8U4 Spotted Bear Airport

Before you fly into 8U4

Conditions

VFR

Good for visual flying

Airport

Non-towered

Self-announce on CTAF

Pattern alt

4,672'

MSL · field 3,672' + 1,000 AGL

Favored RWY

RWY 14

H/W +3 · X/W 1 kt L

METAR & TAF 8U4

8U4 does not publish a METAR.

Showing the nearest reporting station: KGPI (GLACIER PARK INTL) · 34.9 NM away. Conditions at 8U4 may differ.

METAR · KGPI

Observed 23:55Z

KGPI 112355Z 15003KT 10SM FEW070 SCT085 18/05 A3002

Wind: 150° @ 3 kt
Visibility: 10 SM
Temp / Dew: 18°C / 5°C
Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
Clouds: SCT
Density alt: 4,789 ft
Ceiling: Unlimited
Rules: VFR

8U4 does not issue a TAF.

Showing the forecast from the nearest station: KGPI (GLACIER PARK INTL) · 34.9 NM away. Conditions at 8U4 may differ.

Forecast · TAF

Valid 12 00:00Z–13 00:00Z

TAF KGPI 112320Z 1200/1224 20008KT P6SM SCT060 FM120300 19005KT P6SM FEW250 FM121800 17008KT P6SM -SHRA BKN080 OVC120 PROB30 1220/1224 4SM -TSRA BR OVC060CB

BASEVFR

12 00:00Z–12 03:00Z

Wind: 200° at 8 kt
Visibility: ≥ 6 SM
Sky: Scattered 6,000 ft
Weather: None forecast

00Z

03Z

06Z

09Z

12Z

15Z

18Z

21Z

00Z

NOW

How to read

The top lane is always the active baseline (BASE + FM). Secondary lanes stack temporary and probabilistic deviations in the order they appear in the TAF.

Tap any pill to see the decoded conditions for that period.

Change indicators

BASEBase

Initial conditions at the start of the forecast.

FMFrom

A new baseline that replaces the previous forecast completely, starting at the stated time.

BECMGBecoming

Conditions change gradually over the window shown. By the end, the new conditions apply.

TEMPOTemporary

Fluctuating conditions lasting less than an hour at a time within the window — not the dominant forecast.

PROB30/40Probability

30 or 40% chance of the conditions occurring within the period. Never combined with BECMG.

Airport info & contacts

Manager on record, flight service, ARTCC, attendance schedule and pattern altitude — published by the FAA and refreshed every 28 days.

Location

From city: 3 NM NW
VFR sectional: GREAT FALLS
ARTCC: ZLC · SALT LAKE CITY
NOTAM facility: GTF (NOTAM-D)

Airport manager

Name: ADAM LADELL
Phone: 406-481-0826
Address: SPOTTED BEAR RANGER STATION, HUNGRY HORSE MT 59919

Flight service · Hours

FSS GTF: GREAT FALLS1-800-WX-BRIEF
Attendance: Unattended

Frequencies

Tap any row to copy the frequency to your clipboard.

Advisory / CTAF

Runways & pattern

Full page

Runway & wind

tap a runway

150° · 3 kt

See full METAR & TAF

RWY 14

146°M

Head/Tail

+3 kt

Crosswind

1 kt L

Pattern entry · RWY 14

LEFT TRAFFIC

Runway	Heading (°M)	Length	Surface	Traffic
14/32Favored	146° / 326°	3,800 ft	TURF-GRVL	Standard L

Runway end performance

End	TORA	TODA	ASDA	LDA	VGSI	Approach lights	Obstruction
14	—	—	—	—	—	—	60', trees, 430' from thr, 0' R of cntrln, slope 7
32	—	—	—	—	—	—	90', trees, 800' from thr, 0' R of cntrln, slope 8

Declared distances in feet. TORA = takeoff run available, TODA = takeoff distance, ASDA = accelerate-stop, LDA = landing distance.

Airport sketch

Runways drawn to scale from FAA survey coordinates, rendered over satellite imagery. Not for navigation.

Top-down satellite sketch of 8U4 SPOTTED BEAR /USFS/ in SPOTTED BEAR, MONTANA, showing runways 14/32 drawn to scale over Esri World Imagery

Approaches & charts

Chart Supplement

8U4 · CHART_SUPP

Chart Supplement

8U4 · CHART_SUPP

Services on the field

Fuel grades, oxygen, maintenance, ramp storage and lighting — as declared to the FAA by the airport operator.

Fuel & services

Fuel: Not available
Oxygen (bottled): Not available
Oxygen (bulk): Not available
Airframe repair: Not available
Power plant repair: Not available

Ramp & ground

Transient storage: Tie-down
Buoy
Landing fee: No fee published
Wind indicator: Yes
Segmented circle: No

Fuel & FBOs

Cheapest 100LL and Jet A on the field and nearby. Always confirm with the FBO before taxi.

Cheapest 100LLNearby

$5.79

8S1·Lake Aero/Ronan Aviation·29.9 nm

Cheapest Jet ANearby

$8.20

KGPI·Atlantic Aviation·34.9 nm

No on-field FBO prices. See nearby fuel options below.

Cheaper nearby (within 50 nm)

100LL$5.79at8S1Lake Aero/Ronan Aviation29.9 nm
Jet A$8.20atKGPIAtlantic Aviation34.9 nm

Airport notes

Surface conditions, obstructions, local procedures, lighting outages and other notes published with each FAA cycle.

General notes

MOUNTAINS & TREES IN TRNSTN AREA BOTH SIDES OF RY.
FONE IN RANGER STN OR AT RANCH 1 MI S OF ARPT.
FOR CD CTC SALT LAKE ARTCC AT 801-320-2568.

Runway surface & condition

14/32N QTR OF STRIP HAS A SLGT DOG-LEG; DOG-LEG BGNS 1800 FT FM N END.

Approach & departure obstructions

14FIRST 1400 FT OF RWY 14 NOT MKD WITH CONES.
32RY 32 FIRST 2400 FT MKD WITH CONES SPACED 200 FT APART.

Other notes

EST PRIOR TO 1959.
MANAGERSUMMER PHONE: 406-758-5376
14/32UP TO 4 INCH ROCK ON RY SFC.

VFR map & nearby airports

VFR sectional. Tap any ICAO chip to open that airport.

Key facts · 8U4

Answer card

ICAO: 8U4
Name: SPOTTED BEAR /USFS/
Location: SPOTTED BEAR, MONTANA
Elevation: 3,672 ft MSL
Traffic pattern altitude: 4,672 ft MSL (1,000 AGL)
Control tower: Non-towered (use CTAF)
Total runways: 1
Longest runway: 14/32 · 3,800 ft
Published ILS approaches: 0
Published frequencies: 1
Magnetic variation: 18°
Current flight rules: VFR
Current wind: 150° at 3 kt
Favored runway now: RWY 14

Spotted Bear /USFS/ (8U4) sits in Spotted Bear, Montana. The field elevation is 3,672 ft MSL. It has one runway. Runway 14/32 is 3,800 ft long with a turf-gravel surface. There is no control tower. CTAF is 122.9.

No ILS approaches are published here. Pattern altitude is not published in the facts. Use the standard 1,000 ft AGL pattern unless the current Chart Supplement says otherwise. The airport sits in mountain country. Mountains and trees are in the transition area on both sides of the runway. That matters on arrival and departure, especially with the elevation and the terrain around the strip.

Published remarks call out a slight dog-leg in the north quarter of the runway. The dog-leg begins 1,800 ft from the north end. Runway 32 has cones for the first 2,400 ft. Runway 14 has no cones on the first 1,400 ft. There is up to 4 inch rock on the runway surface. The airport was established before 1959. A phone is available in the ranger station or at the ranch one mile south of the airport. The summer phone number is 406-758-5376. For clearance delivery contact Salt Lake ARTCC at 801-320-2568.

Frequently asked questions

What is the runway at Spotted Bear Airport like?

8U4 has one runway, 14/32. It is 3,800 ft long with a turf-gravel surface. Published remarks also note up to 4 inch rock on the runway surface.

What is the field elevation at 8U4?

The field elevation is 3,672 ft MSL. That elevation matters for performance planning, especially on a warm day in mountain terrain.

Is there a tower at Spotted Bear Airport?

No tower is listed for 8U4. Use CTAF 122.9 for local traffic calls and check the current Chart Supplement for any additional operating notes before you go.

Does 8U4 have any ILS approaches?

No ILS approaches are published for 8U4. Plan with the current Chart Supplement and the charted procedures that are actually available for the field.

What is the pattern altitude at Spotted Bear?

Pattern altitude is not published in the facts. Use the standard 1,000 ft AGL pattern unless the current Chart Supplement says otherwise.

What should I know about runway 14/32 at Spotted Bear?

The north quarter of the strip has a slight dog-leg. The dog-leg begins 1,800 ft from the north end. Runway 32 has cones for the first 2,400 ft. Runway 14 has no cones on the first 1,400 ft.

Are there FBOs on the field at 8U4?

No on-field FBOs are listed. Contact the airport operator directly before arrival, or call the field on CTAF 122.9 for current FBO availability.

Who do I call for clearance delivery at Spotted Bear?

Published remarks say to contact Salt Lake ARTCC at 801-320-2568 for clearance delivery. For any day-of-flight changes, verify with the current Chart Supplement or the airport operator.

8U4