Montana · Hiking · Bob Marshall Wilderness

East Side South Fork

20.0 mi
round trip
336 ft
climb
5,428 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is East Side South Fork 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.

East Side South Fork is a 20-mile out-and-back hike in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, part of the Spotted Bear Ranger District of Flathead National Forest in northwest Montana. The trail rises from about 5,027 feet to about 5,428 feet, a climb of 336 feet, and is managed by the Forest Service. The route is rated hard. It is a natural-surface trail, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not. It is not an accessible trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Gibson Dam weather station, about 21 miles away, show July highs near 79°F with lows around 45°F, and the trail sits higher than that station, so temperatures on the route run cooler. The hike starts close to Sentinel Mtn. and Foolhen Creek, both about 0.1 mile away. Danaher Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 1.2 miles off, and Ayres is about 1.4 miles away.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit East Side South 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.

    1. Jan

      36° / 12°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / 12°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 18°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 25°

      7 wet

    5. May

      59° / 33°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      67° / 39°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 45°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      78° / 43°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 36°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 29°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 20°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 13°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gibson Dam, MT, 21.1 mi away at 4,590 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.