Dry Fork
- 19.4 mi
- round trip
- 1,905 ft
- climb
- 6,842 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Dry Fork 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.
Dry Fork is a hard hike in the Superior Ranger District of Montana's Lolo National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back route of about 19.4 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 1,905 feet. It starts at a low point of about 2,958 feet and climbs to a high point of about 6,842 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show July and August highs around 70°F with only about six wet days a month, while winter highs stay near 28°F. The trail is on natural surface and allows both horses and bikes. It is open year-round. Several other hikes sit close by. Diamond Lake and Cliff Lake are each about 1.3 miles away, Lost Lake is about 2.4 miles away, and Ann Arbor is about 3 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Granite Peak RV Resort49 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Diamond LakeHiking1.3 mi
- Cliff LakeHiking1.3 mi
- Lost LakeHiking2.4 mi
- Dry CreekHiking2.7 mi
- Ann ArborHiking3 mi
- SUNSET CREEKHiking3.7 mi
- Heller CreekCamping6.3 mi
- Sloway CgCamping8.6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Diamond LakeHiking · ~2 min drive
- Ann ArborHiking · ~5 min drive
- SUNSET CREEKHiking · ~6 min drive
- Wahoo-Indian DivideHiking · ~19 min drive
- Cliff LakeHiking · ~2 min drive
- Simmons Creek TrailHiking · ~9 min drive
- Bonanza GulchHiking · ~8 min drive
- Bonanza LakesHiking · ~7 min drive
- Yankee BarHiking · ~12 min drive
- Washout Point TrailHiking · ~8 min drive
Best time to visit Dry Fork
Best months: 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.
Jan
28° / 19°
19 wet
Feb
28° / 19°
17 wet
Mar
34° / 22°
19 wet
Apr
40° / 27°
17 wet
May
50° / 36°
15 wet
Jun
58° / 42°
13 wet
Jul
70° / 52°
6 wet
Aug
69° / 51°
6 wet
Sep
59° / 44°
8 wet
Oct
44° / 32°
13 wet
Nov
32° / 23°
17 wet
Dec
27° / 18°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mullan Pass Vor/Dme, ID, 32 mi away at 6,028 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.
