Montana · Mountain biking · Clearwater Canoe Trail

Archibald Loop

8.2 mi
distance
649 ft
climb
May, Jul–Sep
best months

Is Archibald 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.

Archibald Loop is a mountain biking loop of about 8 miles in the Seeley Lake Ranger District of Montana's Lolo National Forest. The ride starts at roughly 4,130 feet and reaches a high of about 4,690 feet, with a total elevation gain of 649 feet and a loss of about 907 feet. The steepest section comes at about 6.9 miles, where the grade reaches 14%. The Forest Service manages the land. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Seeley Lake, which sits a few hundred feet lower, show July and August highs around 83°F with lows in the mid-40s and only about seven to eight wet days a month. Winter is cold, with January highs near freezing and lows around 12°F. Several other destinations sit within a couple of miles. Hotel Point Cutoff is a hike about 1.1 miles away, and the Clearwater Canoe Trail's Boyscout Trail B is a mountain biking option about 1.6 miles off. For an overnight stay, the Seeley Lake Campground Complex and River Point Campground Complex are both within about 2 miles.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May, Jul–Sep

    Best time to visit Archibald Loop

    Best months: May and July–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°

      15 wet

    2. Feb

      37° / 13°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      45° / 20°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 27°

      11 wet

    5. May

      65° / 34°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 41°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 44°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 43°

      7 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 36°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      56° / 29°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      40° / 21°

      14 wet

    12. Dec

      31° / 13°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Seeley Lake Rs, MT, 2.5 mi away at 4,100 ft. The station sits about 600 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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