Johnson Lake Loop (Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness)

Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (Middle Fork Trailhead off Moose Lake Road, south of Philipsburg)

The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness straddles the Continental Divide in southwest Montana. The Forest Service puts it at 159,086 acres on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Bitterroot National Forests, and TrailGroove says about 45 miles of the Continental Divide Trail cross it.

The Johnson Lake Loop, from the Middle Fork trailhead on the north side, is a three-day circuit through the central high country, with two lake camps and a long ridge day in between.

The hike

Wild Montana’s directions from Philipsburg: south 6.5 miles on MT-1, west 9.2 miles on MT-38 (Skalkaho Road), then left on Moose Lake Road for 15.1 miles; stay left at the fork, and the Middle Fork Trailhead is about half a mile farther on the left. The Outbound says two trailheads leave this lot and that its author signed in at one before starting.

The Outbound’s loop runs about 16 miles with 3,160 feet of gain. Day one is 5.2 miles and just under 1,500 feet to Johnson Lake, past waterfalls on the approach. The Outbound suggests a day hike from the lake toward Pintler Pass. TrailGroove describes a longer route from Johnson Lake over Rainbow Pass (9,250 feet) to Rainbow Lake, and Backpacker’s 2002 Continental Divide loop stopped at Johnson Lake for lunch.

Day two is the hard one: 6.5 miles and just under 2,000 feet over several ridges. The route passes Phyllis Lake, which The Outbound describes as set among craggy peaks and scree, then an amphitheater basin below a ridge that’s sometimes used for camping but had no water when the author tried it in late August. The night’s camp is Little Johnson Lake, smaller and quieter than Johnson Lake. Day three drops about 1,800 feet over 4.5 miles to the trailhead. Wild Montana, which scheduled a volunteer crew on Middle Fork Trail #8028 for August 2026, describes the trail as rocky and uneven, climbing from Little Johnson Lake toward Bitterroot Pass through burned and recovering forest.

The Forest Service says lakes in the wilderness usually stay frozen until the first week of July and passes are often snowbound until mid-July, and snow is possible any month. TrailGroove warns mosquitoes can be severe in July and suggests August for fewer bugs; late September and early October bring larch color and early snow.

For a Bitterroot Mountains overnight on the other side of the valley, see Big Creek Lake.

Tips

Register at the trailhead. The Forest Service says registration is required to enter the wilderness.
Expect downed trees. A September 2026 reviewer on The Outbound reported many between the lot and Johnson Lake.
Carry water on day two. The amphitheater was dry in late August.
Treat all water; the Forest Service recommends filters.

Camping

Forest Service rules for the Anaconda-Pintler: groups of 12 people and 12 head of stock or fewer; camp at least 200 feet from water and trails; stays of up to 16 days on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge; and no campfires within a quarter mile of a list of lakes that includes Upper and Lower Phyllis. At Johnson Lake, the sheet says “Camping is prohibited between Trails #96 and #111 and the lakeshore of Johnson Lake.” The Beaverhead-Deerlodge annual food storage order applies March 1 to December 1.

Inside Intel: The Outbound’s author, LJ Dawson, camped at Johnson Lake the first night, where “there are established campgrounds around the lake that the forest service requires you to camp in,” and at Little Johnson Lake the second, noting that it “has a little less traffic than the other lake.”

Trail facts

Distance: About 16 miles (The Outbound)
Route type: Loop
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: Johnson Lake (established sites; no camping on the lakeshore between the trails), Little Johnson Lake
Water: Lakes and streams; the amphitheater can be dry; treat it
Permits: Free registration at the trailhead
Fires: Banned within 1/4 mile of the Phyllis Lakes and other listed lakes
Bear storage: Required March 1 to December 1
Trailhead: Middle Fork Trailhead, Moose Lake Road
Last verified: October 10, 2026

The Lowdown

Rocky ground at Little Johnson Lake:

The Johnson Lake Loop ends its hardest day at a small lake camp below Bitterroot Pass. See the sleeping pads reviewers rate for comfort.

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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.