Harrison Lake Trail (#217): Bear Spray, Podcasts, and One Angry Moose Memory
My Seventh of Fifty Hikes
In June 2021, I was living and working in Massachusetts. Ken, then my boyfriend rather than my husband, owned land in northern Idaho, where he already knew he wanted to retire. We would travel there on vacation, either glamping in a shed on his property or, stepping it up a bit, renting a place on Airbnb. Those vacations were filled with trips to local farmers’ markets, eagle spotting, paddle board adventures, and day hikes.
On that particular trip, we wanted to hike Harrison Lake Trail (#217) in Boundary County. A local we chatted up at a post office recommended it as a “must see,” with a serene alpine lake in the Selkirk Mountains.
So, I searched online for directions to the trailhead, but instead I found a newspaper article that left my mouth hanging open. A moose had charged a man and his dog at a backcountry campsite at the lake. He’d shot and killed it. Access to the trail was closed by Idaho Fish and Game until bears could finish feeding on the carcass. Eek.
Five years later, in July 2026, I couldn’t help but think about that angry moose and those hungry bears as we arrived at the trailhead, after a slow drive on a rutted dirt road.
We had bear spray with us, and Ken assured me it would work just as well on a moose. Still, I couldn’t help wondering whether he was right as we wandered up a sandy path washed out by snowmelt. I also wondered whether I’d stumble over a loose rock and break an ankle running away from a charging moose.
Wait. Do you run from moose? Or stand your ground? I wasn’t sure.
To distract my mind and scare away forest creatures, I turned on a podcast, the volume up loud on the portable speaker in my pants’ pocket.
Expert tip: Do not listen to the podcast I Survived when feeling anxious in the woods. Try Hit Parade from Slate instead, or just put on some tranquil John Denver music.
We continued along the path. Stopping to admire the purple and yellow daisy-like petals of the Showy Fleabane, and occasionally hopping across rocks over small streams, until the path disappeared and before us lay a granite hillside. We climbed it easily: this was not shifting shale but a steady rock slope. At the top, the soft, well-trodden trail appeared again, leading us back into the shade of trees. We passed empty campsites, remnants of burn pits, and the occasional bear box for food.
Then we reached the lake: clear water encircled by a mountainside of stone, dotted with green conifers. It was quiet, save for the occasional twitter of a squirrel in a nearby tree and a pop on the water as trout chased mayflies.
Beautiful and private, it was the perfect setting for an ‘80s horror flick. Or for a pretty woman peeing in the woods to be chased by a moose into the mouth of a grizzly.
Nonetheless, we sat on boulders overlooking the lake: ate snacks, admired the view, then headed back down the two-and-a-half-mile moderately challenging trail. It was a lovely hike, one I’d repeat, perhaps with a fly-fishing pole.
When I returned home, I decided to find out whether bear spray is an effective deterrent against moose. You can read about that, and the best way to behave when crossing a moose’s path, here.
JUST THE FACTS: Harrison Lake Trail (#217)
Distance: 5 miles (total out and back)
Estimated Time: ~ 3 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,430 feet
Key Highlights: Crystal-clear alpine lake, granite slopes, potential for fly-fishing and back-country camping. Bring bug spray for biting flies.
Difficulty: Moderate. An upward path with rocks to stumble on.
Call for Comments: Have you hiked Harrison Lake Trail? Share your stories, tips, and local history in the comments, or submit to Readers’ Hike to have your adventure highlighted.
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