Bad Luck Creek
- 16.2 mi
- round trip
- 3,071 ft
- climb
- 6,087 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Caution at last check
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 16 h ago
Is Bad Luck Creek open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Bitterroot National Forest.
Pile burning on West Fork Ranger and Darby-Sula Districts Nov. 3
Agency alert covering Bitterroot National Forest · USFS · Bitterroot National Forest
Pile burning on West Fork Ranger District end of October
Agency alert covering West Fork Ranger District · USFS · West Fork Ranger District
Pile burning on West Fork Ranger District Oct. 26
Agency alert covering West Fork Ranger District · USFS · West Fork Ranger District
Two Prescribed Burns Planned for the week of Oct. 5 - Piquett Creek & Cameron Gap
Agency alert covering Bitterroot National Forest · USFS · Bitterroot National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Bitterroot National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Bad Luck Creek is a hard hike in Idaho's Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, on the West Fork Ranger District of the Bitterroot National Forest. The trail is an out-and-back that climbs from about 3,000 feet to roughly 6,100 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 3,070 feet over a route of about 16 miles. The Forest Service manages the land. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show July and August highs around 76°F with lows in the upper 30s, while winter highs stay near freezing. Paradise Campground and the Bad Luck Ridge and Whitecap Creek hikes are each about 2 miles away. Mount George is about 4 miles off.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Bad Luck Creek
Best months: June–August. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
31° / 5°
Feb
33° / 8°
Mar
38° / 13°
Apr
46° / 20°
May
57° / 28°
Jun
64° / 35°
Jul
76° / 39°
Aug
76° / 36°
Sep
65° / 31°
Oct
52° / 24°
Nov
36° / 14°
Dec
28° / 5°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dixie N, ID, 39.8 mi away at 5,740 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Bad Luck Ridge
~3 min drive
15.74-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 4,221 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Fry Pan Creek Trail
~10 min drive
7.62-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,783 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Spot-Three Prong
~13 min drive
4.47-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 59 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Whitecap Creek
~3 min drive
16-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,216 ft gain.
HIKE
Eagle Rock Trail
~10 min drive
19.52-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 6,298 ft elevation gain/loss.
HIKE
Selway River Trail
~16 min drive
2.68-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 1,845 ft elevation gain and loss.
HIKE
Elevator Mountain
~7 min drive
9.64-mile out-and-back trail to Elevator Mountain in Idaho with 959 ft gain.
HIKE
PARADISE CREEK
~17 min drive
16.04-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,978 ft elevation gain and loss.
HIKE
Forest Divide
~10 min drive
4.38-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 779 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Mount George
~7 min drive
17.38-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 4,049 ft elevation gain.
