Big Creek
Big Creek Trail is a 14.1-mile trail in Bitterroot National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. The forest has not published allowed uses for it. It enters Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Bitterroot National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 46.4651° N, 114.2130° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.4656° N, 114.3830° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 14.1 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 11 |
| Forest | Bitterroot National Forest (unit 0103) |
| States | Montana |
| Detail published | basic characteristics |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Wilderness
- Selway-Bitterroot WildernessFS · about 88% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
Big Creek Trailhead & Picnic Area No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx D3 Granite Graves 220
20 mi from the trail midpoint · 10 acres
- PrescribedRx D3 Granite Graves 203
20 mi from the trail midpoint · 31 acres
- PrescribedRx D1 3-Mile Bravo
22 mi from the trail midpoint · 400 acres
- PrescribedRx D3 Ginny Mtn
29 mi from the trail midpoint · 10 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and Montana
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Big Creek Trail?
The Forest Service records 14.1 miles under this name in Bitterroot National Forest, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Big Creek Trail?
Bitterroot National Forest has not published allowed uses for this trail. The forest office can say what is open.
Where does the Big Creek Trail start?
The line begins at 46.4651° N, 114.2130° W and ends at 46.4656° N, 114.3830° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Big Creek Trailhead & Picnic Area, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Big Creek Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Big Creek Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the Big Creek Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Big Creek Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Big Creek Trail?
Bitterroot National Forest, Forest Service unit 0103. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Big Creek Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx D3 Granite Graves 220 at 20 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named Big Creek in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0103. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.