Carl Gulch
- 5.1 mi
- round trip
- 4,103 ft
- climb
- 5,942 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Is Carl Gulch open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Salmon-Challis National Forest.
Stoddard Bridge Construction Closure
Agency alert covering Salmon-Challis National Forest · Order 0413-07-17 · USFS · Salmon-Challis National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Salmon-Challis National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Carl Gulch is a moderate hike in Idaho's Salmon-Challis National Forest, within the North Fork Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is about 5 miles long, with a one-way climb of roughly 1,900 feet. The route is an out-and-back, and the total round-trip gain is about 4,100 feet, with the steepest stretch around 1.5 miles in at about 30% grade. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows both horses and bikes, so it works for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Gibbonsville run to highs around 83°F in July and August, with lows in the mid-40s. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the higher parts of the route run cooler. Little Silverleads is about half a mile away, and Stein Mountain and Silverleads Ridge are both within 2 miles. Paddlers can reach the North Fork Salmon River about 5.5 miles off.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Carl Gulch
Best months: May–September. 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
29° / 11°
Feb
36° / 13°
Mar
47° / 21°
Apr
56° / 29°
May
65° / 36°
Jun
72° / 42°
Jul
83° / 46°
Aug
83° / 44°
Sep
73° / 38°
Oct
58° / 30°
Nov
40° / 20°
Dec
30° / 11°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gibbonsville #2, ID, 6.1 mi away at 4,480 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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