Knife Gulch
- 6.3 mi
- round trip
- 3,508 ft
- climb
- 5,128 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Knife Gulch open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Kootenai National Forest. It doesn't name Knife Gulch, so check the source for the area it covers.
Kootenai Flood Event & Inaccessible Areas
Agency closure covering Kootenai National Forest · USFS · Kootenai National Forest
Updated Skillet Fire Area, Road, Trail Closure
Agency alert covering Kootenai National Forest · Order 01-10- · USFS · Kootenai National Forest
Upper Young Creek Road #7202 Closure
Agency alert covering Rexford Ranger District · Order 01-14-01-26-01 · USFS · Rexford Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Kootenai National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Knife Gulch is a hard out-and-back hike of about 6.3 miles in the Rexford Ranger District of Montana's Kootenai National Forest. The trail starts and ends at trailhead 542, also known as Knife Gulch TH, which sits at an elevation of about 3,069 feet. The climb carries hikers to a high point of roughly 5,128 feet, with a total elevation gain of 3,508 feet. Bikes are allowed, and the trail surface is natural. The trail is open from June 1 through October 31. Several other outings lie within a short drive. Good Creek is about 1.2 miles away, and Bunker Hill is about 2.3 miles away. The Webb Mtn. Lookout Rental campground is about 5.5 miles off, and climbers can reach Mikey's Mussel Beach, about 6.9 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Indian Springs Montana21 mi away
- Kootenai River Campground29 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Lower Boulder
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