DIRECTIONS TO SWAN MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS GUIDE SCHOOL IN MONTANA |
The Swan Valley is located on the western side of the Continental Divide in the Northwest section of Montana often referred to as “Glacier Country” near Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, Big Mountain Ski Area in Whitefish, and the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Bitterroot Valley. With lakes, rivers and streams, this is truly alpine country, very mountainous, with lots of forest and no sagebrush.
Getting to Swan Mountain Guest Ranch and Swan Mountain Outfitters Base Camp (Home of Swan Mountain Wilderness Guide School) is quite easy. Driving instructions to get to both are described below:
TO SWAN MOUNTAIN GUEST RANCH:
[Outfitter Training Program]
From Kalispell, Montana:
- Take Montana Highway 83 where it connects with Montana Highway 35, and head south towards Swan Lake.
- Continue through Swan Lake village, and head south (you can stop in the store and get huckleberry ice cream).
- Soup Creek Road is a left turn (east) heading south approximately half way between mile markers 65 and 64. If you pass the "Soup Creek" sign and/or mile marker 64 you have gone too far.
- When first turning onto the road, you will see a Forest Service sign - 554, this is how you know you are on the right road.
- Go up about 1 mile and you'll see a left fork, take this to the left and in approximately 150 yards you will see the entry sign "Swan Mountain Ranch - SMR"
 From Missoula, Montana:
- Head East on Interstate 90, and approximately 7 miles east of town take the Montana Highway 200 exit towards Bonner/Helena.
- Stay on 200 until you see the sign for Montana Highway 83, Seeley Lake. - - This junction is referred to as Clearwater Junction, and you can't miss it because the largest fake cow you have every seen is on the corner by the gas station as you take a left.
- Simply head north on Highway 83 past Lion Creek Road another 12 miles and look for mile marker 64.
- Soup Creek Road is a right turn (east) heading north approximately half way between mile markers 64 and 65, just past the green creek sign marked Soup Creek. If you pass mile marker 65 you have gone to far.
- When first turning onto the road, you will see a Forest Service sign - 554, this is how you know you are on the right road.
- Go up about 1 mile and you'll see a left fork, take this to the left and in approximately 150 yards you will see the entry sign "Swan Mountain Ranch - SMR".
TO SWAN MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS BASE CAMP:
[Swan Mountain Wilderness Guide School – Guide Candidates and Hunters and Adventurers Programs]
From Kalispell, Montana:
- Take Montana Highway 83 where it connects with Montana Highway 35, and head south towards Swan Lake.
- Continue past Swan Mountain Guest Ranch for another 12 miles.
- Left on Lion Creek Road (almost exactly at mile marker 52) heading south
- Take the first right, Dry Lake Road approximately ½ mile from the highway.
- Go one mile on Dry Lake Road, stay on it always staying to the right and you will head directly into the camp.
From Missoula, Montana:
 - Head East on Interstate 90, and approximately 7 miles east of town take the Montana Highway 200 exit towards Bonner/Helena.
- Stay on 200 until you see the sign for Montana Highway 83, Seeley Lake. - - This junction is referred to as Clearwater Junction, and you can't miss it because the largest fake cow you have every seen is on the corner by the gas station as you take a left.
- Lion Creek Road is almost exactly at mile marker 52 on Highway 83, and there is a sign announcing the road visible from either direction. It is a right turn (east) heading north.
- Take the first right, Dry Lake Road approximately ½ mile from the highway.
- While on Dry Lake Road, stay on it always staying to the right and you will head directly in to the camp after driving approximately 1 mile.
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