more stats
1,798 ft
Distance
-281 ft
Descent
00:03:40
Avg time
-281 ft
Altitude change
4,458 ft
Altitude min
4,740 ft
Altitude max
4,739 ft
Altitude start
4,459 ft
Altitude end
-15.6%
Grade
-34.4%
Grade max
2.9%
Grade min
56 ft
Distance climb
1,739 ft
Distance down
00:03:40
Avg time

Free Falling Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Rattlesnake National Recreation Area
    Missoula, Montana
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    25 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 40 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #312572 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #148715 in Trail Running
    • #307157 in Hiking
  • State Ranking
    #2,653 in Mountain Biking · Montana [+]
    • #1,721 in Trail Running
    • #3,646 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Fat
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Trail Visibility
    Sometimes hard to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Land Owner
    USFS - Lolo National Forest

The trail is the most direct connection between Sidewinder and the Sound of Music/North Loop junction. However, it gets less use than the surrounding trails and tends to be bushy. It's a quick descent going down from Sidewinder. Going up on a bike is not recommended but is fine for hiking or running.

Tags
Faint trail

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 0 rides
  •  
All
  • 23 rides
  • Last: Nov 2, 2025
update trails status or condition

Free Falling Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jun 6, 2025 @ 8:24pm
Jun 6, 2025
Due to the logging this trail basically no longer exists.
Jun 3, 2022 @ 5:49pm
Jun 3, 2022
 Tree down
Aug 17, 2021 @ 10:39am
Aug 17, 2021
 There are a couple of trees down and trail is brushy in places like usual. The first tree is at the very top, can easily be ridden over, and could...
Aug 16, 2021 @ 7:02pm
Aug 16, 2021
 Multiple trees down, extremely overgrown. Unridable both directions. Almost unusable as a hiking trail at this point.
May 4, 2021 @ 3:31pm
May 4, 2021
 Few trees down. Pretty over grown with bushes
more »
Status:
on Jun 6, 2025
no votes yet
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to free-falling trailhead (46.912050, -113.934650)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      4 more »
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      mtb
      52 |
      Jun 3, 2022 @ 5:50pm
      Jun 3, 2022
      report
      mtb
      64 |
      May 24, 2020 @ 3:13pm
      May 24, 2020
      report
      mtb
      43 |
      Jun 12, 2019 @ 8:20am
      Jun 12, 2019
      report
      mtb
      40 |
      Jun 12, 2019 @ 8:19am
      Jun 12, 2019

      Videos

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      Routes with this trail

      28
      Lincoln Hills Figure 8
      10 miles • 2,155 ft • 26 • Loop •
      Figure 8 from Lincoln single track --> freefalling --> sidewinder and sons --> lincoln road climb...

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      Nearby Trails

      Rattlesnake National Recreation Area

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Free Falling located?
      Free Falling is located in Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, Missoula, Montana, United States. It is part of the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 46.91205, -113.93465.
      ▼ How hard is Free Falling?
      Free Falling is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 15.6%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Free Falling?
      The trail has 281 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 4,458 ft to 4,740 ft.
      ▼ Is Free Falling a point to point trail?
      Free Falling is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Free Falling?
      Free Falling is 1,798 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Free Falling?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Free Falling. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Free Falling? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Free Falling are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Free Falling?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 4 minutes to ride Free Falling. The trail is 1,798 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Free Falling?
      Free Falling is a less popular trail with lighter traffic. There have been 126 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 124 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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