Montana · Trail 237

Upper Twin Creek

Upper Twin Creek Trail is a 16.9-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 Great Bear 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 end47.9861° N, 113.5638° W · Directions ↗
Other end47.9843° N, 113.3580° 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

Length16.9 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width12-18 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers237
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 Upper Twin Creek 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, 19 miles from the trail midpoint at 3,100 feet, station USC00248087 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020.

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

Upper Twin 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
Upper Twin Creek Access
Open 5/15
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

Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Hh Betty Baptiste Hand Piles Rx

    12 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Arrowleaf Rx

    40 mi from the trail midpoint · 50 acres

  • Prescribed
    Gnp Apgar Hand Piles Rx

    41 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Sl Beaver Plie Rx

    47 mi from the trail midpoint

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

Explore

Guidebooks for Montana

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

  • 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
  • Hiking waterfalls in Montana
    John Kratz, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Montana: Bozeman
    Bill Schneider, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks
    Erik Molvar, 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 Upper Twin Creek Trail?

The Forest Service records 16.9 miles under this name in Flathead National Forest, the sum of 3 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Upper Twin Creek 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 Upper Twin Creek Trail start?

The line begins at 47.9861° N, 113.5638° W and ends at 47.9843° N, 113.3580° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Upper Twin 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 Upper Twin Creek Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Great Bear Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Great Bear Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Upper Twin Creek Trail?

Spotted Bear Campground (3.5 mi) and Beaver Creek Campground (3.8 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 2 with site counts and booking links.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Upper Twin Creek 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 Upper Twin Creek Trail?

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

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Upper Twin Creek 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 Upper Twin Creek 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 Upper Twin Creek 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 12 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 3 segments named Upper Twin Creek 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.