Chickadee
- 0.2 mi
- distance
- 11 ft
- climb
- Jul–Oct
- best months
Is Chickadee 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.
Chickadee is a short mountain biking route in the Missoula Ranger District of Lolo National Forest in western Montana, managed by the Forest Service. The climb is nearly flat, with a total gain of 11 feet over about 0.18 miles, so it works as a quick stop rather than a serious ascent. The ride starts at a low point of 3,367 feet and ends at 3,386 feet. The steepest part comes in the first sixth of a mile, with a grade of about 2 percent. It's a short enough stretch to fit easily into a longer day of riding in the area. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Missoula show July highs around 85°F with lows near 52°F and only about seven wet days that month. Winter is cold and snowy, with highs around 34°F and about 10 snow days in December and January. Several other trails sit close by. Bluebird is about 0.1 mile away, Bluebird in the Bush about 0.2 mile, and Meadowlark and Blue Mountain Bike Spur 1 are each about 0.3 mile away. For a place to stop, Pattee Canyon Picnic Area is about 2.7 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Granite Peak RV Resort10 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jul–Oct
Best time to visit Chickadee
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, 8 mi away at 3,420 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more rides worth the drive
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Bluebird
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1.75-mile trail at Blue Mountain with 272 ft elevation gain
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Bluebird in the Bush
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0.45-mile trail at Blue Mountain with 66 ft elevation gain
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Meadowlark
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Meadowlark is a 1.05-mile trail at Blue Mountain, Montana with 97 ft of elevation gain.
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Blue Mountain Bike Spur 1
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1.05-mile trail in Montana's Blue Mountain system with 186 ft elevation gain.
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Waxwing
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0.35-mile trail at Blue Mountain with 50 ft of elevation gain
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Forest to Foothills
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0.65-mile trail at Blue Mountain, Montana with 123 ft elevation gain.
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Blue Mtn Horse/hiker - Bike A
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0.64-mile trail in Blue Mountain, Montana with 303 ft elevation gain
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Blue Mtn Hiking & Equestrian
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1.34-mile trail in Montana's Blue Mountain trail system with 313 ft of elevation gain.
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Blue Mountain Bike C
~1 min drive
1.26-mile trail in Blue Mountain, Montana with 562 ft elevation gain.
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Blue Mtn Nrt Cutoff A
~1 min drive
0.20-mile trail in Blue Mountain trail system, Montana
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors