Montana · Mountain biking · Big Slide

Dry Fork

8.3 mi
distance
697 ft
climb
May–Sep
best months

Is Dry Fork 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.

Dry Fork is a mountain biking route in the Scapegoat Wilderness, part of the Seeley Lake Ranger District of Lolo National Forest in Montana. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route lies within designated wilderness. The ride is about 8.3 miles long, with a one-way climb of 697 feet from a starting elevation of about 5,105 feet to a high point near 5,570 feet. The route also has a total descent of 884 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 5 miles in, where the grade reaches 14 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 81°F with lows in the low 40s, while winter highs stay near freezing. Cabin Creek is a hike just 0.1 mile away, and the Whiskey Cutoff hike is about 0.7 mile off. The Dry Fork Highwater Route, another mountain biking option, is roughly 1.7 miles away, and the Dry Fork North Fork Blackfoot River offers canoeing about 1.9 miles from the route.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Dry 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

      32° / 12°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 15°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      44° / 22°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      53° / 27°

      9 wet

    5. May

      63° / 33°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 40°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 44°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 42°

      7 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 35°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 29°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      39° / 20°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      30° / 13°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lincoln Rs, MT, 23.9 mi away at 4,575 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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.

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