more stats
1,798 ft
Distance
-281 ft
Descent
00:02:05
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
00:02:05
Avg time

Free Falling Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    The Rattlesnake
    Missoula, Montana
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    25 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 50 in Trail Running
    • 65 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #241306 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #113031 in Trail Running
    • #92150 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

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.

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
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6 Months
  • 0 rides
  •  
All
  • 23 rides
  • Last: Nov 2, 2025
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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
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Status:
on Jun 6, 2025
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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
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  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
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  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
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  • > 6 months
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  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
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Trail Popularity ?
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BC Backroad Status

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to free-falling trailhead (46.912050, -113.934650)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        4 more »
        report
        mtb
        49 |
        Jun 3, 2022 @ 5:50pm
        Jun 3, 2022
        report
        mtb
        59 |
        May 24, 2020 @ 3:13pm
        May 24, 2020
        report
        mtb
        31 |
        Jun 12, 2019 @ 8:20am
        Jun 12, 2019
        report
        mtb
        31 |
        Jun 12, 2019 @ 8:19am
        Jun 12, 2019

        Videos

        no videos have been added for Free Falling yet, add a video.

        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 --> --> down middle...

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        The Rattlesnake

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        Frequently Asked Questions About Free Falling

        ▼ Where is Free Falling located?
        Free Falling is located in The Rattlesnake, Missoula, Montana, United States. It is part of the The Rattlesnake 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.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Free Falling?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Free Falling are:
        • July (5 activities)
        • August (3 activities)
        • May (3 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ 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 2 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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