Buck Creek
Buck Creek Trail is a 8.8 miles trail in Bitterroot National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. The forest has not published allowed uses for it. It enters Anaconda Pintler 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 | 45.9055, -113.6309 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 45.8407, -113.6296 · 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 5 segments.
The trail
| Length | 8.8 miles, of which 2.3 miles evaluated accessible |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent, 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Accessibility | At least one segment meets Forest Service accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 198, TRD 13877, TRD 13878, TRD 74304, TRD 74307 |
| 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
- Anaconda Pintler Wilderness WildernessFS · about 77% 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
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
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
- WildfireMoose
14 mi from the trail midpoint · 6,005 acres · 15% contained
- WildfireBear Gulch
22 mi from the trail midpoint · 10 acres
- WildfireBlack Bear
23 mi from the trail midpoint · 2,126 acres · 80% contained
- WildfireNature Grove
23 mi from the trail midpoint · 1,422 acres · 0% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Buck Creek Trail?
8.8 miles, the sum of the 5 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Bitterroot National Forest. 2.3 miles of that are evaluated as accessible.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Buck Creek Trail?
Bitterroot National Forest has not published allowed uses for this trail. The forest office can say what is open.
Where does the Buck Creek Trail start?
The line begins at 45.9055, -113.6309 and ends at 45.8407, -113.6296. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Buck Creek Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Anaconda Pintler Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Buck Creek Trail?
Sam Billings Memorial Campground (2 mi), Rombo (2.4 mi) and Mccart Lookout (3.1 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Buck 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 Buck Creek Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent on most segments and 12-20 percent on others. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Buck Creek Trail accessible?
The Forest Service has evaluated 2.3 miles of this trail as meeting its accessibility guidelines. The surface is native material.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Buck Creek Trail?
Bitterroot National Forest, Forest Service unit 0103. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Buck Creek Trail?
4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Moose at 14 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 5 segments named BUCK 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 September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.