Northern Region Viewing Area
LOCATION and PHOTOS
Western Spring Beauty. Photo source: Gary A. Monroe , USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
Pink pyrolla. Photo source: Brother Alfred Brousseau, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
Shooting star. Photo source: Gary A. Monroe , USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
Flagstaff Mountain Trail #43
Forest: Kootenai National Forest
District: Libby Ranger District
Description: An excellent, relatively easy hike for the family. The trail winds through grassy meadows and follows a gentle ridge to the summit of Flagstaff Mountain. Geologic forms visible from the summit include the Selkirk Mountains of Idaho, the Purcell and Cabinet Mountains of Montana, and the Kootenai Valley. The trail is 2 miles long. Recommended use is spring through fall. Elevation is 4695 feet at the beginning, climbing to 6075 feet at Flagstaff Mountain summit. No motorized vehicles are allowed.
Viewing Information: In the spring there are a myriad of wildflowers. Awaiting your discovery are shooting star (Dodecatheon pulchellum), trillium (Trillium ovatum), dogtooth violet (Erythronium grandiflorum), fairy bells (Disporum trachycarpum) and western spring beauty (Claytonia lanceolata). Summer wildflowers include: fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa), sticky geranium (Geranium viscosissimum), lupine (Lupinus sericeus), Queen’s cup (Clintonia uniflora), pink pyrola (Pyrola asarifolia), twinflower (Linnaea borealis) andharebell (Campanula rotundifolia).
Safety First: Before you go, visit the Kootenai National Forest's Trails information web page to learn about safety in bear country, avoiding the hazards of giardia, and other important tips for staying safe during your visit.
Directions: From Libby, travel north on Highway 37, cross Kootenai River, then turn left on River Road. Travel 4 miles to Quartz Creek Road 600 and follow for 5 miles. Then turn left and follow the West Fork road until it ends at a "T" junction just after crossing the West Fork of Quartz Creek. Turn left and follow to Road 4690, approximately 7.3 miles. Maps can be obtained from the Supervisor’s Office at 1101 US Highway 2 west or at the Libby Ranger District Office.
Ownership and Management: Kootenai National Forest, Libby Ranger District, 12557 Highway 37 north. Libby, Montana 59923, 406-293-7773.
Closest Town: Libby, Montana.