Montana · Hiking

Dutchman Basin

2.4 mi
round trip
261 ft
climb
8,049 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 2 h ago

Is Dutchman Basin open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Custer Gallatin National Forest. It doesn't name Dutchman Basin, so check the source for the area it covers (16 listed).

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

Dutchman Basin is an easy, 2.4-mile out-and-back hike in Montana's Custer Gallatin National Forest, within the Hebgen Lake Ranger District. The trail rises from about 7,630 feet to about 8,049 feet, a climb of 261 feet, and is an easy walk that works well as a short outing on a longer day in the district. The trail is open year round and is on Forest Service land. The route is natural-surface and allows both bikes and horses, so it can be reached on foot, on a bike or with a horse. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Hebgen Dam weather station show July highs around 79°F and lows near 45°F. That station sits about 1,560 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures on the basin run cooler. Nearby hikes include Johnson Lake, about a mile away, and Old Tepee and Whits Lake, each within about a mile and a half. Rainbow Point Campground, about 3 miles off, offers a place to stay.