Derby Mountain
- 10.2 mi
- round trip
- 1,202 ft
- climb
- 7,308 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Derby Mountain open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Yellowstone Ranger District. It doesn't name Derby Mountain, so check the source for the area it covers (13 listed).
East Fork of the Mill Creek Trail Bridge Stock Closure
Agency closure covering Yellowstone Ranger District · Order 01-11-04-26-03 · USFS · Yellowstone Ranger District
NFSR #1700 South Plateau Road Closure
Agency closure covering Custer Gallatin National Forest · USFS · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn Summer Interim Travel Order and Map and Order # 01-11-00-26-02
Agency closure covering Custer Gallatin National Forest · Order 01-11-00-26-02 · USFS · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn Winter Interim Travel Order and Map Order Number: #01-11-00-26-01
Agency closure covering Custer Gallatin National Forest · USFS · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Glacier Lake Road #2421 Closure Order Number: # 01-11-82-26- 01
Agency closure covering Custer Gallatin National Forest · Order 01-11-82-26- · USFS · Custer Gallatin National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Yellowstone Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Derby Mountain is a hard out-and-back hike of about 10 miles, with an elevation gain of about 1,200 feet, in the Yellowstone Ranger District of Custer Gallatin National Forest in Montana. The trail climbs from a low point of about 4,800 feet to a high of about 7,300 feet. The route is on natural surface and is open to both horses and bikes, according to Forest Service trail records. It is a year-round route, and the nearest trailhead is the Derby parking area. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mystic Lake, which sits a few hundred feet below the summit, show July highs around 75°F with lows near 50°F. Winter there is cold, with January highs around 34°F. Nearby, Lower Deer Creek is about 1.5 miles away, and Deer Creek Cabin is about 2.6 miles away. Lodgepole and Trout Creek are both about 3.6 miles off.
- Lower Deer CreekHiking1.5 mi
- Deer Creek Cabin (mt)Camping2.6 mi
- LodgepoleHiking3.6 mi
- Trout CreekHiking3.6 mi
- Telegraph CreekHiking3.7 mi
- BeartrapHiking3.7 mi
- West Bridger CabinCamping5.3 mi
- Meyers Creek CabinCamping6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Rabbit Gulch Trailhead SpurHiking · ~17 min drivePhoto: Jstuby at en.wikipedia, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)- Initial CreekHiking · ~17 min drivePhoto: Jstuby at en.wikipedia, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Stillwater RiverHiking · ~26 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)- Falls CreekHiking · ~29 min drive
Woodbine FallsHiking · ~25 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)- LodgepoleHiking · ~6 min drive
Green MountainHiking · ~26 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)- Castle CreekHiking · ~15 min drive
- Gorge BypassHiking · ~25 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
- Jims GulchHiking · ~7 min drive
Best time to visit Derby Mountain
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
34° / 18°
8 wet
Feb
34° / 17°
9 wet
Mar
41° / 22°
11 wet
Apr
48° / 27°
12 wet
May
57° / 35°
14 wet
Jun
66° / 43°
14 wet
Jul
75° / 50°
12 wet
Aug
74° / 50°
11 wet
Sep
65° / 42°
10 wet
Oct
52° / 32°
10 wet
Nov
40° / 24°
9 wet
Dec
33° / 18°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mystic Lake, MT, 23.4 mi away at 6,544 ft. The station sits about 800 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.
Route details
- Distance
- 10.2 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 1,202 ft
- Starts at
- DERBY (about 6,600 ft)
- Summit
- 7,310 ft
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Time
- About 4 hours
Getting there
Park at DERBY.
Season
Season: Year-round.
Questions about this route
How long is the Derby Mountain on Arch Rock?
About 10.2 mi round trip from DERBY (about 6,600 ft).
How much elevation gain is on the Derby Mountain?
About 1,202 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Derby Mountain?
It is rated hard.
Where does the Derby Mountain start?
DERBY (about 6,600 ft).
How long does the Derby Mountain take?
About 4 hours round trip.
When is the best time for the Derby Mountain?
Year-round.
Conditions and forecast on Arch Rock
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.
