Jewel Basin: Picnic Lakes to Black Lake

Jewel Basin Hiking Area, Flathead National Forest (Camp Misery Trailhead, near Bigfork)

The Jewel Basin Hiking Area is a 15,000-acre pocket of the Swan Range above Flathead Lake that the Forest Service keeps “exclusively for hiking and camping.” No horses, bikes, or motor vehicles are allowed, and more than 20 lakes are scattered through the basin.

Camping is allowed anywhere in Jewel Basin, according to the Forest Service’s regulations, and The Outbound describes a 7-mile round trip from Camp Misery to Black Lake, at the base of Mount Aeneas.

The hike

Everything starts at Camp Misery, which the Forest Service warns “can be very crowded on blue bird days.” SummitPost says the access roads are gravel that “some would describe as poor at best.”

The Outbound’s route to Black Lake follows Trail 8 for 0.6 mile, turns right on Trail 68 for 0.7 mile, then right again on Trail 7 for the climb into the basin. Near the top, turn right on Trail 392 for 0.4 mile toward Picnic Lakes. At Picnic Lakes, turn left (right goes toward Mount Aeneas), follow that trail 0.7 mile, then turn right on Trail 792 and descend to Black Lake below the face of Mount Aeneas. The Outbound lists the trip at 7 miles round trip with 1,500 feet of climbing.

For a different route, Hiking Project and onX describe a loop of about 8 miles from Camp Misery on Trails 717 and 721. It climbs to a ridge and a microwave building at about 3 miles, drops to the two Picnic Lakes, and returns past Twin Lakes. Hiking Project warns that the turn toward Picnic Lakes on the ridge “isn’t obvious,” and several hikers have missed it.

SummitPost lists other destinations from Camp Misery: Birch Lake (3.0 miles), Crater Lake (5.3 miles), and Big Hawk Lakes (9.0 miles). Distinctly Montana mentions “semi-private swimming and tenting spots” around Birch Lake and describes Crater Lake as a granite basin with cold, deep water. SummitPost calls Birch Lake “perhaps the most used and fished lake in the Jewel Basin.”

SummitPost cautions that it’s possible to get turned around in Jewel Basin and recommends a map and compass, and Hiking Project calls the area “grizzly country.” Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks stocks some of the lakes with westslope cutthroat trout, according to the Flathead Beacon.

For a longer, wilder trip farther south in the Swan Range, see Upper Holland Lake and Sapphire Lakes.

Tips

Arrive early on clear weekends; Camp Misery fills.
Watch for the Picnic Lakes turn on the ridge.
Keep dogs leashed at all times.
Skip the fire at Birch, Crater, Twin, and Picnic Lakes, where fires are banned within 500 feet of shore.
Carry bear spray and store food properly.

Camping

The Forest Service’s Jewel Basin regulations say camping is “allowed anywhere in Jewel Basin,” with dispersed sites and a request to minimize impact; no permit is needed, according to the Flathead Beacon. Groups are limited to 12 people, the stay limit is 14 days within any 30-day period, and dogs must be leashed. Fires are allowed where not otherwise restricted, but there are no open fires within 500 feet of the shores of Twin, Picnic, Birch, and Crater Lakes. SummitPost says the Forest Service asks for catholes at least 200 feet from water and recommends groups of four to six.

The Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem food storage order (R1-2023-02) covers the Flathead National Forest from March 1 through December 31 each year through 2028: unattended food and attractants must be hung at least 10 feet up and 4 feet out from any support or kept in an IGBC-certified bear-resistant container.

Inside Intel: The Outbound says Black Lake has two main campsites and advises hikers to “pass the first (most obvious one) to the more isolated and creek adjacent smaller site,” which has mountain views and a small waterfall.

Trail facts

Distance: 7 miles round trip to Black Lake (The Outbound)
Route type: Out-and-back; loop options via Picnic and Twin Lakes
Difficulty: Moderate
Campsites: Dispersed; two main sites at Black Lake (The Outbound)
Water: Lakes and creeks; no potable water at the trailhead; treat all water
Permits: None
Group size: 12 people; 14-day stay limit in any 30 days
Fires: Allowed except within 500 ft of Twin, Picnic, Birch, and Crater Lakes
Dogs: Leashed at all times
Trailhead: Camp Misery (Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District, 406-387-3800)
Last verified: October 10, 2026

The Lowdown

Short miles to Black Lake:

Black Lake is only about 3.5 miles from Camp Misery, so there's room in the pack for a thicker sleeping pad. See the pads reviewers rate highest.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.