Trailheads: Geifer Creek Trailhead and Bear Creek Boat Launch
Route Type: Point-to-Point
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 25.5 miles, 6,275’ elevation gain
Day 1: Geifer Creek Trailhead to Moose Lake (8.5 miles)
Up, up, up! The trail from Geifer Creek goes up about 2,000’ in 3 miles but don’t let this stop you as the trail was in great condition and offered great views! The next 5 miles you drop down to Twentyfive Mile Creek and the trail connects with an old road and does go through a very overgrown alder section for about 1 mile. Pro tip - don’t have anything on the exterior of your backpack or hat, because it will be eaten by the alders in this section! Once you get to the creek, there is a good spot for camping there, but I recommend making the short push (of .5 miles) up to Moose Lake. There is a campsite on the Southeast side of Moose Lake, which is where we camped otherwise the Northwest side is also flat and has ample space for camping. The trail that goes along the shore of Moose Lake does not provide any easy access to the water or camping because the slope of the land is so steep.
Day 2: Moose Lake to Spruce Park (10.5 miles)
After an evening of peaceful rest at Moose Lake, we traveled what felt like a very long ways to Spruce Park along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. The elevation gain was gradual, but you do go up 2,300’ from Moose Lake to the saddle between Mount Bradley and Forster Mountain. This is a beautiful trek with views into the depths of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Glacier National Park to the North. There is an unnamed ‘lake’ that is about 1’ deep everywhere that could be used as another camp spot if the group has more time. After gaining the saddle, you can easily peak bag Forster Mountain or Vinegar Mountain along the way. All the up-hill gained gets lost as you follow the trail down to the Middle Fork. You can cruise this section as it is not too steep, but is all down hill. As you get closer to the river, you will connect with the main trail along the river and we briefly traveled south on the trail to find Spruce Park where we camped along the river for the evening. This is one of the most beautiful rivers I have ever camped along and if you have the ability to bring your fishing pole, it is highly recommended!
Day 3: Spruce Park to Bear Creek Boat Launch (7 miles)
The hike out along the Middle Fork is quick and has limited views and river access. It was a hot July day when we completed this route and enjoyed cooling off at Bear Creek Boat Launch in the river when we finished. There are many people that stop at this boat launch, so it is relatively easy to hitch a ride back to your car if you do not want to bring two vehicles.
