Montana · Hiking

Lower Boulder

Lower BoulderPhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
4.6 mi
round trip
1,109 ft
climb
3,766 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Is Lower Boulder open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Kootenai National Forest. It doesn't name Lower Boulder, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Lower Boulder is a moderate out-and-back hike in the Rexford Ranger District of Montana's Kootenai National Forest, about 4.6 miles long with an elevation gain of 1,109 feet. The trail starts at trailhead 556, which is open from June 1 to October 31, and the route rises from a low point of 2,659 feet to a high of 3,766 feet. The trail is open to both horses and bikes, so riders and pack animals can join the climb. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Eureka put July and August highs around 86°F with lows in the low 50s, and the station sits roughly 1,200 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. Mario Land Boulders and Yoshi's Island, two climbing areas, sit about half a mile away. The Koocanusa Area, a lake fishing spot, is under a mile off, and Beartrap Ponds is about 3 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Lower Boulder

    Best months: April–June and September–October. 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

      32° / 19°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      39° / 21°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      49° / 28°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      60° / 34°

      8 wet

    5. May

      70° / 42°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 49°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 53°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      86° / 51°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      75° / 44°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 35°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      41° / 27°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      31° / 21°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Eureka Rs, MT, 10.4 mi away at 2,532 ft. The station sits about 1,200 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.