Mill Creek Trail with Jen

Jen riding up Mormon Peak Road.

Last Friday after work, Jen and I drove over to Lolo to ride Mill Creek Trail, which begins about a mile up the trail to Lolo Peak. To get there, turn right onto Highway 12 in Lolo and a few miles later, look for the Mormon Creek Road sign on your left. This is the road that takes you to the Lolo Peak Trail Head. You can park here, but we drove a few miles further up on Highway 12, and turned left onto Mill Creek Road, which is where the Mill Creek Trail Head is. Regardless of where you park, you've got to climb Mormon Creek Road for 8 miles to the Lolo Peak Trail Head. It's a long slog up the road, but you'll be glad you did it. Continue on the Lolo Peak trail for about a mile, looking for the sign indicating Mill Creek Trail on your right. If you give yourself enough time (we didn't), you can keep going another 4 miles up Lolo Peak Trail to Carlton Ridge to extend your climb and descent. We rode up about another 3/4 mile before riding back to the Mill Creek Trail junction. The descent down Mill Creek is great, with some more technical spots than typical Missoula riding. And even more, it's just nice to get out and ride something different; I had never ridden Mill Creek Trail prior to this ride. Here's Mountain Bike Missoula's map of the ride.

The larches in full color on Carlton Ridge from Mormon Peak Road.

On Mill Creek trail

Mill Creek trail.

Nearing the car.