Celestine Lake Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Camping along this trail is limited to the established trail camps. Permits and reservations are needed for the trail camps. They can be gotten online at the Parks Canada permit/reservation website: https://reservation.pc.gc.ca/

Please review the Parks Canada website and follow Leave No Trace principles.

From the parking area, go past the trailhead sign and enter the forest on a wide, fire road style trail to hike Celestine Lake Trail. This trail climbs very gradually and continually for its entire length.

Almost immediately the Snake Indian River can be heard as Celestine Lake Trail makes a U-turn to the right. After only .3 miles, the trail emerges from the forest to cross the wild and beautiful Snake Indian River, set into cliffs here, on a very sturdy bridge. The trail then continues on an open hillside with the river below to the right. At the .6 mile mark the trail switchbacks to the left as it continues to climb on the open hillside with the river below. As the trail climbs this open area, great views of the De Smet Range with Roche De Smet closest, emerge to the southwest. Further away in the distance to the south-southeast, the Jaques Range can be seen.

By about the 1.7 mile mark, Celestine Lake Trail is back in the beautiful mixed fir forest and stays in the forest until it ends at Celestine Lake. On the way, at the 3.1 mile mark, the North Boundary Trail splits off to the left as Celestine Lake Trail veers right. Leaving the North Boundary Trail behind, Celestine Lake Trail passes a wet area on the left and then comes to beautiful Princess Lake with its mountain backdrop, at the 4.0 mile mark. Just after Princess Lake, at the 4.2 mile mark is a trail junction with a sign pointing left for Celestine Lake. Going right at this trail junction is unmarked but is the start of Devona Lookout Trail. So, go left here to get to the Celestine Lake trail camp where Celestine Lake Trail ends on the shores of Celestine Lake.

Forested, primarily firs, some aspen and other deciduous trees. Woodland wildflowers. The lakes have loons. Bears live here.