The short answerLake Alva, about 11 miles north of Seeley Lake, is a 298-acre, 95-foot-deep lake where all boats must run no-wake year-round. The Forest Service's Lake Alva Campground has 39 sites, a concrete ramp and a swim beach, and the Forest Service lists loons and bald eagles here. Rainy Lake, the 82-acre headwater lake just above it, has no verified public access.
Lake Alva and Rainy Lake sit at the top of the Clearwater chain. Rainy Lake is the headwater lake, and Lake Alva lies just below it.3 Alva is the one most people visit: a 298-acre lake about 11 miles north of Seeley Lake with a Forest Service campground, a concrete boat ramp and a swim beach.16 All boats on Alva must run at no-wake speed year-round, which keeps the water quiet for paddlers.6
Lake Alva by the numbers
| Measure | Lake Alva | Rainy Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Surface area | About 298 acres (297.7)1 | About 82 acres (82.1)3 |
| Maximum depth | 95 ft1 | No depth data on FWP’s map4 |
| Average depth | 52 ft1 | Not available |
| Volume | 15,484 acre-feet12 | Not available |
| Surface elevation | About 4,082 ft1 | About 4,116 ft3 |
Lake Alva Campground
As of 2026, the Forest Service lists:6
| Item | Detail (as of 2026) |
|---|---|
| Location | North shore, about 11 miles north of Seeley Lake |
| Loop 1 | 19 reservable sites |
| Loop 2 | 20 first-come sites |
| Fee | $20 a night in peak season |
| Day use | Free |
| Boat ramp | Concrete |
| Swimming | Swim beach |
| Wildlife | Loons and bald eagles listed |
Lakeside Campground is closed. The Forest Service lists Lakeside Campground, at the south end of the lake, as closed.6 If you see it on an older map, do not plan on it.
Status and fees change. Confirm with the Seeley Lake Ranger District at 406-677-2233 (weekdays 8:00 to 4:30) before your trip.9 This is bear country; see wildlife and bear safety for food storage rules.
Boating on Lake Alva
The rule that matters: no-wake for all boats, year-round.6 That suits canoes, kayaks and fishing boats at slow speed and rules out water skiing and tubing. For faster boating, see the state park lakes, Placid and Salmon.
Montana requires aquatic invasive species inspections, and nonresidents need a Vessel AIS Prevention Pass.8
Loons on Lake Alva
The Forest Service lists loons and bald eagles among the wildlife at the Lake Alva Campground.6 The Clearwater drainage holds the highest concentration of nesting common loons in Montana, and May and June are the critical nesting months.7 Montana has only about 65 nesting pairs in total, so each one matters.7 Keep well away from loons on the water and from any marked nest area.
What fish are in Lake Alva?
FWP lists native bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, mountain whitefish, largescale and longnose suckers, northern pikeminnow and redside shiner, along with brook trout, kokanee, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout and yellow perch.1
FWP stocks westslope cutthroat in Alva every year since 2020, including 8,060 fish on June 12, 2026, and stocks kokanee in most years.1 No consumption advisory is listed.1
| Species or method | 2026 rule on Lake Alva |
|---|---|
| Kokanee | 10 daily, 20 in possession |
| Northern pike | No limit |
| Pike spearing | Open |
| Bull trout | Closed to fishing (Western District rule) |
Read the current FWP regulations before you fish.5
Rainy Lake
Rainy Lake (sometimes spelled Rainey) is the 82-acre headwater lake of the chain, just above Alva.3 FWP’s map shows no depth data for it.4
Access is not verified. FWP lists no fishing access site on Rainy Lake, and we have not confirmed a public launch, campground or trail to the shore.3 Before you go, ask the Seeley Lake Ranger District at 406-677-2233.
Fish. FishMT lists bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, largescale and longnose suckers, redside shiner, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and lake trout. FishMT flags lake trout as native here; we have not verified that classification.3 FWP stocked 700 westslope cutthroat on June 10, 2026, and 1,000 in each of 2025, 2023, 2021 and 2019.3
A closure to know. Under the 2026 regulations, the Clearwater River is closed to fishing from the Rainy Lake fish barrier downstream for 100 yards. Clearwater River tributaries are catch-and-release for cutthroat trout.5
Ice season
We have not found authoritative ice-in or ice-out dates for either lake, so we do not publish any. Ice changes year to year. Ask locally and check with FWP or the ranger district before going on the ice.
Nearby
- Lake Inez: south toward town, with a small first-come campground.
- Seeley Lake: the lake by town.
- All lakes compared.
Common questions
Can you water ski or run a motorboat fast on Lake Alva?
Can you reserve a campsite at Lake Alva?
Is Lakeside Campground on Lake Alva open?
Can you get to Rainy Lake?
Are there loons on Lake Alva?
Property for sale around Seeley Lake
Price reduced
Price reducedSources
- FishMT: Lake Alva (waterbody 43705), Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Lake Alva bathymetric map, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- FishMT: Rainy Lake (waterbody 43711), Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Rainy Lake map, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Lake Alva Campground, USDA Forest Service, Lolo National Forest
- Montana's Loon, Montana Loon Society
- Aquatic Invasive Species, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Lolo National Forest offices, USDA Forest Service
Facts on this page were checked against the sources above on October 18, 2026. Spot something out of date? Send a correction.
Keep reading
Lake Inez
Lake Inez, 9 miles north of Seeley Lake on Highway 83: 288 acres, 69 feet deep, a small year-round Forest Service campground with a launch, and 2026 fishing rules.
Seeley Lake
Seeley Lake by the numbers: 1,031 acres, 125 feet deep. Where to launch and swim, boating and AIS rules, fish and 2026 regulations, loons, ice season and camping.
Wildlife and bear safety
Bear safety around Seeley Lake, Montana: grizzly country, the Forest Service food storage order, bear spray, plus how to watch loons, moose, elk and eagles responsibly.