Bob Marshall Hike – Days 0 and 1

July 17 and 18, 2025

The long awaited hike in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana is finally here!

Thursday

After an uneventful border crossing and drive (I love how close Montana is to my new home!), I arrived in Whitefish on Thursday afternoon (July 17). With time to spare, I stopped at REI for some hiking food and also met up with an old friend I hadn’t seen in 14 years … great to catch up!

Eventually I made it up the hill to Big Mountain outside of Whitefish to Kim and Ron’s house. Ron and I have been friends for quite a few years now, sharing a love of mountains, skiing, backpacking and dogs!

While they finished their social engagements for the week, I waited at their house. We had some planning and packing to do after that, starting our hike in the “famous” Bob Marshall wilderness the next day.

Our friend Gary from Portland was going to meet us at the Spotted Bear Ranger Station, a 2 hour gravel road drive along the Hungry Horse Reservoir from Columbia Falls/Martin City.

This area has been on my wishlist for a long time. As per Google:

“The Bob Marshall Wilderness, located in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, is a vast and rugged area known for its pristine wilderness and diverse wildlife. It’s part of the larger Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, which includes the Great Bear and Scapegoat Wildernesses. This complex offers a unique opportunity to experience the beauty and solitude of a nearly untouched mountain ecosystem. 

The Bob Marshall Wilderness is a massive 1 million acres, forming the largest part of the 1.5 million acre complex. It’s situated along the Continental Divide in northwestern Montana. 

The wilderness is defined by its roadless nature, rugged terrain, and diverse ecosystems. It includes alpine lakes, towering peaks, grassy meadows, and dense forests. 

The area is home to a wide array of wildlife, including grizzly bears, black bears, gray wolves, lynx, wolverines, moose, elk, deer, mountain lions, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. 

The Chinese Wall, a massive limestone escarpment, is a major highlight of the wilderness. It stretches for miles along the Continental Divide, offering dramatic scenery. 

The Bob Marshall Wilderness was designated in 1964, named after Bob Marshall, a key figure in wilderness preservation. It was established to protect the area’s natural character and ecological integrity.”

So now it was finally becoming a reality! Since it is so vast, it would take a long time to see much of it. But I did really want to see the Chinese Wall and spend a few days with my friends exploring this area …

Friday

On our departure day, without a run scheduled, I slept a little longer and started the day leisurely. Around 11am, Ron and I left for Columbia Falls where we replenished with coffee and baked goods. Just past town, the turnoff towards Hungry Horse Reservoir led us south and started the 50 mile gravel road drive to the Spotted Bear Ranger Station at the end of the lake (past Hungry Horse dam). Gary had been road touring and had already arrived in Montana a few days earlier, camping in his van and exploring the area. At 3pm, we all gathered at the ranger station.

We got the last intel on conditions and then headed east to the Beaver Creek Campground for the night. It was a nice spot, just a few campsites, first quiet and then mostly filled up as it got dark (maybe 6-7 spots). The creek nearby made access to water easy and provided a cool afternoon resting spot. Besides a toilet there weren’t any services but we were comfortable in our tents (Ron and I) and van (Gary).

I’m not a fan of breathing campfire smoke from other campers but eventually that petered out as well. The night was warm, mostly uneventful (Gary had to kick deer out of his van that tried to explore the interior; mesh curtain only) and quiet (except for the same deer snorting next to our tents and drinking the dog water!).

We discussed the plans, shared stories, ate dinner, watched the deer walk by. It’s always a luxury to have a car nearby where you can store your food and get organized.