Montana · Trail 107

Picture Ridge

Picture Ridge Trail is an 11-mile trail in Flathead National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Flathead 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 end47.8323° N, 113.4195° W · Directions ↗
Other end47.7088° N, 113.4663° 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 3 segments.

The trail

Length11 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers107
ForestFlathead National Forest (unit 0110)
StatesMontana
Detail publishedmanagement level, with uses

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Picture Ridge Trail20°30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 24.3°F averageFebruary: 27.0°F averageMarch: 35.4°F averageApril: 42.7°F averageMay: 51.2°F averageJune: 57.6°F averageJuly: 64.7°F averageAugust: 63.8°F averageSeptember: 54.5°F averageOctober: 43.4°F averageNovember: 32.2°F averageDecember: 25.3°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Swan Lake, 20 miles from the trail midpoint at 3,100 feet, station USC00248087 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. The station sits about 4,000 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed 06/01 to 11/30 (month/day)

A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.

Wilderness

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

Meadow Creek Trailhead
Open 05/15
There is a 14 day stay limit, and also food storage requirements for human and stock food, garbage, and other attractants.
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

  • Prescribed
    Hh Betty Baptiste Hand Piles Rx

    25 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Sl Beaver Plie Rx

    30 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Arrowleaf Rx

    39 mi from the trail midpoint · 50 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx D6 Westside Bypass 117

    41 mi from the trail midpoint · 30 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Guidebooks for Bob Marshall Wilderness and Montana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking Montana's Bob Marshall Wilderness
    Erik Molvar, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • 100 Classic Hikes: Montana
    Douglas Lorain, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Day Hiking Glacier National Park and Western Montana
    Aaron Theisen, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Picture Ridge Trail?

The Forest Service records 11 miles under this name in Flathead National Forest, the sum of 3 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Picture Ridge Trail?

Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Picture Ridge Trail start?

The line begins at 47.8323° N, 113.4195° W and ends at 47.7088° N, 113.4663° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Meadow Creek Trailhead, 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 Picture Ridge Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Bob Marshall Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Bob Marshall Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Picture Ridge Trail?

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.

Source: Flathead National Forest official page

How developed is the Picture Ridge Trail?

Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 Picture Ridge Trail?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Picture Ridge Trail accessible?

No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Picture Ridge Trail?

Flathead National Forest, Forest Service unit 0110. The trail is in Montana.

Source: Flathead National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Picture Ridge Trail?

The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Hh Betty Baptiste Hand Piles Rx at 25 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 3 segments named Picture Ridge in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0110. 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.