Donlan Saddle
- 7.5 mi
- round trip
- 2,316 ft
- climb
- 4,991 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Donlan Saddle 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.
Donlan Saddle is a hard hike in the Superior Ranger District of Lolo National Forest in western Montana. The route is out and back, about 7.5 miles long, with a high point of nearly 5,000 feet at 4,991 feet and a low point of 2,632 feet. The trail is natural-surface and is open year round, and the Forest Service manages the land. The climb is steep. The route gains about 2,300 feet one way, so round trip it adds up to roughly 4,600 feet. Horses and bikes are allowed, and the trail is not accessible. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July and August highs run around 70°F with only about six wet days a month, based on averages from a nearby weather station at Mullan Pass, Idaho. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet higher than the saddle, so temperatures on this route run warmer. Fourteen Mile Creek is the closest nearby destination, about 2 miles away. Iron Mountain and the Cascade Campground/Trhd are each under 5 miles off, and Sloway Campground is about 9 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Granite Peak RV Resort45 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jul–Sep
Best time to visit Donlan Saddle
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, 35.1 mi away at 6,028 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)Big Hole Lookout
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