Western Montana

Hiking trails can get busy come spring in Western Montana, and if you’re looking to get away from the crowd and see a land in it’s most pristine and unspoiled state, the beauty of the backcountry is where you should be headed. Off of Hwy 93, whether coming from Missoula or Darby, there are numerous drainages to be discovered that lead into the Bitterroot Mountain Range. Being a person who is inspired by exploration and adventure, I wanted to choose a location I had never been to, so I picked one right from the pages of my Montana Atlas and Gazetteer: The Big Creek Trail.

The Drive itself was well worth the short travel. I came from Missoula and stopped along the way in Stevensville to fuel up (not my car, but rather my pre-hike appetite). Directly south of the noticeable Stevensville Building Center sign is the most mouth-watering little family restaurant called Montana’s Frontier Café.

With a charming young waitress named Martha and the best biscuits and sausage gravy I’ve had in years, I felt struck by luck that I had found this place. When the weather warms enough they open up the patio for outdoor seating which allows a fantastic view of the Bitterroots.

After brunch Big Creek was calling my name. The turnoff to the drainage is just north of Victor. Take Bell Crossing Road toward the Bitterroots (east), and follow past a beautiful abandoned ranch house, where you should take a moment to look up—there are hawks in the area. Keep going past the orchard and farther until you see the Big Creek trail sign. At the trailhead there are a few noticeable hitching posts and a there is a large information sign declaring the areas information and restrictions. I did see one other car parked there, but on the trail it was as if no one else in the world existed.

I hiked only the first two miles of the trail, which lingers alongside the creek most of the way. The creek is pristinely clear, and rushes over the rocks revealing the coos and rustling sounds of mountain streams. Fresh water and the scent of a warming pine forest make me yearn to have experienced the lives of Boone and Crockett or Pocahontas. Back in reality though, today the mountains are still beautiful, and the Big Creek terrain is an easy, relatively flat trail. It does however require stepping over a few logs that have fallen across the path, and using rocks as stepping-stones over wet areas and minuscule streams.

About halfway through the trail you will cross over into the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness area marked with a wooden post sign. I hiked in late April, and it was still a bit snowy—though warm—but come middle May the snow should be melted, unless you opt to hike the entire nine mile trail which will lead you up to Big Creek Lake at an elevation of 5,865 feet. At the quaint but sturdy river bridge I stopped to watch and listen to the water before I turned back to the trailhead. It turned out to be a perfect afternoon hike of refreshing peace and solitude—I didn’t see anyone else on the trail!

Bring:
Leash for dog (it is also a horse trail)
Waterproof shoes (especially during early spring)
Water
Bug spray
Camera
Fly rod (Brown Trout in the creek)