Rocky Mountain Front
	Accommodations& Services in this Region

The Rocky Mountain Front has always stood as a fortress or battlement to challenge travelers plying their way across the vast and sweeping prairies. Extending from the eastern flanks of Glacier National Park to the Missouri River in the Helena area, this towering mountain range encompasses one of the most awesome wilderness areas in Montana. With more than 1.5 million acres of towering peaks, nestled lakes and pristine streams, travelers by foot or horseback may weave their way across the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park, the Great Bear Wilderness, the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the Scapegoat Wilderness.

It is easy to imagine na-tive Americans following the bison across this vast grassland at the entrance to the Rocky Mountain Front. With a sparse popu-lation of 2.8 people per square mile, and cattle outnumbering people 10 to one, the area still retains its heritage as both cattle country and farm country, most notably in barley and wheat. Three rivers flow out of the Front. The first of these is the Dearborn River, which is closest to Highway 200 (the main artery which connects Missoula and Great Falls). The Upper Dearborn River is restricted to trail access only. The trailhead is just that – a trailhead. The small parking area restricts camp-ing. The Lower Dearborn River meanders through private ranchland and may only be floated in good water years. The next drainage is the South Fork and North Fork of the Sun River, both of which are accessed from the town of Au-gusta. The final river to drain this wilderness extravaganza is the Teton River, accessed from the town of Choteau. Finally, the visiting angler has the opportunity of fishing the Blackfoot Indian Reservation, which is the gateway to the East Entrance of the Park and offers excellent rainbow trout fishing in the reservoirs.

Upper Dearborn River – Devils Glen

General location: Highway 200 north of Lincoln and south of Augusta on the Rocky Mountain Front.

Directions: From Missoula take Highway 200 north past the town of Lincoln and over Rogers Pass. After crossing the Middle Fork of the Dearborn, watch for a highway crossing. To the right (south) will be a paved road 19 miles to Wolf Creek and the Missouri River. Turn left (north) on county road #434, a graded dirt road, 11.4 miles to the intersection to Bean Lake. At 11.4 miles turn left and go seven-tenths of a mile to Bean Lake. Continue on Dearborn River Road #577 past Bean Lake to the canyon trailhead, a distance of 5.1 miles. Bean Lake is a small, popular pothole lake and good fishing for stocked rainbows in the early summer.

Trailhead: Located on BLM land, the trailhead prohibits overnight camping and offers only an outhouse and a hitching rail. The trail to the canyon and National For-est land passes through private property, so please stay off the private road and on the designated trail. At the trailhead the USFS sign states that it is 1.8 miles to National Forest land. However, at three-quarters of a mile from the trailhead, the trail crosses the Dearborn River on a newly constructed bridge. The property owner's sign next to the bridge claims three miles of private property after the bridge crossing. Regardless of which sign is accurate, the first campsite is approximately four miles from the trailhead.

Backcountry Camping: One of the gateways to the Scapegoat Wilderness, the Dearborn River plunges over granite rock out of the Rocky Mountain Front. The mountains command your attention. Steep and rugged, the river-carved granite presents a stark contrast to the rolling prairie grasslands and pocket lakes just a few miles away. Crossing the bridge by the last summer cabin a little less than a mile from the trailhead, the trail winds its way up the northern side of the river to the first spectacular view of the canyon. The timeless art of water-carved rock inspires a moment of reflection before pushing up the trail. From the trailhead to the bridge is a 25-minute hike. From the bridge to the first campsite is about a 45-minute hike. About five minutes up the trail from the first campsite, the trail forks down to the river past a second nice campsite. Just past this campsite on this spur trail, the trail crosses the river to a large flat area, which can accommodate a number of campers. Another mile or two above this fork, the trail climbs up a steep-walled canyon past Devils Glen, a carved canyon of granite at the base of Steamboat Mountain. After you cross a steep slide of shale, the trail follows close to the river again and offers a number of shaded campsites in a narrow part of the canyon. The trail offers an easy to moderate hike for all ages.

Although this creek-sized river appears to be a sterile environment of rock pools and slides in gin-clear water, the fish are fairly abundant. However, do not come looking for the more common riffle-pool run. Instead, plan on fishing pools and pockets with very short riffles in between. The pools, with vertical rock cliffs on both sides can be quite restrictive. Scrambling around the ledges, hide behind rock outcroppings and make your first cast be your best shot. If your cast is delicate, you may raise a small 10- to 12-inch rainbow fanning just under the surface in the shadows of sheer rock ledges. If you are lucky, you may bring up one of the big boys hugging the bottom of the pool, 10 to 15 feet below your fly. The best time to fish this giant rock garden is late August through September, when detours up and around these mini canyons are minimized and the hoppers are crackling everywhere. I found the fishing to be both challenging and novel. After fishing for about three hours, I never succeeded in bringing up one of the big rainbows from the bottom, but I did talk to a fly fisherman who had landed an 18-inch rainbow on a hopper towards evening.

South Fork of the Sun River :: Nilan Reservoir

General location: West of the town of Augusta

Directions: From Highway 200 take the Four Corners Junction north on High-way 287. (The opposite direction would take you to the Missouri River at Wolf Creek.) From the junction the town of Augusta is 20 miles and Glacier National Park is 135 miles. When you enter the small cow town of Augusta, follow the road to Nilan Reservoir, seven miles from town.

South Fork of the Sun River, Benchmark Campground and airfield

The Benchmark access to the South Fork of the Sun River is actually the headwaters of the South Fork. From the town of Augusta, Nilan Reservoir is seven miles, and Benchmark's trailhead is 32 miles. Nilan Reservoir is considered by many to be the premiere reservoir in the Rocky Mountain Front; however, it is best fished in the early spring and fall, as the heat of summer drives the fish to the deeper water and they become quite unresponsive. The two most popular hatches are damselflies and the Callibaetis hatch in June and mid-July. The reservoir is heavily stocked with fingerlings and by the following spring they have grown to between 10 and 12 inches. Each year fly fishers ply the water in kick-boats and belly-boats to catch 6- to 7-pound rainbows and browns right off the shoreline with nymphs. Be cautious, however, because Nilan is renowned for high winds.

Wood Lake

Wood Lake is nine miles above Nilan Reservoir and offers camping and fair fishing in a small lake. Benchmark Campground is 15 miles above Nilan Reservoir. Although Wood Creek holds fish, they are tiny and not really worth fishing, unless you have children. A number of primitive campsites can be found along this road. In addition, Double Falls Campground offers an outhouse and a few picnic tables in a beautifully secluded spot on Wood Creek.

Benchmark Runway: Built in 1966 as a joint-funding effort between the Forest Service, the Federal Aviation Agency and the Montana Aeronautics Commission, this 6,000-foot runway was constructed for both public recreation and administration of the national forests in the area. At an elevation of 5,309 feet, the runway is often empty due to the wind shear factor in the area. Benchmark Campground provides 25 campsites with trailer restrictions above 22 feet. It is a fee area and provides toilets and water.

Benchmark Trailhead

The trailhead offers trailer parking, loading ramps and feeding areas for live stock. The trail follows the South Fork down to Gibson Reservoir. About seven miles down the trail, the trail crosses the West Fork of the South Fork of the Sun River.

West Fork of the South Fork of the Sun River

Sadly, I never made it to the West Fork of the Sun. I did, however, speak to a ranger who told me the West Fork was good fishing for smaller cutthroats.

South Fork and North Fork of the Sun River :: Gibson Reservoir

General location: The trailhead is west of Augusta, Montana, which is north of Highway 200, the connecting highway for Missoula and Great Falls.

Directions: From Augusta to Gibson Reservoir is 26 miles. Take Highway 287 north. Just outside of Augusta, take the turn-off to the left, which leads to Willow Creek Reservoir. The reservoir is 5.3 miles from the highway turnoff. The road is a dirt road for 19 miles. Drive past Willow Creek Reservoir to the campground at the base of Gibson Reservoir, or turn right, cross the bridge and follow the road up and over the mountain to Mortimer Gulch Campground, which establishes the trailhead for the Sun River.

Willow Creek Reservoir

A treeless, barren lake just off the road to Gibson Reservoir, the reservoir does hold stocked trout, but it is more popular as a recreation lake for water-skiers and jet-boat enthusiasts.

Sun River

Much of the prairie lands in the Augusta and Choteau area did not attract a large number of homesteaders after it was opened in 1862. Once the prime river-bottom land was claimed, the remaining lands were dry and wind-swept. Adding to this was the area's bleak and chilling winters. Typical government homestead offerings of 160 or 320 acres could not sustain a small rancher or farmer without irrigation water. The first irrigation project, completed in 1918, brought renewed interest to the area. The Bureau of Reclamation concluded that, in order to bring prosperity to the area, the Sun River would need to be dammed. With the completion of the Gibson Reservoir in 1929, the area enticed new settlers to the region. Today Gibson Reservoir provides boating and fishing recreation to residents and visitors. More importantly, it is the trailhead for the North Fork of the Sun River and the South Fork of the Sun River, as well as the majestic Bob Mar-shall Wilderness. Although some fair to poor fishing may be experienced across the grasslands that the Sun River traverses, for the most part the river is restricted by private property.

Gibson Reservoir

Gibson Reservoir offers a boat launch, Mortimer Gulch Campground, and a horse facility. Just above the boat launch, Trail 201 leads seven miles to the head of the lake. For day hikers wishing to fish the North Fork of the Sun River, plan on a three-hour hike. Although the trail is not arduous and mostly level, horse people need to be forewarned that the trail follows along the contours of the lake, and for about 30 minutes of travel time the trail is chiseled out of solid rock, high above the lake's waters, often with little room to pass or maneuver.

One of the first scenic areas to camp on the lake may be reached in just a little more than an hour, and it offers both shoreline and shade. At the head of the lake, the trail forks to the right up over a saddle and down into the North Fork drainage. Trail 201 continues to the confluence of the North Fork and the South Fork, approximately two miles.

Trail 201 ascends the north side of the valley mountain-side cresting at a saddle, which offers a splendid view of the South Fork drainage. Hikers pass through two gates as they descend down through aspen groves and the early summer abundance of wildflowers. From mid-June through early July, plan on seeing a host of wildflowers representing the color palate. On my trip on June 11, 2000, I noted wild roses, sunflowers, orchids, iris, Indian Paint Brush, lupine, and my favorite, the shooting star. I wish I could take photographs of all the beautiful flowers that I am sure I had never seen before, but my lead donkey, Buddy, becomes impatient and pushes me when I pause, and Banjo also usually resorts to some impatient mischief when I stop.

Although I did not travel very far inside the Bob Marshall Wilderness designation, the river beckons with promise. I would estimate that I walked nine miles before I viewed the North Fork of the Sun River. Camped on a bluff overlooking the river, I fished for only 30 minutes before I was drenched with a chilling rainstorm. Although I caught one small cutthroat, it was difficult fishing during the silted runoff. Nonetheless, the North Fork is considered good fishing for nice-sized cutthroats. The next morning I broke camp and headed back to meet Trail 201 to the South Fork of the Sun.

South Fork of the Sun River

Trail 201 continues following the lake shore past the narrow cliffs that back up the North Fork and the South Fork. At the head of the lake the North Fork tumbles past the K-Bar-L Guest Ranch. Relocated in 1927 with the construction of the Gibson Dam, the ranch was originally patented in the 1880s under Soldier's Script. The ranch, supplied with natural energy systems, offers a traditional guest ranch in the heart of a wilderness. Owned and managed by third- and fourth-generation members of the Klick family, the ranch is only reached by boat or by trail. Passing through the Klick Ranch, hikers will enter the Bob Marshall Wilderness about a mile above the bridge over the North Fork and just above a series of rapids. From this juncture the trail splits. The lower trail is the low-water trail and it fords the river within the first mile and winds its way up the South Fork to Benchmark. I camped where the two trails split. The upper trail circumvents the canyon on its way 14 miles to Benchmark. At this same junction a third trail leads eight miles to Bear Lake, which offers excellent fishing for 10-inch cutthroats.

The best fishing in this area is just up from the Klick Ranch, where the South Fork of the Sun backs up to the cascading rapids. During the spring when the water is high, boaters motor the seven miles right up to the confluence and drop anchor. Fishing mostly with bait and roe, they catch a lot of small cutthroats that mingle around just below the rapids. Later when the water drops, the boaters have to hike up the trail a little ways. Having been “skunked” due to the high and roiled water above the falls, that evening I couldn't resist moving down to the slower water, where all the boats had been anchored. (I dare say many of you, too, would succumb to this fish-pond mentality if you had hiked upwards of 15 miles in two days and found yourself cheerless having caught only one dink.)

I attached an “Oscar-the-Grouch” look-alike. It was bright green, two inches long, had big bulbous eyes, as well as yellow rubber legs. Well, I thought, that should be heavy enough to pull down my San Juan worm to the bottom. To my surprise, on the very first cast, I caught my first 10-inch cutthroat on this frightful Woolly Bugger. On the third cast I caught another 10-incher on the San Juan. In 30 minutes I had caught six cutthroats and one grayling. Off in the distance I heard the supper bell on the Klink Ranch. I knew that it did not toll for me, and that the guests were going to sit down to a delicious ranch meal, but one mile away in a small meadow next to the river, I was content. I look forward to returning.

Before I left, my camp was inspected by a game warden. I queried him about the fishing reports that the South Fork was only fair fishing above the Klick Ranch. He had no insights, although he con-ceded that he would only describe the South Fork as fair, unlike the North Fork, which he rated good to excellent. He did acknowledge that the West Fork of the South Fork of the Sun offered good fishing up in the meadow section.

I must say that my donkeys were fairly well-behaved the first two days, but on our return Banjo started acting up long before I got to the granite cliff section. This was the first trip handling both donkeys by myself. I tied Banjo's lead rope to Buddy's pack with a slip-knot. Each time we came to a rivulet trickling across the trail, Buddy would flair his nostrils and leap forward. Right behind him Banjo would react by jumping back. What a mess this created. A number of times the rope did not slip, and I had a tug-of-war between the two asses. Finally, I gave up and completely unhooked Banjo and let him walk as a free agent. When I got to the cliff section, I fretted about what to do with two critters. The trail is literally blasted out of sheer rock high above the lake, not to mention the fact that it is very narrow in places. Would Banjo behave better and create less tension if we passed someone on the trail and he was free to freak-out or hug close to Buddy and myself? Or would I be able to keep control of him if I tied him to Buddy with a serious knot? Every time I came to a blind corner, I nervously called out and listened for a reply. Gradually, my confidence grew as I gingerly led these two donkeys closer to the end of the cliff section.

The trail in one spot descended straight down to the water's edge and another blind corner. We rounded the corner and headed straight up the cliff again. Nearing the crest about 80 yards away, I could see the trail was vacant for another 100 yards. I breathed a sight of relief. Suddenly the pressure of the climb proved too much for Buddy, and he cut wind so loud he shattered Banjo's poking complacency. Head to butt, naturally Banjo jumped backwards. On hearing loose rock dropping down to the water below, Buddy panicked and lunged forward. Banjo, overwhelmed with fear, naturally followed his flight instinct, spun around and galloped back down the trail hell-bent for leather. I yelled, but it was no use. I prayed that no one would be on the trail behind us, as Banjo bucked and kicked around the blind corner. By the time I found a root on the side of the cliff to tie up Buddy, Banjo came charging around the trail again. I was quite amazed that all of his packs were still securely tied. He ran up to me and buried his head in my chest as if to say, I'm sorry. I wasn't polite in sharing with him the frustration and anxiety he had caused me. The cute donkey routine just didn't cut it. Ah, dear reader, I know by now you must by thinking to yourself, is this guy reckless, irresponsible, crazy, foolhardy, or just experiencing beginner's luck? I, too, am beginning to raise those questions.

Teton River

General location: Like the Sun River, the Teton River winds its way out of a can-yon to meet the rolling prairie west of the town of Choteau.

West Fork of the Teton River

Take Highway 89 north of Choteau towards Browning. At mile marker 46.5 turn left (west) to Eureka Reservoir. The turn-off for the reservoir is 2.7 miles from the highway. At 17.5 miles the paved road splits to the South Fork or continues ahead for the West Fork of the Teton River. Follow this road until the bridge crossing above a campground. Follow the trailhead into the wilderness section for fair to good fishing for 6- to 12-inch cutthroats. The main stem of the Teton River was scoured in the flood of 1964, and subsequent flood years wiped out the river's holding water and insect populations.

Eureka Reservoir

A treeless, barren lake just off the road to the West Fork of the Teton River, the reservoir holds stocked trout, but it is more popular as a recreation lake for water skiers and jet-boat enthusiasts. The lake has eight to 10 campsites and some outhouses.

Blackfeet Indian Reservation

Out of the way for most Montana visitors, the Blackfeet Indian Reservation east of Glacier National Park offers some of the finest still-water fishing in the state. Consider yourself lucky if you arrive on a day without bone-chilling winds. If you are willing to brace yourself against the elements, the reservation offers a bounty of rainbows and browns in the trophy class. The Blackfeet pride themselves on their fishing resources. In 1999 they planted 470,462 fish on the reservation's waters. Duck Lake received over 50,000 rainbow trout in the spring, and Mission Lake received 107,448 kokanee salmon, not to mention close to 60,000 rainbow trout. Planted trout grow big and fast in these pothole lakes on the prairie. It is not uncommon for 7-inch fingerlings to reach 18 inches in two years and up to 10 pounds at maturity in five to six years. The most popular lakes and reservoirs are Duck Lake, Kipp Lake and Mission Lake. A tribal fishing permit is required. Contact the Blackfeet Fish and Game Department for Blackfeet Tribal Licensed Outfitters:

Blackfeet Fish and Game Department
P.O. Box 850
Browning, Montana 59417
(406) 338-7207

Camping is permitted only on tribally-owned camp-grounds or on private property with the owner's permission. Motels are located in Browning, Cut Bank, East Glacier and St. Mary.