Kootenai National Forest · Montana

Ross Creek

3.8 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 142 · trail class 3 · typical grade 12-20% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse · seasonal: hiking 05/01-11/30

Begins at the forest's mile 0, 48.2064, -115.9218 - no trailhead mapped Drive to where the trail begins

#405 Ross Creek Nature Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

season Gate open to motorized traffic on May 1 to

Trail Length: 1 mile

This self guided nature trail, will loop you through and old-growth forest environment. The wide path will lead you past informative signs telling you the history and ecology of the many plant and animal species native to the grove. In addition to the giant cedars you will see large specimens of other western trees.

Ross Creek , named in 1930 for the Ross Brothers, John and A.C. Ross. The brothers were propectors and miners who worked a number of claims on Ross Creek since 1893. Prior to 1930, this creek was known as Lightening Creek.

Restrictions This a day use site only. Bad Medicine Campground is nearby. No motorized use year around on trail.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Ross Creek X-C Ski Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

season December 1 to

Ross Creek Cedars Ski trail begins at the junction with the Ross Creek Cedars road and the West Shore Line of Bull Lake road. The trail follows the access road to the Cedars and is gated and closed to all motorized traffic. This 3.3 mile single track trail is groomed intermittenly, it gains 400 feet in elevation to the cedars. At the end of the groomed portion lies Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area an awesome place in summer and down right magical in winter.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Kootenai National Forest

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About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.