Montana · Hiking · Great Bear Wilderness · Near Whitefish

Ousel Peak

Ousel PeakPhoto: ludger.heide, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
7.0 mi
round trip
3,129 ft
climb
7,142 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Ousel Peak 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.

Ousel Peak is a hard hike in the Great Bear Wilderness, part of the Hungry Horse Ranger District of Montana's Flathead National Forest. The route is an out-and-back of about 7 miles, with a total elevation gain of about 3,100 feet, taking you from a low point of about 3,350 feet to the summit at about 7,140 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced and open year-round. The climb is steep, and the route is rated hard. Horses are allowed, so the trail works for riders as well as hikers. The closest neighbor is Harrison Creek, about a mile away. Great Bear Creek and Nyack Pack Trail are each about 4 miles off, and Apgar Group Sites, a campground, is about 6 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    West Glacier KOA

    Campground

    Campground · 5.2 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Belton Grill

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 5 mi
  • If it rains

    North American Wildlife Museum

    Museum

    On your way back · 9 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Whitefish

Local outfitters

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

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Moccasin CreekPhoto: ludger.heide, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Moccasin Creek

~2 min drive

Moccasin Creek is a 0.62-mile out-and-back trail in Montana.

Harrison CreekPhoto: ludger.heide, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Harrison Creek

~2 min drive

11.6-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 4,010 ft elevation gain and loss.

Loneman LookoutPhoto: ludger.heide, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Loneman Lookout

~7 min drive

10.84-mile out-and-back trail with 3,738 ft elevation gain in Montana.

Skiumah CreekPhoto: astrophotography_andy, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Skiumah Creek

~8 min drive

3.52-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,150 ft gain.

Rocky Point TrailheadPhoto: Daniel Weber, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Rocky Point Trailhead

~11 min drive

The Rocky Point Trail follows along the western shore of Lake McDonald, within the burn scar of the Roberts Fire (2003). It offers beach access and excellent views of Lake McDonald. The trail is lollipop-shaped. Rocky Point Distance: 0.7 mile (1.1 km), loop Elevation gain: 2…

Nyack Pack TrailPhoto: astrophotography_andy, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Nyack Pack Trail

~7 min drive

1.54-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 383 ft elevation gain

Rescue CreekPhoto: astrophotography_andy, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Rescue Creek

~9 min drive

4.20-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,953 ft gain.

Nyack CreekPhoto: ludger.heide, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Nyack Creek

~7 min drive

36.68-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 3,419 ft elevation gain

Cascadilla CreekPhoto: roy.luck, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Cascadilla Creek

~12 min drive

4.41-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 875 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Apgar Lookout Trailhead

~12 min drive

This trail leads to the Apgar Fire Lookout, offering an expansive view of Lake McDonald and the surrounding valley. This particular view is shared online via a live webcam. The webcam view is available at www.nps.gov/glac. Apgar Fire Lookout Distance: 3.6 mi (5.8 km), one wa…

Route details

Distance
7.0 mi round trip
Climbing
About 3,129 ft
Summit
7,145 ft
Difficulty
Hard
Time
About 4 hours

Season

Season: Year-round.

Questions about this route

How long is the Ousel Peak on Ousel Peak?

About 7.0 mi round trip.

How much elevation gain is on the Ousel Peak?

About 3,129 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the Ousel Peak?

It is rated hard.

How long does the Ousel Peak take?

About 4 hours round trip.

When is the best time for the Ousel Peak?

Year-round.

Conditions and forecast on Ousel Peak

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.