Montana · Hiking · Bob Marshall Wilderness

Black Bear Bridge Ford

2.9 mi
round trip
197 ft
climb
4,298 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Black Bear Bridge Ford 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.

Black Bear Bridge Ford is an easy out-and-back hike of about 2.9 miles in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, on the Spotted Bear Ranger District of Flathead National Forest in Montana. The trail's one-way climb is about 197 feet, from a low point near 4,090 feet to a high point of about 4,298 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not, and the trail is not accessible. It stays open all year. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical July and August highs run around 78°F with lows near 50°F and only about seven wet days a month, based on averages from a nearby weather station at Lindbergh Lake. Winters there are cold and snowy, with January highs around 31°F and 17 snow days. Hungry Creek lies just 0.2 miles away, and Helen Cr. and Kelly Point Ford are both about 1.2 miles off. Paddlers can find the South Fork Flathead River roughly 8 miles away.