Nelson Lake Trailhead

Access to Boulder & Bare Peaks

Parking at the trailhead

From Hwy 93 take Montana Hwy 473 (West Fork Road) west for 14.3 miles to the junction with Nez Perce Road (468).

No motorized vehicles on this trail

Turn right (south-southwest) onto Nez Perce Road and drive almost 3 miles to the Nelson-Gemmel Road (5633).

Turn right (west) onto the fairly good gravel road.

Drive about 2.7 miles and turn right (west) at the junction as directed by the sign for Nelson Lake Trailhead.

In spite of the fact that the sign shows 3 mile to the trailhead, it is only 2.5 miles to the pullout.

There is parking for about six vehicles but no restroom facilities.

The trail leaves the parking area in a north-northwest direction.

Nelson Creek was named for Jake Nelson, a blacksmith, who had a timber claim near the mouth of the creek in 1896. The lake was later named after the creek.

For information about the climbers' routes accessed from this trailhead, see the links included in the picture's description.

Both Bare Peak East (front left) and Boulder Peak (rear right)
can be seen from the summit of Mount Jerusalem

Images

View Nelson Lake Trailhead Image Gallery - 4 Images