The Mighty Morrell Falls

By Scott Poniewaz, 6-27-05

	Caption: The author, Scott Poniewaz, in front of the roaring Morrell Falls north of Missoula.

Last week we took you canoeing on the Clearwater River. This week I had planned on rafting the Blackfoot for an overnight trip, but things changed and so did my plans for this week's adventure. I struggled for a trip idea as I feared the weather wouldn't be good Sunday, but I quickly remembered one of my favorites and headed back up to the Seeley Lake area. I’ve done the hike a few times, and it's an especially good one for out-of-town visitors.

Morrell Falls is a beautiful hike, and not too strenuous. The trail totals about 2.5 miles in each direction through a spaced-out lodgepole pine area, thick forest filled with fir, larch and spruce, past lakes and streams, then finishes up with a beautiful 90-foot double waterfall.

One of the great things about this trail is that you can access it by foot, horse or bike (but beware, with tree roots aplenty, you’ll want a mountain bike). This time of the year you’ll start to see the Beargrass coming up, which had been used by Indians for basket weaving in the past, and is still in use by basket weavers today (they prefer the drier type, which grows just after a fire). After about 1.8 miles, you’ll see a pond to your right, you’ll continue on and might hear the falls teasing you, but they're still a little further off than they sound. Just past the pond, you’ll see a lake through the trees, which is Morrell Lake. As you follow the trail past the lake, you’ll see some footpaths that head down to the water and a couple campsites complete with fire grates, an overnight option that would be great for a youngster’s first backpacking excursion. After you continue a bit further you'll start to feel the cool moisture radiating through the forest from the waterfall. Follow that feeling and breathe deeply for the final push.

I always find it amazing how much water seems to be pouring over the edge, when Morrell Creek is such a small stream. Each time I go, I feel rejuvenated by the power of the water that has been tumbling over those rocks for years and years. After enjoying the falls for a little bit, head back up the trail to the Grizzly Basin trail I mentioned before (since it was on your left on the way in, remember it’ll be the opposite on the way back, so take the right or you’ll end up in the woods). This would take you all the way to Grizzly Basin, about 4-5 miles further if you kept going (the trail is fairly rugged and not well marked from what I understand), but in the first half-mile or so you can see a few smaller falls up the way and experience some great views of the area from above the big falls. Don’t slipon the way down!

As I hiked back, noticing the Beargrass, thinking of Grizzly Basin above and the fact I hadn’t seen a bear in awhile, I started telling my hiking companion a story about a time my buddy fooled a group of Tennessee Boy Scouts hiking in Glacier National Park a couple years back. My buddy Alex started roaring like a bear and made the boys a little frightened and they waited for their dad’s to catch up and get the bear out of camp. Hearing the timid fathers head up the trail became priceless after they figured out it was just Alex and not so convincingly said, “Gee, you sure did get those kids, but we knew it wasn’t a bear all along.�

Somewhere in the middle of that story, which I could tell in its entirety, I was letting out a roar for added effect when the bushes began to shake and I heard an animal scramble toward me from my right side. I turned my head just quick enough to see the beast begin to leap at me and my roar turned into a “Woo-AAH,� when I saw the thing looking down at me about to pounce. Its sharp claws were just about to dig into me when I took my arm and blocked the small Australian Shepherd/Border Collie looking dog from ripping me to shreds. The owners came biking around the corner with grins on their face, realizing their little dog scared the crap out of me.

Yeah, I sound like a wuss, but at least my hiking companion said she was glad that when I yelped, it didn’t sound like a 12-year-old girl, thank you very much! After that vicious animal encounter (alright, it wasn’t so vicious and it really was just looking up at me, but he did bark!), the rest of the hike was a pleasure and the clouds even began to break as we got back to the trailhead.

Driving from Missoula:

Take I-90 East to MT Highway 200 (the Bonner exit). Take 200 to MT Highway 83 (Clearwater Junction), you’ll see a big cow out in front of the Conoco Station, take a left to Seeley Lake. Once you hit Seeley (about 15 miles), you’ll head through the town and you’ll see a Veteran’s Memorial on the north edge of town, you’re getting close to the right turn you’ll need to take on Morrell Creek Road. The road turns to gravel pretty quick, but its well maintained, so your car should be okay. It turns into Forest Road 477, but from highway 83 its 1.1 miles until a left turn on to FR 4353 and travel 6 miles. You’ll reach the turn for FR 4381, take a right to Morrell Falls and Pyramid Pass. Head down the road shortly until you see the fork breaking you off to the left for Morrell Falls (if you take a right you head to Pyramid Pass). You’ll hit the trailhead parking area after about a mile.

Directions on the trail:

The trail starts from the gate just before the last turn into the parking area. Follow the old road, which will lead you into the woods. Head through the woods on the trail for about 2 miles, until you reach the north end of Morrell Lake, where the trail will fork left. Just past Morrell Lake you’ll hit a fork in the road, if you miss the arrow pointing to the left nailed into a tree and take the right, you’ll run into a campsite on Morrell Lake, don’t worry just turn around and walk straight. You’re almost there at this point and you’ll cross a shallow stream on a well built bridge for the home stretch to the falls. When you start to hear the fall getting louder and the cool moisture overtaking the air, start to look for a trail to the left that is marked by a small wood sign about 7 feet in the air on a tree labeling ‘Upper Falls’ and ‘Grizzly Basin,’ you’ll want to head up there after you look at the lower falls. Just a few more steps and you’re there to look up and see the power of water that falls 90-feet. [End of article]