MT-FR-763/36 | Fortnine Wolf Creek Loop
- Distance: 64.0 Miles (103 km)
- Rating: 3-D, Remote, paved forest roads following old logging routes Ratings Explained »
- Travel: Either direction for best results
- Start: Junction with MT-2
- End: Junction with MT-93
- Fuel: None
- Along the Way: It’s hard to see the forest because all the trees are in the way, but it’s pretty all the same.
- Highlights: If you like taking the road less traveled, this is a loop for you. Not for the faint of heart or for those who are uncomfortable with unpredictable conditions.
- Advisories: Remote, no fuel, few people, inconsistent road surface
Summary
While most of the roads in Montana cater to large and fast moving traffic, remote and paved forest roads are a precious rarity. Such it is with this epic little loop that runs just north of the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge and through the Salish Mountain Range. The Wolf Creek, and its many tributaries provide critical habitat for trout and big game, and was a historic route for the Kootenai Indians and early prospectors as well as railroads.The road can vary from gloriously pristine to crumbly and bumpy. It’ll follow rivers, gorges, canyon and rail road tracks, past derelict farms and immaculate Forest Service campgrounds. This road is for riders who crave places that only the locals know about. But that comes with a stack of warnings. Be sure you have plenty of fuel. Be prepared for massive pot holes and oncoming traffic coming around any corner, taking up the entire width of the road.
Riding either direction is fine, but we tend to usually go north to south, then connect with the roads around Koocanusa Lake. If you ride south to north, when you reach the T intersection, turn right towards Trego and MT-93 for the full experience, or turn left and you are only a few miles away from southern edge of Lake Koocanusa.
If you really want to get the most out of the area, you can even rent a historic Ranger Station cabin by visiting Recreation.gov
Road Rating System
The first part of our rating describes how technical we feel that road is. Numbers one through five with five being the most technical and one being a more mellow road with few challenging corners. The second half of the rating is a letter grade. A rating of “A” would be a road that is in great condition and a grade-F would be a crumbly, slippery or degraded surface.