Directions:From Clearwater Junction, follow highway 83 north 10.1 miles to the Placid Lake turnoff. Turn left on Placid Lake road and follow the road 3 miles to the lake. Follow the signs for the state park, and park alongside the road.
Type of ride: Dirt/gravel road. A topographic profile of the roads around the lake is shown below.
Distance of ride: 14.1 mile loop as described below. However, the road is drivable all the way around, so and out-and-back ride of any length can be done.
Description: This loop circles Placid Lake on Forest Service roads. Turn right from the state park entrance. At South Placid Lake Road, mile .3, turn right, and stay right at the Y junction at mile .6. Another .1 mile brings you to a bridge where you can look west across the lake to the Mission Mountains. Follow this road past various cabins, looking in the trees on both sides of the road for "stump art", faces painted on old tree stumps. At the next Y intersection, mile 1.0, turn right onto Enchanted Forest Road. This short road leads you past more stump art with views of the lake through the trees. Mile 1.8 brings a T junction where you turn right to get back onto the main road, Forest Service road 9975.
Mile 3.4 brings a Y junction and a set of power lines where you bear left. The Mission's are visible in the distance. The road climbs steadily for about .3 miles, bringing the Swan Range into view. A one-lane bridge crosses over a creek at mile 4.6. At this point, you are pedaling through thick forest. At a T junction at mile 5.7, stay stright on the main road. The forest opens up for more Swan views.
At the next T intersection, stay straight onto Forest Road 9974. A bridge crosses Placid Creek at mile 7.5. Turn right at the next T junction at mile 7.8 onto Forest Service road 349. You will see a mileage sign showing highway 83 is 10 miles distant. The burned trees around you are from the Jocko Lakes fire that raged through the area in August 2007. Stay right at the Y junction at mile 10.2 where Forest Service Road 349 breaks off and parallels Placid Lake Road. You now begin to see views of the lake in the distance. Forest Service Road 349 make another appearance at mile 11.9 and then veers off again. The state day use area for Placid Lake appears at mile 12.7, and has picnic tables and an outhouse. Another 1.4 miles of riding returns you to your starting place at the state park entrance.
The profile was created in TOPO, www.nationalgeographic.com/topo
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