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Come and Visit Seeley Lake

Campgrounds
    State

  •  Salmon: MM 10 on Highway 83 N
  •  Placid: MM 11 on Highway 83 N. Turn west on Placid Lake road.​

    USFS

  • Riverpoint Campground: Turn west on Boy Scout Rd. Right before the bridge.
  • Seeley Lake Campground: Turn west on Boy Scout Rd., cross the bridge, turn right after the swamp.
  • Big Larch Campground: North of Seeley Lake 1 mile.​


Museum’s & Historical Points

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      Seeley Lake Museum and Visitor Center: Using the original 1920’s barn from the Double Arrow resort, you will find an interesting small museum in the stalls of the barn with a gift shop and information to make your stay more interesting and enjoyable. We are an organization of volunteers who are "Fostering knowledge and understanding of the history in the Seeley Lake area.” 2920 Highway 83 -


    Upper Swan Valley Museum: A museum of items collected from the area as well as buildings and other interesting things.  6774 Highway 83, Condon - www.swanvalleyhistoricalsociety.org

     Ovando Museum: Housed in the old Brand Bar, there are stories, history and artifacts teaching visitors of the rich history of the area.MM 45 HWY 200, 314 Main St, Ovando MT - www.ovandomontana.net/brand-bar-museum


      Garmet Ghost Town: Montana’s most intact ghost town wasn’t built to last. Enterprising miners were more interested in extracting the riches below ground than building above. As a result, buildings grew quickly, most lacking foundations. They were small and easy to heat. Yet, a century after Garnet emerged, remnants of the town stand, hidden high in the Garnet Mountain Range east of Missoula. Between MM 22 and 23, turn south at the Garnet Range Road about 30 miles east of Missoula. Follow the Range Road for approximately 11 miles to Garnet where the parking area is located. www.garnetghosttown.org/about.php

Historic Sites


      Seeley Lake Range Station: Jasper Seely (sp) was the first ranger for the Seeley Lake District. 3583 MT-83, Seeley Lake, MT www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lolo/about-forest/offices

        Double Arrow Lookout: The Double Arrow Lookout offers guests a chance to see the Seeley valley and the adjacent Swan Mountains from a different and unique vantage point, high above the hillside with a spectacular view. The tower is also available for overnight stays and contains a few modern amenities, including electricity, but allows guests to personalize their visits with their own supplies.Turn west on Riverview Dr., go straight ahead up the hill, turn right before the pond. www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233240

        Morrell Lookout: The first lookout atop 7,796’ Morrell Mountain was a 12’x 12’ log cabin with cupola. Built in 1921, it looks into Montana’s scenic Mission Mountains and expansive timberlands to the south. In 1962 it was replaced with a 15’x 15’ R-6 flattop with catwalk on a 10’ concrete block base. It remains the primary lookout on the Seeley Lake Ranger District of the Lob National Forest.Turn east off HWY 83 on Morrell Ck Rd. follow the signs. http://nhlr.org/lookouts/us/mt/morrell-lookout/ 

      Filling Station: Started in 1947 by a character known as Eddie Coyle, the Filling Station has been in continuous business for 72 years without many changes. Downtown Seeley Lake www.facebook.com/pg/TheFillingStationSeeleyLakeMt/about/?ref=page_internal 

     Double Arrow Lodge: In the late 1920’s, Jan Boissevain and Colonel George F. Weisel purchased a stock ranch in Western Montana known as the Corbett Ranch. Boissevain, an avid horseman, dreamed of turning this property into a dude ranch, which he would name after the brand on his favorite horse. His dream became reality in 1929, when the “Double Arrow Ranch” was established as the first commercial dude ranch to be located at Seeley Lake.Now a warm and welcoming resort stop in for a visit.MM 12 HWY 83 - www.doublearrowresort.com

    Camp Paxon: Built by the CCC with Larch logs, then became the first home of the smokejumpers and used as a camp and family event venue ever since. MM14 turn west on Boy Scout Rd, across the bridge on the right. www.camppaxson.org/app/#more

    Tamarack Resort: The Story of the Tamaracks Resort begins in the early 1900s with the building of its first summer cabin on the east shores of Seeley Lake. In the Early 1920s, more privately owned summer cabins were added to the east shores of the lake. Around 1927,  Henry & Maude Turner had an idea: they would buy up some cabins and lease the land on a beautiful western lake and open a dude ranch. - MM 17 HWY 83 - www.tamaracks.com/about-us 

    The Lodges on Seeley Lake: The acclaimed McLeod family of Missoula built the majority of its cabins in the early 1920s. Their creation of the Missoula Mercantile gathered people from hundreds of miles in all directions to purchase anything from flour to automobiles. The Lodges served as a family retreat and a place to entertain their wide circle of friends. Its purpose remains much the same today, where families and friends unite. MM 14 turn west on Boy Scout Rd, 2.5 miles. www.thelodgesonseeleylake.com

    Placid Lake Tree Stumps: Many years ago, one of the cabin owners MM 11 on Highway 83 N. Turn west on Placid Lake road, left on the lower road.

See and Do

     Rich Ranch: The Rich family has been involved in outfitting in Seeley Lake since the 1950’s. Originally at the Double Arrow ranch and now located in the Kozy Korner meadow. Pack trips to the Bob Marshall as well as trail rides in the area. MM 5 turn east up the hill toward Kozy Korner. http://richranch.com

    Gus the world’s known largest Western Larch Tree: Trees grow big in the Seeley-Swan valleys, but the granddaddy of them all is a 1,000-year-old western larch, known locally as Gus. A short flat walk from the parking area or take a gentle, mile-long nature trail loops to enjoy more of the wonderful giants. Located in the Girard Grove, an area where one of the Salish-Kootenai families camped on their way to and from their elk hunting grounds. Turn west on Boy Scout Rd (the southern entrance in town), across the bridge and watch for the parking area just on the left in the middle of the curve. https://crownofthecontinent.natgeotourism.com/content/gus-worlds-largest-larch-tree/cot50caf093bd65f401b

     Norman Maclean Memorial: Norman Maclean is a renown author of stories such as “The River Runs Though It”. His family has had a cabin on the western side of the lake since the 20’s and still use it every summer. MM14 turn west on Boy Scout Rd, across the bridge turn into Seeley Lake Campground. Stay left and park in the picnic area and walk left down the beach.

     Jocko Lakes Pass: the only road from the Seeley Swan Valley to the Mission Valley besides going around through Missoula or north around through Big Fork. This dirt road was the trail to the elk that the Salish and Kootenai used in the fall on their hunting trips. MM 11 on Highway 83 N. Turn west on Placid Lake road and follow the signs.


      Morrell Falls: This 5 mile round trip hike, is on a good, nearly flat trail that is great for all members of the family. MM16 turn east on Morrell Ck Rd. At the ski trails turn left and follow the signs.

     Seeley Creek Nordic Ski Trails: During the winter this premier cross country trail system is groomed daily by a team of volunteers. In the non-snow season they are a wonderful trail system for hiking and biking. MM16 turn east on Morrell Ck Rd. http://www.seeleylakenordic.org


Come and Visit Seeley Lake - download​