Cap Mtn.
- 8.0 mi
- round trip
- 2,186 ft
- climb
- 7,498 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Cap Mtn. open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for Flathead National Forest.
Ashley Lake North Campground Closure
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
Camp Creek Fire Updated Trail Closure
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
FK&L Area Closed to Public Access Starting July 22, 2026
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
Trail 800 Tally-Ashely Closure
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
Ryan Creek Occupancy and Use Order
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 1-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Flathead National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Cap Mtn. is a hard hike in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, part of the Spotted Bear Ranger District of Flathead National Forest in northwest Montana. The route is an out-and-back that climbs from about 5,220 feet to 7,498 feet, with a total elevation gain of 2,186 feet over roughly 8 miles. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is not accessible. The trail is natural-surface and allows horses, but not bikes. It is open year-round, and the trip is rated hard. Several other hikes sit within a few miles, including Cox Creek at about 2.3 miles and Strawberry Cutoff and Winter Cox Divide at about 2.5 miles. Paddlers can reach the Middle Fork Flathead River, about 6.4 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Choteau Mountain View RV Campground47 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Cox CreekHiking2.3 mi
- STRAWBERRY CUTOFFHiking2.5 mi
- Winter Cox DivideHiking2.5 mi
- E.Fk. StrawberryHiking3.2 mi
- Big RiverHiking3.3 mi
- Winter CreekHiking3.5 mi
- Calbick CreekHiking3.8 mi
Middle Fork Flathead RiverCanoeingPhoto: US Geological Survey, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)6.4 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Dolly Varden-PentagonHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Porter CreekHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- STRAWBERRY CUTOFFHiking · ~4 min drive
- West Side Big RiverHiking · ~13 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- BLUE LAKE SPURHiking · ~8 min drive
- Lodgepole Lo TrailHiking · ~9 min drive
- Lodgepole Mtn.Hiking · ~16 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Elbow CreekHiking · ~11 min drive
- South Badger TieHiking · ~18 min drive
Miner CreekHiking · ~17 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Route details
- Distance
- 8.0 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 2,186 ft
- Summit
- 7,506 ft
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Time
- About 3.5 hours
Season
Season: Year-round.
Questions about this route
How long is the Cap Mtn. on Cap Mountain?
About 8.0 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Cap Mtn.?
About 2,186 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Cap Mtn.?
It is rated hard.
How long does the Cap Mtn. take?
About 3.5 hours round trip.
When is the best time for the Cap Mtn.?
Year-round.
Conditions and forecast on Cap Mountain
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
