Cougar Peak
- 3.8 mi
- round trip
- 523 ft
- climb
- 6,948 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Cougar Peak open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Lolo National Forest.
East Fork Big Creek Road & Trail Closure- Superior Ranger District
Agency alert covering Lolo National Forest · Order 26-003- · USFS · Lolo National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Lolo National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Cougar Peak is a moderate hike in the Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District of Lolo National Forest in western Montana, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back route of about 7.6 miles, rising from 6,011 feet to 6,948 feet, with an elevation gain of 523 feet on the way up. Bikes are allowed on the natural-surface trail. 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 70°F with only about six wet days a month, while winter highs sit near freezing. Cougar Peak Lookout campground sits about a tenth of a mile from the trailhead. Winniemuck Creek and Slide Rock Mountain are both within about 3.3 miles, and the Vermilion River offers canoeing about 7.4 miles away.
Local outfitters
- CDA River RV47 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jul–Sep
Best time to visit Cougar Peak
Best months: July–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° / 19°
19 wet
Feb
28° / 19°
17 wet
Mar
34° / 22°
19 wet
Apr
40° / 27°
17 wet
May
50° / 36°
15 wet
Jun
58° / 42°
13 wet
Jul
70° / 52°
6 wet
Aug
69° / 51°
6 wet
Sep
59° / 44°
8 wet
Oct
44° / 32°
13 wet
Nov
32° / 23°
17 wet
Dec
27° / 18°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mullan Pass Vor/Dme, ID, 23.4 mi away at 6,028 ft. The station sits about 900 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.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Ashley Creek
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Slide Rock Mountain
~6 min drive
12.05-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 915 ft of elevation gain.
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Upper Graves Creek
~9 min drive
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South Fork Four Lakes Creek
~11 min drive
5.47-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,634 ft gain.
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Vermilion-Headley
~6 min drive
7.24-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 946 ft elevation gain.
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MOUNT HEADLEY CUTOFF
~9 min drive
2.3-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 720 ft elevation gain and loss.
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Cabin Lake
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Route details
- Distance
- 3.8 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 523 ft
- Summit
- 7,054 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time
- About 1.5 hours
Questions about this route
How long is the Cougar Peak on Graves Peak?
About 3.8 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Cougar Peak?
About 523 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Cougar Peak?
It is rated moderate.
How long does the Cougar Peak take?
About 1.5 hours round trip.
Conditions and forecast on Graves Peak
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
