Montana · Hiking

Coyote Coulee

16.0 mi
round trip
753 ft
climb
4,743 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Coyote Coulee open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Bitterroot National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Bitterroot National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Coyote Coulee is a 16-mile out-and-back hike in the Darby Ranger District of Montana's Bitterroot National Forest. The trail gains about 750 feet from its low point of 3,983 feet to a high of 4,743 feet. It is a hard route, and the trail surface is natural, so plan for a day on foot with a steady climb. For timing, July is the warmest stretch, with typical highs around 82°F and lows near 50°F. Those are typical averages from the nearby Darby weather station, which sits about 860 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the coulee run cooler. The trailhead is called Coyote Coulee Trailhead, and the parking area is named COYOTE COULEE. Within a few miles you'll find the North Fork Hayes Creek and Camas Creek hikes and the Pullout Boulders climbing area. Lake Como Campground is about 3.7 miles away for an overnight base.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Coyote Coulee

    Best months: May–October. 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.

    1. Jan

      34° / 19°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      38° / 21°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      47° / 27°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 31°

      7 wet

    5. May

      64° / 39°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 45°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 50°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 48°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      71° / 42°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 33°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 25°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      32° / 19°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Darby, MT, 7 mi away at 3,880 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.