West Side Big River
Photo: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 6.9 mi
- round trip
- 187 ft
- climb
- 4,953 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Is West Side Big River open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Flathead National Forest.
Camp Creek Fire Updated Trail Closure
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
FK&L Area Closed to Public Access Starting July 22, 2026
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
Trail 800 Tally-Ashely Closure
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
Ryan Creek Occupancy and Use Order
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 1-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
Logan Creek Hoke Creek Closure
Agency alert covering Flathead National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Flathead National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Flathead National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
West Side Big River is an out-and-back hike of about 6.9 miles through the Great Bear Wilderness in Montana's Flathead National Forest, on the Spotted Bear Ranger District. It is a hard route, with a total elevation gain of 187 feet from a low of about 4,790 feet to a high of about 4,953 feet. The trail is on natural surface and allows horses, but bikes are not permitted. It is not an accessible trail, and the Forest Service manages the land. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 74°F with lows in the mid-40s, while winter highs sit near 30°F. The route stays within the wilderness, so plan on a full-day outing. Several other hikes lie close by, including Porter Creek about 0.7 miles away, Dolly Varden-Pentagon at 1.2 miles, Lodgepole Mtn. at 1.8 miles and Roaring-Argosy at 2 miles.
Local outfitters
- North American RV Park & Yurt Village44 mi away
- Rocky Mountain Outfitter50 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Porter CreekHikingPhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.7 mi- Dolly Varden-PentagonHikingPhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)1.2 mi
- Lodgepole Mtn.HikingPhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)1.8 mi
- Roaring-ArgosyHiking2 mi
- Lodgepole Lo TrailHiking2.3 mi
- Lodgepole CreekHiking2.6 mi
Miner CreekHikingPhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)3.4 mi
Middle Fork Flathead RiverCanoeingPhoto: US Geological Survey, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)9.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Porter CreekHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Dolly Varden-PentagonHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Lodgepole Lo TrailHiking · ~4 min drive
Castle LakeHiking · ~15 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)- Lodgepole Mtn.Hiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Dean CreekHiking · ~14 min drive
- Flotilla LakeHiking · ~6 min drive
- Miner CreekHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Granite Sm TrailHiking · ~16 min drive
- Capitol Mtn.Hiking · ~6 min drive
Also worth it near here
Best time to visit West Side Big River
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
30° / 13°
Feb
30° / 13°
Mar
37° / 19°
Apr
46° / 27°
May
56° / 34°
Jun
64° / 41°
Jul
74° / 46°
Aug
74° / 44°
Sep
63° / 38°
Oct
50° / 29°
Nov
36° / 22°
Dec
29° / 15°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at E Glacier, MT, 25.4 mi away at 4,806 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
