Hungry Horse Reservoir closes due to fires

Fires on three sides of Hungry Horse Reservoir

A water skier on Hungry Horse Reservoir. (Montana Living photo)

With forest fires surrounding Hungry Horse Reservoir, the U.S. Forest Service announced today it has closed the popular reservoir.

The reservoir, which is on the South Fork of the Flathead River, is closed to all public access, including both the east and west side roads. As firefighting efforts continue on the Ridge Fire, the Tin Soldier Complex, and other fires in the area, the closure is in place to provide for public and firefighter safety, the Forest Service said.

The closure includes all roads, trails, and recreation sites in the area. The waters of Hungry Horse Reservoir and all islands are closed, from Hungry Horse Dam to the Spotted Bear District boundary. NFS Road 895 will remain open approximately 800 feet south of the west abutment of Hungry Horse Dam to facilitate traffic flow.

Previous Area Closures Still in Effect

Tin Soldier Complex Closure Order 01-10-04-23-13: The closure area encompasses the southern portion of the Hungry Horse Reservoir from the Jewel Basin Hiking Area boundary west of the reservoir to the mountain ridgeline from Prospector Mountain along the Great Bear and Bob Marshall Wilderness boundaries to Inspiration Point in section 4 T23N R16W. The waters of Hungry Horse Reservoir within this boundary are included in the closure area.

All roads and trails within the closure are closed to the public, including two additional trails:

• NFS Trail #7 (Alpine 7) from the junction with NFS Trail #10 (Six Mile Trail), south to the Junction with NFS Trail #31(Napa Point Trail).
• Spotted Bear River Trail #2 from the Wilderness Boundary to its junction with NFS Trail #173 (Pentagon Creek).

NFS Trail #64 and NFS Road 895F are not part of the closure and remain open.

A map of the described area is here.

Stadium Creek Closure Order 01-10-04-23-15: The closed area encompasses Gorge Creek drainage within the Bob Marshall Wilderness area, including Feather, Inspiration, Gorge, Canyon Trickle, and Stadium Creeks.
All roads and trails within the closure are closed to the public. The closure includes:

- NFS Trail #105
- NFS Trail # 107
- NFS Trail #218

A map of the described area is here.

Stage II Restrictions went into effect at 12:01am Saturday, August 5th, 2023, across the Flathead National Forest, Kootenai National Forest, Glacier National Park, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation - Northwestern Land Office, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 1, and Lake County, Lincoln County, Flathead County, and Sanders County.