Montana · Hiking

North Fork Ford Creek

North Fork Ford CreekPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
5.2 mi
round trip
697 ft
climb
5,903 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is North Fork Ford Creek open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Rocky Mountain Ranger District.

As of · Source: USFS · Rocky Mountain Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

North Fork Ford Creek is a 5.2-mile out-and-back hike in the Rocky Mountain Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana. The route gains about 700 feet of elevation, from a low point of 5,069 feet to a high of 5,903 feet, and is rated moderate. The Forest Service manages the land. The trail is a natural-surface route, and horses and bikes are both allowed. It is not an accessible trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Gibson Dam weather station, about 13 miles away, show July highs near 79°F with lows around 45°F, while temperatures on this hike run cooler because the station sits well below the trail's high point. Double Falls Campground is less than a mile away, and the North Fork Ford Spur is about 0.8 miles off. Crown Mountain and Ford Basin Overlook are both within about 2 miles.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit North Fork Ford Creek

    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, 13 mi away at 4,590 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.