Montana · Hiking · Bob Marshall Wilderness

Babcock

15.6 mi
round trip
495 ft
climb
5,691 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May, Jul–Sep
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is marginal · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 7 h ago

Is Babcock open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Flathead National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Flathead National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Babcock is a hard hike in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, on the Spotted Bear Ranger District of Flathead National Forest in Montana. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is about 15.6 miles long as an out-and-back, with a total elevation gain of 495 feet. The route rises from a low point of about 4,967 feet to roughly 5,691 feet. The trail is natural surfaced and not accessible. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Seeley Lake, which sits well below the trail, show July and August highs around 83°F with lows in the low 40s. At the higher elevation of the Babcock route, expect it to run cooler. Cabin Creek starts just 0.1 mile away, and Otter Creek is about 0.9 mile off. Hahn Cabin and Youngs Creek both lie within about 2 miles.

  • Best time to go · May, Jul–Sep

    Best time to visit Babcock

    Best months: May and July–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      32° / 12°

      15 wet

    2. Feb

      37° / 13°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      45° / 20°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 27°

      11 wet

    5. May

      65° / 34°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 41°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 44°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 43°

      7 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 36°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      56° / 29°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      40° / 21°

      14 wet

    12. Dec

      31° / 13°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Seeley Lake Rs, MT, 16.6 mi away at 4,100 ft. The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.