East Fork (Of North Fork)
- 1.8 mi
- round trip
- 213 ft
- climb
- 5,657 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 18 h ago
Is East Fork (Of North 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.
East Fork (Of North Fork) is an easy out-and-back hike in the Scapegoat Wilderness, on the Seeley Lake Ranger District of Lolo National Forest in Montana. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced and about 1.8 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 213 feet. The route runs between a low point of 5,467 feet and a high of 5,657 feet. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not, and the trail is not accessible. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 81°F with lows in the low 40s, while winter highs stay near freezing. Falls Point Cutacross is about 0.6 miles away and Falls Point about 0.8 miles. Dry Fork is about 1.2 miles away, and paddlers can reach the North Fork Blackfoot River's North Fork at about 5 miles.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit East Fork (Of North Fork)
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
32° / 12°
9 wet
Feb
35° / 15°
8 wet
Mar
44° / 22°
9 wet
Apr
53° / 27°
9 wet
May
63° / 33°
11 wet
Jun
71° / 40°
12 wet
Jul
81° / 44°
8 wet
Aug
81° / 42°
7 wet
Sep
70° / 35°
7 wet
Oct
54° / 29°
8 wet
Nov
39° / 20°
8 wet
Dec
30° / 13°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lincoln Rs, MT, 19.9 mi away at 4,575 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Mcdonnell Meadows
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3.40-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 939 ft gain.
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Corral Cutoff
~3 min drive
0.88-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 41 ft of elevation gain.
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Dry Fork
~2 min drive
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Canyon Point
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Old North Fork 2
~3 min drive
1.43-mile out-and-back trail with 40 ft gain in Montana.
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