Numa Peak

Glacial sculpting on Belt Supergroup; Numa Peak as a horn obscured from some angles by Numa Ridge; Lewis Overthrust history (~150 Ma)

Visible glacial sculpting on Belt Supergroup; long-term tectonic movement; 150 Ma uplift

From Bowman Lake day-use area, follow the Numa Ridge Lookout Trail beginning at the Bowman Lake Campground; the 11.8-mile roundtrip climbs to the lookout over alpine terrain.

Numa Ridge Trail; Bowman Lake Trail

Numa Ridge Lookout Trail connects to the Bowman Lake Trail

Numa Ridge Lookout; Bowman Lake shoreline; along the Numa Ridge Trail for high vantage points

Sunrise on granite, golden hour over the ridges, reflections on Bowman Lake

Numa Ridge Lookout; Bowman Lake shoreline at dawn; ridge silhouettes at sunset

Bears (grizzly and black); mountain goats; various birds

Afternoon heat; foggy mornings; possible summer thunderstorms; bear activity season

Bowman Lake, Akokala Lake, Moose Lake, Numa Ridge Lookout, Polebridge

Polebridge; West Glacier (lodging and dining); Bowman Lake area facilities

Moderate to strenuous; not wheelchair accessible

Exposed edges and off-trail travel demand close supervision; the main routes aren’t suitable for very young hikers. The Numa Ridge Lookout hike covers roughly 11.8 miles round trip and climbs to about 6,960 feet, making it a long day for families with older, capable hikers. Reaching Numa Peak itself is longer and more challenging—about 16 miles round trip with around 5,000 feet of elevation gain—and should be attempted only by experienced hikers. Parking is at the Bowman Lake trailhead, and Bowman Lake Road can be dusty and rough.

Bowman Lake Campground; Bowman Lake day-use area; Polebridge; West Glacier