Elbow Creek
- 3.4 mi
- round trip
- 25 ft
- climb
- 5,559 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Is Elbow Creek open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Rocky Mountain Ranger District.
Camp Creek Fire Trail Closure
Agency alert covering Rocky Mountain Ranger District · Order 01-10- · USFS · Rocky Mountain Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Rocky Mountain Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Elbow Creek is a moderate out-and-back hike of about 3.4 miles in the Rocky Mountain Ranger District of Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is rated moderate with a one-way elevation gain of about 25 feet. The route starts at roughly 5,246 feet and reaches about 5,559 feet at its high point. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at E Glacier, about 19 miles away, show July and August highs around 74°F with lows in the mid-40s. That station sits roughly 750 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the hike run a little cooler. The trail is natural-surface and allows both horses and bikes. It is not an accessible trail. Blue Lake Spur is about 1.8 miles away. South Badger Tie, South Badger and Half Dome Crag are each about 5 miles off.
Local outfitters
- North American RV Park & Yurt Village46 mi away
- Sunset RV Park48 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Elbow Creek
Best months: May–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
30° / 13°
Feb
30° / 13°
Mar
37° / 19°
Apr
46° / 27°
May
56° / 34°
Jun
64° / 41°
Jul
74° / 46°
Aug
74° / 44°
Sep
63° / 38°
Oct
50° / 29°
Nov
36° / 22°
Dec
29° / 15°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at E Glacier, MT, 19 mi away at 4,806 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.
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