Babcock
- 7.8 mi
- round trip
- 1,187 ft
- climb
- 5,735 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Caution at last check
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 13 h ago
Is Babcock open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Lolo National Forest.
East Fork Big Creek Road & Trail Closure- Superior Ranger District
Agency alert covering Lolo National Forest · Order 26-003- · USFS · Lolo National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Lolo National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Babcock is a hard hike in the Missoula Ranger District of Lolo National Forest in Montana, about 7.8 miles long with a one-way elevation gain of 1,187 feet. The trail is natural-surface and carries the Forest Service's trail number, with horses and bikes both allowed. The route is out and back, starting at a low of about 3,724 feet and climbing to a high of about 5,735 feet. July and August are the warmest stretch, with typical highs near 81°F and lows around 42 to 43°F at a nearby weather station in Phillipsburg. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures up top run a little cooler. Solomon Ridge is just 0.3 miles away, and Sawmill Ridge and Babcock Mountain are both within about 3.3 miles. Norton Campground is about 4.3 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Granite Peak RV Resort31 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Babcock
Best months: May–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.
Jan
36° / 15°
Feb
38° / 15°
Mar
47° / 21°
Apr
54° / 26°
May
63° / 33°
Jun
71° / 39°
Jul
81° / 43°
Aug
81° / 42°
Sep
71° / 36°
Oct
57° / 28°
Nov
43° / 21°
Dec
34° / 14°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Phillipsburg Rs, MT, 28.6 mi away at 5,270 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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Babcock Mountain
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6-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,927 ft elevation gain.
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