When we first came to Montana years ago, we drove 15 miles north of Seeley Lake to Clearwater Lake to explore one of the many lakes in the area. Once we began geocaching, we knew that this lake would be perfect for a cache. Clearwater Lake sits below Ptarmigan Mountain, at the base of the Swan Range, near the headwaters of the Clearwater River. The lake is the first of a "chain of lakes" that are fed by the Clearwater River in the south end of the Seeley-Swan Valley. The lake provides habitat to ducks and fish. Occasionally, you may be able to spot Loons.
To access Clearwater Lake, take Hwy 83 to Clearwater-Morrell Road, between mile markers 27 & 28. Travel 6 miles up the road to a small parking area at the trailhead. The lake is an easy 1/4 mile walk from the parking area down a hikeable/bikeable trail. The cache, a standard size ammo can, is located near the end of the trail leading to the lake. Sometimes the trail can be busy, so watch out for muggles. At the end of the trail, there is a 2 mile loop trail which circles the perimeter of the lake, providing some scenic views of the Swan Range. After finding the cache, take some time to enjoy the serenity of the lake. Since the lake borders are heavily timbered and dense with vegetation, bug spray is recommended.
The fire kept this cache hidden for quite awhile. Finally, a congratulations to AugNBoo for their FTF.