Pattee South -- Main Loop
Photo: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)- 3.3 mi
- loop
- 605 ft
- climb
- 4,313 ft
- high point
- Loop
- route
- Jul–Oct
- best months
Is PATTEE SOUTH -- MAIN LOOP 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.
Pattee South -- Main Loop is an easy, rolling loop of about 3.3 miles on Forest Service land in the Missoula Ranger District of Lolo National Forest in western Montana. The trail reaches a high point of about 4,313 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 605 feet, and it loops back to its starting point. The steepest stretch comes at about the 1-mile mark, where the grade reaches about 10 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Missoula show July and August highs around 84 to 85°F, with lows near 50°F, and fewer wet days than the rest of the year. That station sits roughly 900 feet below the trail, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. The loop makes a good base for exploring the surrounding network of trails. Larch Camp Cutoff A and Pattee South -- Cutoff C both start about 0.1 mile away, and Pattee Canyon Picnic Area is about 5 miles off for those who want to stay overnight.
Local outfitters
- Granite Peak RV Resort14 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jul–Oct
Best time to visit PATTEE SOUTH -- MAIN LOOP
Best months: July–October. 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
34° / 20°
14 wet · 10 snow
Feb
39° / 22°
11 wet · 8 snow
Mar
49° / 27°
13 wet · 6 snow
Apr
57° / 33°
12 wet · 2 snow
May
67° / 41°
13 wet
Jun
73° / 47°
13 wet
Jul
85° / 52°
7 wet
Aug
84° / 51°
7 wet
Sep
73° / 44°
8 wet
Oct
56° / 34°
10 wet · 1 snow
Nov
41° / 26°
12 wet · 6 snow
Dec
33° / 20°
14 wet · 10 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Missoula 2 Ne, MT, 5.6 mi away at 3,420 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)LARCH CAMP CUTOFF D
Next door
1.94-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 605 ft gain and 4,039 ft max elevation.
Photo: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)CRAZY CANYON CUTOFF F
~2 min drive
1.64-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 996 ft gain and 5,165 ft max elevation.
HIKE
Deer creek ridge trail
~4 min drive
7.04-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 3,351 ft elevation gain
Photo: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)LARCH CAMP CUTOFF B
Next door
2.22-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 680 ft elevation gain and loss.
Photo: Charles Nadeau from San Mateo, CA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)US West trail
~6 min drive
2.98-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 2,350 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Crooked Trail
~4 min drive
7.09-mile out-and-back hike in Montana with 459 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)Pattee North --Picnic Loop
Next door
1.02-mile loop with 98 ft gain in Montana.
HIKE
CROOKED TRAIL CUTOFF
~4 min drive
1.76-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 920 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Hellgate Canyon
~5 min drive
6.12-mile out-and-back trail in Hellgate Canyon, Montana with 1,896 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)South Loop
Next door
1.96-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 323 ft elevation gain
