:07 you filmed some Monks Hood! Beautiful but deadly! In the same family as Wolfsbane. I hear ya on not wanting to leave, that’s how I feel every time I’m out there! Thanks for taking us along!

[@valwentz]

Wow! Thank you for identifying the Monks Hood. The color is so pretty for something so deadly! It was a great trip and I am so glad I got the surgery or I wouldn’t have gotten back out:)

[@ChristianPaulPhotography]

@@valwentz looked like you guys had a great time! Monks Hood is gnarly!

[@mountainwanderer]

Those fish were incredibly active that morning!

[@ChristianPaulPhotography]

@@mountainwanderer just how I like them! 🎣

[@HolisticHikes]

enjoyed this! Loved that you started later on in the evening,....what a beautiful coveted area!

[@mountainwanderer]

It would've been nice to get up there with some more time left in the day, but I'll take what I can get! This area is something special!

[@HolisticHikes]

@@mountainwanderer so freakin cool! And thanks for sharing

[@pilowespo]

One of my favorite places in the world! Glad you made it there. It's a great easy rewarding hike to a beautiful quiet lake. I am about to start my backpacking adventures for the year got the next 5 weeks off. This video really gets me excited. Would love to hike with you sometime. Thanks for sharing. Hike on!

[@mountainwanderer]

WOW! The next 5 weeks off! That sounds amazing! I mentioned you a lot getting up to this lake! Even watched your video again to have an idea of where I wanted to go! We should try to do a hike together! There are a bunch more hikes like this in the area that I would like to do (and you have already made videos of)!

[@birddogfarms6981]

I'm right behind you, @pilowespo. Finishing a job tomorrow, leaving for Wyoming/Montana/Idaho in 10 days. Not expected back home until Sept 10th. Got a HYOH-WU hike on the agenda. Many other hikes as well. Maybe see you out there....or Travis! Tom

[@pilowespo]

@@birddogfarms6981 Awesome! Hope you have fun! I can't wait to get out there! Pete.

[@miner4825]

Beautiful spot in the end of vid at waterfall! Was the anyone else up there? Have you ever been to baker lake in the Bitterroot’s near trapper peak

[@mountainwanderer]

There was a car there when we got there, but we never saw them. They were not in the main campsites at the lake. We did see a couple of fishermen the next day. Never been to Baker Lake, I'll have to check it out!

[@LayneComfort]

Looks like a tasty dinner that y’all cooked up there! I’d like to make it out to the Bitterroots to check out that area

[@mountainwanderer]

You'll have to go just a little bit farther than you did this year! If you do make it this far, we'll have to take a trip and I'll show you some of my favorite spots!

[@wade2361]

The USGS topo doesn't show a trail. Does it follow Trout Crk then Trail Crk up? I've been to St. Joe Lk on the other side...beautiful! BTW, that dinner looked awesome!

[@mountainwanderer]

Yeah, that's it. Good trail. Those were some of the best tacos I've had in the back country!

[@falconmoose5435]

Dog: I'll hump the trail man. I see no need to race with you two here.

[@valwentz]

Oh, he definitely hikes his own hike! The older Timber gets the more he just does things to appease us. He is a really good friend though!

[@mountainwanderer]

He's still going strong!

[@brhino1017]

Trail lake-738-Illinois-St. Joe lake-Heller Creek campground.

[@mountainwanderer]

Didn't see anything obvious climbing out of there.

[@RhodySeth]

Trail Lake is a pretty uninspiring name. 2/10. 😆 But those great drone shots and the serene location make up for it.

[@mountainwanderer]

Hard to argue that point... I guess they were out of ideas for lake names.😂