Name: Mount Jumbo Backbone Trail
Rating: 4.0

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Closed Dec 1st - March 15th. Closures may be extended due to conditions.

Need to Know

You'll see a stone marking Glacial Lake Missoula along this route on the western side of the trail. About 12,000 years ago the Missoula valley sat under a 2000 ft. deep lake that was as big as the Great Lakes Ontario and Erie combined. Ice jams that were 2000 ft. tall had backed up the Clark Fork River, which is the river running through the heart of Missoula.

Runner Notes

This trail is loose at the top. There are segments of singletrack that switchback across the steep, direct trail. Take those, and it's a lot more enjoyable

Description

This trail is pretty straightforward. It is steep and loose from the top of Jumbo. There is a small climb after the initial descent. Then it's all downhill until you get to the opening of the backbone. Along the way, you'll see the high water stone marking where the banks of Glacial Lake Missoula once sat.