Bob Marshall Access Trails - Seeley Lake, Montana

Seeley Swan to Welcome

Major Access Trails to The Bob

Seeley Lake

Pyramid Pass Location: Take the Cottonwood Lakes Road #477 (joins Hwy. 83 1/2 mile north of Seeley Lake). Travel east about 2 1/2 miles then turn north on the West Morrell Road #467. Continue on this forest road for another 6 miles, then turn east again on the Pyramid Pass Road (or Upper Trail Creek Road) #4381. Follow this road for 6 miles to the trailhead. Facilities: Trail provides spectacular views of Clearwater Valley and popular access to Young's Creek, Hahn Creek and the headwaters of the South Fork of the Flathead. Rated as difficult and requires hikers and packers to climb 1640 feet within 4 miles. Use: Medium to Heavy. Mainline Forest Service trail, maintained regularly from early summer through fall. Hikers can expect to meet packstock, horses and riders.

Blackfoot Valley

North Fork of the Blackfoot Location: The North Fork of the Blackfoot Road joins Hwy. 200 five miles east of Ovando (about 20 miles east of Clearwater Junction). To reach the North Fork trailhead, take the North Fork Blackfoot Road #4259 for about 4 miles to the intersection with the North Fork Trailhead Road #5550. The trailhead is 7 1/2 miles past this point on a good gravel road. Facilities: This is a very popular trail in the summer and receives heavy use by both hikers and packers. Provides access to the Scapegoat Wilderness, the North Fork Cabin, the Dry Fork-Flathead Divide and the Danaher River Valley in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Rated as moderate in difficulty, the trail is usually well-maintained by Forest Service crews and outfitters. The trailhead area has toilets and a stock unloading ramp. Use: Medium to Heavy. Hikers can expect to meet packstock, horses and riders.

Monture Creek

Location: The Monture Creek Road #89 joins Hwy. 200 about 15 miles from Clearwater Junction at the Ovando turnoff. Take the Monture Creek Road about 8 miles to the trailhead. Facilities: Campground near the trailhead maintained by Forest Service. Also, Forest Service Guard Station nearby. Trail goes through roadless areas for about 10 miles to Hahn Creek Pass which provides access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, South Fork of the Flathead River and the Hole-in-the-Wall cave. Rated as moderate to difficult. Use: Medium to Heavy. Hikers can expect to meet packstock, horses and riders.

Swan Valley

Smith Creek Pass (Falls Creek Road) Location: Smith Creek Pass is accessed via the Falls Creek Road #901 which joins Hwy. 83 across from the Condon Work Center in the Swan Valley (about 26 miles north of Seeley Lake.) Take the Falls Creek Road about 4 miles and turn southeast on Smith Creek Road #9762 for about a mile to the trailhead. Facilities: Parking area is limited. Trail is rated moderate to difficult on the west side of the Swan Range (going up over the pass), but is rough and rugged on the east side going down into the Little Salmon Creek area of the Bob Marshall. Use: Light use early summer to Moderate use by fall.

Lion Creek Pass (Van Lake Road) Location: Accessed via the Van Lake Road about 12 miles north of the Condon Post Office on Hwy. 83. Follow signs about 4 miles to the trailhead. Facilities: Trail is steep (up and over the Swan Range) and provides access to the Little Salmon Creek Trail. Lion Creek Trail rated as more difficult Use: Moderate to Heavy, especially in the fall. Hikers can expect to meet packstock, horses and riders. Main route for local permitted outfitter.