Sentinel Ridge Trail Hike

Name: Sentinel Ridge Trail
Distance: 3.25 miles round trip
Time: 1 hour
Elevation Gain: 1,918.99 feet
Average Grade: 23
Summit: 5,158 feet
Difficulty: Partly Strenious

Sentinel Ridge is a hike that starts out in earnest but with great views. Then after the summit, it mellows out to a nice walk back down. That is, if you follow these directions.

Start at the Sentinel/?M? parking lot at the college. Start up the trail and go to the left just above the initial steps. Stay left at the next fork also. This little off shoot takes you closer to the rocky ledges over Kim Williams Trail and the river that runs by it. This section is mostly side hill single track with some short sections of scree . This trail ends as it re joins the Ridge Trail . The Ridge Trail climbs some more and tops out to join a access trail or road from the south.

At this point you are just above the ?M?. Continue East and left up the remainder of the Ridge Trail. You will follow the ridge on the North side overlooking Hellgate Canyon. Continue climbing, past where it joins back up with the main Sentinel Trail, and past the windsock used by hand gliders. Summit Sentinel and enjoy the view.

Descend to the East down the Hand Glider Access Road. Go down about 100 yards and keep an eye out for a trail to the right that disappears into to trees. Take this trail to go down between the two Sentinel Summits. Starting out through the trees you will emerge with Missoula I the valley below. Descend through the field and reach the old jeep trail and a zigzag fence bypass. Go through and at about 15 feet down the jeep trail to the right is a trail down towards town. Descend down this trail and come to a series of trail offshoots. Go past the one to the left and the right. Then take the second right and this section will take you to the last switchback from the ?M? trail before it emerges at the parking area and where you began.

I give this hike 4 stars!