Montana · Hiking · Bob Marshall Wilderness

Elk Hill

6.2 mi
round trip
567 ft
climb
5,525 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Elk Hill open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Rocky Mountain Ranger District.

As of · Source: USFS · Rocky Mountain Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Elk Hill is a 6.2-mile out-and-back hike in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, part of the Rocky Mountain Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana. The Forest Service manages the land. The trail is rated hard, with a one-way climb of 567 feet from a low point of about 4,941 feet to a high of about 5,525 feet. It is a natural-surface route that allows horses but not bikes. It is not an accessible trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. July typically brings highs around 79°F and lows near 45°F, based on typical averages from a nearby weather station at Gibson Dam. That station sits roughly 900 feet lower, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. Nearby options include the North Fork Sun Cutacross, about 0.7 miles away, and the Sun Butte and Arsenic Creek hikes, each about 1.5 miles off. Mortimer Gulch Campground is about 5.7 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Elk Hill

    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.

    1. Jan

      36° / 12°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / 12°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 18°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 25°

      7 wet

    5. May

      59° / 33°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      67° / 39°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 45°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      78° / 43°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 36°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 29°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 20°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 13°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gibson Dam, MT, 6.6 mi away at 4,590 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.