Montana · Hiking · Great Bear Wilderness

Big River

26.7 mi
round trip
1,111 ft
climb
5,652 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Big River 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.

Big River is a hard hike in the Great Bear Wilderness, part of the Spotted Bear Ranger District of Flathead National Forest in northwest Montana. The trail is about 26.7 miles long, with an elevation gain of 1,111 feet, and it runs out and back from a low point of about 5,000 feet to a high of about 5,650 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced and open year-round. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at E Glacier, which sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail, show July and August highs around 74°F with lows in the mid-40s. Winter is cold, with January and February highs near 30°F. The trail is not accessible, and bikes are not allowed. Horses are permitted. Several other hikes start close by, including Calbick Creek about half a mile away and Cox Creek at about 1.2 miles. The Lodgepole Lo Trail is about 2.4 miles off, and paddlers can reach the Middle Fork Flathead River about 6.6 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Big River

    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.

    1. Jan

      30° / 13°

    2. Feb

      30° / 13°

    3. Mar

      37° / 19°

    4. Apr

      46° / 27°

    5. May

      56° / 34°

    6. Jun

      64° / 41°

    7. Jul

      74° / 46°

    8. Aug

      74° / 44°

    9. Sep

      63° / 38°

    10. Oct

      50° / 29°

    11. Nov

      36° / 22°

    12. Dec

      29° / 15°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at E Glacier, MT, 25.5 mi away at 4,806 ft. The station sits about 800 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.

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