Wagonhammer
Photo: WaterArchives.org from Sacramento, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 10.4 mi
- round trip
- 2,375 ft
- climb
- 6,151 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Sep
- best months
Is Wagonhammer 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.
Wagonhammer is a hard hike in Idaho's Salmon-Challis National Forest, on the North Fork Ranger District. The trail is an out-and-back of about 10.4 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 2,375 feet, taking you from a low point of 3,772 feet to a high of 6,151 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced, with horses and bikes allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Jackson, Montana, show July highs around 77°F with lows near 42°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. Burns Gulch is less than a mile away, and Napoleon Gulch and Little Silverleads are within about 4 miles. Tower Rock Campground, about 6 miles off, is the closest place to camp.
Best time to go · Jun–Sep
Best time to visit Wagonhammer
Best months: June–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
28° / 8°
6 wet
Feb
31° / 8°
6 wet
Mar
39° / 16°
8 wet
Apr
46° / 23°
9 wet
May
57° / 31°
10 wet
Jun
66° / 37°
9 wet
Jul
77° / 42°
6 wet
Aug
76° / 39°
5 wet
Sep
66° / 32°
4 wet
Oct
51° / 25°
5 wet
Nov
36° / 14°
7 wet
Dec
27° / 7°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Jackson, MT, 26.9 mi away at 6,480 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: WaterArchives.org from Sacramento, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Burns Gulch
~1 min drive
2.56-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 747 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Comet Creek
~8 min drive
Comet Creek is a 9.42-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 748 feet of elevation gain.
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Carl Gulch
~8 min drive
5.14-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,158 ft elevation loss.
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Wallace Creek
~14 min drive
4.24-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 335 ft gain and 1,083 ft loss.
HIKE
Napoleon Gulch
~4 min drive
1.14-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 339 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Big Silverleads
~9 min drive
12.96-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 857 ft gain and 4,009 ft loss.
HIKE
Bird Creek
~9 min drive
4.25-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,539 ft of elevation loss.
HIKE
Brushy Gulch
~15 min drive
3.43-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 352 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
Lower Moose
~10 min drive
2.65-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 59 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
STEIN MOUNTAIN
~9 min drive
5.26-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 2,819 ft elevation gain and loss.
