Triple Divide Pass Out-and-Back

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildlife

This is a pretty strenuous 14-miler, but it's well worth the effort. Especially in the high season, make sure to get to the trailhead (near Cut Bank Campground) early, because there is very limited parking, and the spaces tend to fill up quickly. You'll follow the Pitamakan Pass Trail to Triple Divide Trail before arriving at the pass itself.

This is a very strenuous outing. Come prepared with the essentials: water/filter, layers, sunblock, etc.

At the start of the trail, you'll make your way up and down through some rolling terrain and head through dense forests and open meadows. Then, you'll reach a fork in the trail. Given your objective here, you'll obviously want to keep on the Triple Divide Trail.

After this, you start the real incline. If you are not fit for 2,400 feet of elevation gain, this trail might not be for you. Make your way along the edge of a red rock ridge up to the magnificent pass. Two valleys on either side of you provide excellent panoramic views.

From this destination, you can make a strenuous scramble (not included in the mileage) to Triple Divide Peak, where you can see all the way down the valleys and all the way to Medicine Grizzly Lake's astonishing blue waters.

Remember, you still have to turn around for the +7-mile descent. Triple Divide Trail is a test for the fittest, but also a rewarding, spectacular viewpoint.

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