 ig. If I had to limit myself
to one adjective to describe the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, big would be it. Of
course, a host of other adjectives also apply, but no matter where you may find yourself
in this area, you are quite likely going to be struck by the sheer magnitude of the
surrounding country. The complex actually consists of three adjacent wilderness areas,
from north to south the Great Bear, Bob Marshall, and Scapegoat Wilderness areas. For all
practical purposes they comprise one huge wilderness, though, and most people refer to the
whole area as the Bob Marshall, or for the sake of brevity; the Bob. This area is roughly
bounded by US 2 just south of Glacier Park on the north, MT 200 east of Lincoln on the
south, the Rocky Mountain Front on the east, and the crest of the Swan Range on the west.
For perspective, on a straight line from north to south the area measures right at 100
miles, and 40 miles from east to west. Of course, if you set out to hike either of these
distances, you would find that the trails, rivers, and mountain ranges are not neatly laid
out according to the points of the compass and trail miles would considerably exceed these
figures. These are just numbers, though, and as anyone who has suffered through a
statistics class can well attest, numbers alone often don’t do justice or present
the whole picture, and one needs to visit the Bob to get a true idea of the overwhelming
scope of the country. This enormous area contains not one single road, and in fact only a
handful of roads penetrate the surrounding country to within a short distance of the
wilderness boundary. This is another fact that is hard to appreciate until you experience
it first hand, when you find yourself a long two-day horseback ride, or four-day hike from
a road. Personally, I find that a delightful sensation. At this point you may be
saying "darn it, why isn't there a map included with this article?" This is as
good a place as any to explain my policy on putting maps into articles. Any map
sufficiently detailed to be useful, when reduced to a size compatible with this format,
becomes unreadable. You really need to have a full-sized map available, and a good one for
the Bob Marshall is the Lewis & Clark National Forest (Rocky Mountain Division)
Visitors Map and Travel Plan, available from the Forest Supervisor's Office in Great
Falls, MT, 406-727-0901. Studying maps is a hugely entertaining activity in itself for
myself and most other outdoor types, and the map mentioned covers a staggeringly vast area
containing the Badger-Two Medicine area, Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, and adjacent
National Forest Lands. My copy has been reduced to tatters, and in reaching that state has
created an enormous treasure trove of memories. Trust me, you want this map.
I have included this article in our Adventure section because a Bob Marshall Wilderness
trip isn’t just a trip or vacation, but a bona fide adventure; something that not
everybody gets to do. No matter whether you book a trip through Cowboy Heaven Consulting
with one of the several excellent outfitters who offer trips into the Bob or shoulder a
pack and head out on your own, you will be embarking on an adventure that is guaranteed to
stand out in your memories. I have been extremely blessed in being able to experience many
summer pack trips and a few fall hunting trips into this fabulous country, and have
visited all the major areas of the Bob. Of course, I am not implying that I have traveled
every one of the thousands of miles of trail. That would be a lifetime undertaking, or at
a minimum would preclude doing anything else for a period of years, a luxury few can
afford (it’s nice to dream, though). I have at least been in the vicinity of all
parts of the Bob, however, and will gladly impart my experience. This article will provide
an overview of the entire area, and will touch on the routes I have used.
Since the Bob is obviously a roadless wilderness area, the only way you are going to
see it is via horseback or your own two feet (One exception exists, which we will get to
in a bit). I have done plenty of both, and so speak from personal experience. Two main
advantages come to mind regarding backpacking; and the first is that it is cheap. Those on
a budget can visit some incredible spots on a shoestring, so to speak. The second is that
it offers a somewhat higher degree of flexibility than horse packing. Backpackers only
have to be concerned with feeding themselves, and can camp pretty much anywhere they
choose. Horse parties, on the other hand, have to limit themselves to areas where good
grazing is available, or else pack horse feed, which imposes some real constraints and is
only practiced when snow covers the grass late in the fall hunting season. Of course, the
downside of backpacking is that it is very hard work. If you are reasonably physically fit
and set realistic goals this is a manageable disadvantage, and I have encountered family
backpacking groups with small children deep in the wilderness. They were having a good
time, too.
Since I am fortunate enough to own my own horses, and have accumulated a good deal of
packing and camp equipment and experience, I most often use horses unless I am headed for
a particularly rugged area and/or one without trails suitable for horses. Of course, these
can be some of the most interesting spots. So, I quite commonly use horses to get to a
particular vicinity and set up a comfortable base camp, hiking from there. The primary
advantage to travelling by packstring is that you can cover much greater and more
difficult distances far more quickly than hiking and carry vastly more equipment in the
process. Also, the horses are obviously doing the bulk of the work, although packing is a
good deal more work than those who haven’t done it might think.  The primary
disadvantage is the considerable expense of owning and maintaining a string of horses or
mules plus tack and equipment, or hiring an outfitter who does. Also, horses are not
machines, they are individuals with their own mind and every one I have been around will
test you at some point to see what they can get away with. It’s critical that you
come out of this little contest of wills as the undisputed boss, or you are going to be in
for some real grief. This doesn’t mean beating or abuse; that is nearly always
counterproductive. Rather it is a subtle psychological thing, an attitude demonstrated by
your actions that you will tolerate no mischief. A saying, which I think accurately sums
up the situation is: Horses are stronger, people are smarter, and stubbornness is a
tossup. As previously mentioned, horses also require a good bit of care, primarily related
to the fact that they need to eat, which limits where you can camp. Of course, if you hire
an outfitter, all of this becomes less of a concern. Personally, I don’t view the
constraints horses impose as a disadvantage in most cases, rather being attuned to and
able to provide for the needs of my stock adds considerably to the whole experience. For
me, horse packing is not just a means to an end, but also an end in itself. In this
increasingly technical world, it is immensely gratifying to be able to practice a skill
that remains largely unchanged from earlier days, and I love travelling by packstring.
Due to the great distances involved, the Bob Marshall lends itself to horse use more
than many wilderness areas. I am certainly not trying to discourage backpacking, but those
considering it need to realistically appraise their abilities. The best example I can
think of that demonstrates the contrast occurred in what sometimes seems like a previous
life, during my college days in the late 70’s. A friend and I horsepacked into the
North Fork Sun River country from Gibson Dam and camped near Biggs Creek, a trip of about
eighteen miles. A group of three college chums had also departed on a backpacking trip
from Gibson Dam, but theirs was a vastly more demanding trip of around seventy miles; a
great loop involving crossing the continental divide at White River Pass at the southern
end of the famed Chinese Wall, recrossing the divide at the north end of the Wall, and
descending Rock Creek to the North Fork Sun River, which put them in the same vicinity as
us. We were keeping an eye out for them, but unfortunately we never crossed paths. Late
one afternoon a wilderness ranger stopped by our camp for a visit. In a strange
coincidence, he was also a student at MSU, and had not much previously ran into our
backpacking buddies. At the time we had been out for about four days, as I recall, and
were getting ready to pop open a cold beer and grill up the last of our T-bone steaks. We
shared a sympathetic chuckle over our backpacking friend’s considerably more spartan
diet. They had been planning on augmenting their food supplies with fish, but as is often
the case, particularly when one is depending on success, the fish had been uncooperative
and when the ranger ran into them they were on the last of their oatmeal and still a very
long days hike from the trailhead. They later told us they finally caught some fish and
made it out OK, however they failed to see humor in tales of our comparatively luxurious
wilderness lifestyle.
The Bob Marshall Wilderness complex is naturally divided into different areas by the
drainage basins of its different rivers. The northern portion is comprised of the Middle
Fork Flathead River watershed, which lies west of the continental divide. South of there,
the wilderness boundaries expand to include the Sun River drainage east of the divide, and
the South Fork Flathead to the west. These two drainages comprise the bulk of the Bob. The
southern tip of the complex is drained by the North Fork Blackfoot River and the Dearborn
River.
All of the Bob Marshall is wild and remote country, but the interior Middle Fork
Flathead country is perhaps wilder and more seldom visited than the areas to the south.
Some of its lower reaches, while still wild, are quite easily accessed, though. In fact,
the closest the wilderness boundary ever gets to a paved road is at the north end of the
wilderness complex. The Big River trail # 155 departs US 2 at the confluence of Bear Creek
and the Middle Fork and crosses the wilderness boundary within a mile. Trail #155 follows
the Middle Fork all the way to its source near Gooseberry Park, over forty miles away. Due
to severe runoff, the lower stretches of this section offer less than stellar fishing, but
outstanding whitewater rafting, some of the wildest in the state. Of course, getting a
raft into this area could present some complications, but one exception to the foot and
horse rule exists. A wilderness airstrip is maintained at Schafer Meadows, which lies just
over 25 miles above the Big River trailhead, and charter flights are available into this
area. Only very experienced whitewater rafters should attempt this trip on their own, it
is almost continuous whitewater, with numerous Class IV and V rapids. Coupled with the
remoteness of the area, this makes for a dangerous undertaking. Fortunately, we can set
you up with an experienced professional for a float trip through this area, an experience
that will peg your adventure meter.
I have most often accessed the upper Middle Fork country on packtrips originating at
trailheads along the Rocky Mountain Front. This necessitates crossing the continental
divide, but some of the passes, particularly Gateway pass, are quite low and make for a
relatively easy trip. I have made numerous trips from Swift Dam on Birch Creek west of
Dupuyer, and have often made a nice loop trip of about sixty miles in this area which
entails ascending the South Fork Birch Creek, crossing the relatively
uninspiring but easy Gateway Pass, followed by the vastly more inspiring Big River Meadows
(source of the Middle Fork) and Gateway Gorge. After ascending Strawberry Creek the
continental divide is crossed at the more alpine Badger Pass and North Fork Birch Creek is
followed back to Swift Dam. Naturally, this loop can also be made in the opposite
direction, which places the more difficult pass earlier in the trip, perhaps the best
choice for backpackers. The fishing in this upper Middle Fork Country is superb, as is the
scenery. I have also explored around the upper reaches of the Middle Fork by crossing
Teton Pass to the south of the passes mentioned previously. Teton Pass is most easily
reached from the West Fork Teton trailhead. This trailhead lies at the end of the North
Fork Teton road west of Choteau, which is a beautiful, if somewhat long and rough drive. I
would advise against backpackers taking this route, as after crossing Teton Pass the trail
descends through nearly continuous mud bogs along Bowl Creek for about six miles till its
confluence with Basin Creek. A friend and I went on an unsuccessful but most educational
early season elk hunt in this area in 1985. There is an early rifle season that opens on
September 15 in parts of the Middle and South Fork Flathead country, which offers one of
the only places in the country where you can hunt elk during the rut with a rifle. This is
much more difficult than you might think, though. The country is remote, enormous, heavily
timbered, and the elk hold considerable advantage. Outfitters in the area who have made a
lifelong study of it have reasonable success, though, and we can set you up with one if
you desire.
I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite area of the Bob Marshall, but if I had to
the Sun River country would be on a short list of finalists. The North Fork Sun River
heads just over a low divide from the aforementioned Bowl and Basin Creeks. A significant
portion of the upper part of this drainage burned in the 1988 Gates Park fire, but fire is
an integral part of nature, and the burn will be beneficial in the long run. Below Gates
Park the country was mostly spared, though, and is a gorgeous area. The North Fork valley
is broad here, with huge meadows and beautiful timber. The entire area west of the river
up to the continental divide is part of the Sun River Game Preserve, and is exceptional
wildlife habitat, home to every species of wildlife that ranged here in prehistory (with
the possible exception of bison, which didn’t frequent the mountainous areas anyway).
Discounting grizzly bears (maybe not the best idea), the most famed residents of this area
are the Sun River elk herd. At the risk of sounding provincial, the elk you see in
Yellowstone often seem slightly scruffy and semi-domesticated to me. Sun River elk on the
other hand are sleek and magnificent, completely wild and glimpsing a group of them or
listening to their challenging bugles reverberate during the rut should be considered a
personal treasure.
As mentioned, the western boundary of the Sun River country is the continental divide,
and an area of about twelve miles framed by Larch Hill Pass and White River Pass consists
of the thousand vertical foot Chinese Wall. By anyone’s standards this area must be
considered one of the jewels of the entire Bob Marshall and is a most awe-inspiring view.
I have most often entered the North Fork Sun River area via Headquarters Pass. This
spectacular pass lies four miles from the end of the South Fork Teton road west of
Choteau. After the pass the trail descends Headquarters Creek to the North Fork.
Unfortunately, the Headquarters Creek drainage was a casualty of the Gates Park fire, and
the resulting loss of vegetation with its water use has resulted in the trail becoming
quite boggy in places. A better option for backpackers is the trail along Gibson Reservoir
west of Augusta. This trail doesn’t cross any passes and is quite easy. It used to be
a something of a nail-biter for horse parties due to a vertical drop into the lake for
much of its length, but it has recently undergone a major reconstruction and is much
improved. The North and South forks of the Sun River come together at the head of Gibson
Reservoir. Calling this beautiful lake a reservoir always seems a bit of an injustice to
me, but it lies behind Gibson Dam and a reservoir it is. Also located at the confluence of
these two streams just outside the actual wilderness boundary, is a most unique guest
ranch only accessible by trail or boat. One other unique attraction in this area is the
Medicine Springs, a hot springs mentioned in Blackfeet Indian lore. The spring is now part
of the guest ranch facilities. If you wish to vacation in the area and are averse to
horses or backpacking, this ranch is a good option and we can book you a stay there.
The South Fork Sun River is best accessed from Benchmark, which consists of a couple of
campgrounds and trailheads at the end of a molar rattling and seemingly interminable
(although beautiful) drive on gravel west of Augusta. I have inflicted considerable wear
and tear on my vehicles on the Benchmark Road, but it reaches more deeply into the
mountains of the Rocky Mountain Front than any other, and I hope to travel it many more
times. The South Fork Sun River is only a few hundred yards from the campground at the end
of the road, which also provides abundant parking for horse trailers. A pack bridge makes
for a convenient crossing of the South Fork, and the trail along the river lies just on
the other side. Proceeding north (downstream) for four miles leads to the confluence of
the West Fork and South Fork Sun Rivers. Good trails along the West Fork lead to White
River Pass and the Chinese Wall, among other destinations. Continuing past this
intersection for another mile and half leads to the aptly named Pretty Prairie, and within
another few miles the South Fork empties into Gibson Reservoir.
Proceeding upstream along the South Fork from Benchmark will eventually lead to the
spectacular Scapegoat Mountain and Dearborn River areas. This area is more easily reached
from trailheads off either the Elk Creek or Bean Lake roads south of Augusta, though,
which involve much less rough gravel driving than the Benchmark road. The route I have
often followed upstream from Benchmark is to turn up trail # 226 along Hoadley Creek,
about 3.5 miles from Benchmark. After crossing the continental divide through a timbered
and somewhat unspectacular pass it becomes trail # 271 and descends along Stadler and
Basin creeks to the South Fork Flathead, our next area of interest. Camp Creek pass to the
north and Observation Pass to the south are more spectacular, I’m told, but the
Hoadley/Stadler route is far more direct and consequently the one I have used. I have also
heard that the trail from Observation Pass down to the South Fork country is impassible
for horses, something I will probably have to verify for myself sometime.
The South Fork Flathead is perhaps the epitome of a wilderness river. This jewel of a
stream flows through the Bob for over forty miles from its head at the confluence of
Young’s and Danaher creeks to where it leaves the wilderness near Bunker Creek above
Hungry Horse reservoir. Every inch of this is wonderful country; full of fish, birds, and
wildlife large and small. No part of this area could be construed as easy to reach. A road
does reach within less than a mile of the wilderness boundary at its northern reaches near
Bunker Creek, but reaching this point requires a trip of around sixty miles of gravel road
along Hungry Horse Reservoir. A paved road does extend for much of this distance along the
west side of the reservoir, but is curvy and narrow in the extreme, and myself and most
others prefer putting up with the rougher, but somewhat wider and straighter (relatively
speaking) gravel road on the east side. Reaching the upper stretches of the South Fork
from the Bunker Creek trailhead will necessitate a forty mile hike or horseback ride. Most
seem to prefer the alternatives, which include crossing the continental divide from the
east via various passes, crossing the impressive Swan Range from the west, or perhaps
easiest; entering the area via the North Fork Blackfoot from the south. This last route
involves the least elevation gain, but still involves a fairly impressive distance of well
over twenty miles, which leads us back to my original point that this area is difficult to
reach. That is no small part of its charm, though, in my opinion, and given its many
wonders if it was easily accessible it would be overrun with people.
As mentioned previously, I have most often used the Hoadley/Stadler Creek trail from
Benchmark to enter the South Fork country, a trip of fourteen miles. This trail reaches Danaher
Creek (one of the headwaters of the South Fork) at the Basin. This is a gorgeous area with
huge meadows offering excellent grazing for horse parties, as well as views of the
surrounding peaks. It is an excellent place to locate a base camp from which to make day
trips exploring the surrounding country. Another excellent spot in the vicinity where I
have camped several times is Danaher Meadows; seven miles upstream from the Basin. Five
miles downstream from the Basin, Danaher Creek joins with Young’s Creek to officially
become the South Fork Flathead. Several outfitters operate camps throughout this area, and
some offer raft trips down the South Fork originating from this vicinity. Fishing is
fabulous for feisty native cutthroat trout all through the South Fork country, and
wildlife is abundant. Deer and elk are often visible in early morning and evening, and I
have even seen herds of elk bedded in the meadows in mid-day. I’ve also encountered
black and grizzly bears, but fortunately, as yet haven’t had any problems with them.
Due caution in hiking and camping practices are advised, but these wilderness bears are
less habituated to humans than the ones in Glacier or Yellowstone and rarely cause
problems.
Good campsites are abundant all along the South Fork; backpackers have their choice of
secluded, intimate glens along the river, and horse parties can select from the many
meadows that dot the river. The first large series of meadows five miles below the
headwaters is the aptly named Big Prairie, site of a backcountry ranger station. Six miles
below Big Prairie lies White River Park. This jewel of a spot is actually on a bench above the
river and consists of several acres of towering pines. There is no brush or undergrowth
under these magnificent trees, just grass, and the area seems like a giant cathedral. The
White River intersects the South Fork below the park, and the trail ascending it offers
several possibilities for outstanding, if somewhat lengthy and strenuous loop trips back
to east side trailheads. Five miles up the White River from the South Fork, trail # 138
heads up the South Fork White River to White River Pass. This trail offers outstanding
views of the seldom-visited Flathead Alps to the south. From the pass travelers can
descend the West Fork and South Fork Sun Rivers back to Benchmark. Those with the time and
fortitude can make a considerably more lengthy trip to the headwaters of White River,
cross Larch Hill pass at the north end of the Chinese Wall, and descend Rock or Moose
creeks to the North Fork Sun River.
Getting back to the South Fork Flathead; a few miles below White River Park lies Salmon
Forks. A most worthwhile side trip from this area is to Big Salmon Lake, which lies a mile
west of Salmon Forks. This lake is by far the largest in the Bob, and is well worth the
trip. Spaced a few miles apart below Salmon Forks are Little Salmon Park and Independence
Park, followed by Black Bear guard station. Below Black Bear, the valley of the South Fork
narrows and becomes more continuously timbered till its exit from the wilderness near
Bunker Creek.
The final region of the Bob is its southern tip, drained by the North Fork Blackfoot
River. This area is accessed by several trailheads reached by gravel roads north of MT 200
in the Lincoln and Ovando area. Outfitters offer hunting trips in this area, but aside
from that it is not commonly used as a vacation destination in itself. As previously
mentioned, it does provide one of the easier routes in to the South Fork Flathead, which
accounts for much of its use during the summer months. Also, much of the eastern portion
of this area burned in the 1988 Canyon Creek Fire
This article provides an overview of the Bob Marshall, but words are wholly inadequate
to describe the charm of this vast country. You really need to visit it to gain an
appreciation for its mind-boggling size and the uniqueness of its attractions. Be warned,
though, after a single visit you will realize that you have only scratched the surface of
the possibilities, and you will likely want to return again and again. The Bob holds a
lifetime of vacation possibilities, and if you seek adventure in remote country, a Bob
Marshall Wilderness trip should be on your list.
See you on the trail.
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