Fall and the Larches

Fall around Seeley Lake is larch season. Western larch, which most people here call tamarack, is a conifer that behaves like a hardwood: its needles turn yellow in autumn and then drop.¹ Based on past festival dates, the color most likely peaks in early to mid October, though no agency publishes a forecast.

Fall is also the start of hunting season, kokanee snagging on the lakes, frosty mornings and the gradual closing of summer campgrounds.

When do the larches turn?

There is no official peak-color date for the Seeley-Swan Valley, and we have not found a reliable multi-year record of when the larch turn here. The best local signal is the calendar the town itself chose. Seeley Lake’s Tamarack Festival (also called the Tamarack Brewfest) was held on mid-October Saturdays: October 13, 2018 and October 12, 2019.²³ That points to early to mid October as a good bet.

Weather shifts the timing from year to year, so if color is the main reason for your trip, keep your dates flexible and ask locally (the visitor center or ranger district) a week or two ahead. We could not confirm whether the festival continues in 2026.

Where can I see larch near Seeley Lake?

The best-documented stand is the Jim Girard Memorial Grove, about 60 acres of old-growth larch near Boy Scout Road, west of Highway 83.⁴ The grove was dedicated in September 1953, according to the Montana Memory Project (another source gives 1952).⁴ An interpretive sign there notes that the Salish and Pend d’Oreille used low-intensity fire on this landscape.⁴

Larch bark can be 3 to 6 inches thick, which helps the trees survive fire.¹

We have not found a published larch-viewing map for the valley beyond the Girard Grove. If you find a good stand elsewhere, the ranger district or visitor center can tell you whether the road to it is open.

Gus, the champion larch

The grove’s most famous resident is Gus, listed in 2020 as the national champion western larch, the largest known in the US.⁴⁵ Gus is estimated at about 1,000 years old and has survived roughly 40 fires.⁵ Height figures differ: NBC Montana reports 153 feet, the champion-tree program 154 feet, and the Montana Natural History Center 163 to 164 feet counting the dead top.¹⁵ Gus is in decline, which is one more reason to visit while you can.¹

Read the full story, with directions, on our Gus the giant larch page.

What is fall weather like?

NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals, Seeley Lake RS.⁶

September is still mild in the afternoons, but by October most nights drop below freezing, and November brings real snow. Larch season usually means cold mornings and comfortable afternoons. Dress in layers.

Hunting season basics

Fall in the valley is hunting season, and it affects everyone who uses the forest. Montana FWP’s 2026 dates for deer and elk:⁷

FWP also lists earlier openers (September 15) for certain backcountry hunting districts.⁷ We have not verified which hunting district covers Seeley Lake, so use FWP’s hunting regulations and district maps to confirm the rules for where you plan to hunt.⁸ Regulations and dates change each year; check current.

If you are hiking rather than hunting, know the dates. You will be sharing trailheads, forest roads and the woods with hunters, especially once the general season opens.

Fall fishing: kokanee

Under the 2026 FWP regulations, kokanee snagging is open on Seeley Lake from October 15 to December 31, with a limit of 20 daily and 40 in possession, and Placid Lake has the same snagging season.⁹ Read the current regulations before you go; limits differ by lake.

Campgrounds and events in fall

Summer facilities wind down as fall goes on. As of 2026, the boat dock at Big Larch Campground on Seeley Lake closes October 1.¹¹ The Salmon Lake State Park campground runs through September 30, while Placid Lake State Park stays open through November 30.¹²¹³

The community calendar listed an Oktoberfest on October 18 and a Halloween event on October 31 for 2026.¹⁰ Check the events page for what is coming up.

Bears in fall

The Forest Service food and wildlife attractant storage order runs through December 31 each year, so fall campers and hunters still need bear-resistant food storage. Penalties can reach $5,000.¹⁴ Carry bear spray and see our wildlife and bear safety guide.