Big Creek Divide #306 (2 sessions)

Dates: August 12-19, 2026 (hitch 1) and August 26-SEptember 2 (hitch 2)

Location: Bitterroot National Forest, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness

Trailhead: Big Creek Trail #11

Basecamp: Big Creek Lake (10-mile hike in, depending on the campsite, TBD )

Difficulty: Strenuous

details:

Help us reopen a “long-lost” trail in the heart of the Bitterroot! The Big Creek Divide Trail #306 is a 1.3-mile route connecting Big Creek Lake, the largest in the range, to the secluded Easthouse Lake near the Montana-Idaho border.

While the trail was last officially maintained in 2010, its history stretches back thousands of years. This route served as a cultural corridor for the Bitterroot Salish, Kalispel (Pend d’Oreille), Kootenai, and Nez Perce for travel, trade, and social exchange. Help us reestablish a recreational path steeped in history, and bring your adventurous spirit!

This is a strenuous project. Volunteers should be prepared for extensive digging to redefine the hiking surface, and clearing years of fallen timber. While the days are physically demanding, the cold water at Big Creek Lake will surely invite you for a welcoming post-workday swim.

Pack support will be provided by the U.S. Forest Service to carry in tools, group gear, and food to basecamp. However, participants will need to carry their own personal gear and items (see packing list).

SBFC will provide breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.