Magpie Gulch
- 1.8 mi
- round trip
- 763 ft
- climb
- 5,931 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Is Magpie Gulch open right now?
No closures listed
The Forest Service lists no closures for Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
As of · Source: USFS · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Magpie Gulch is an easy out-and-back hike of about 1.8 miles in the Townsend Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is rated easy with a one-way climb of about 760 feet, from a low point of roughly 5,175 feet to a high of about 5,931 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Adel, which sits about 900 feet lower, show July and August highs around 78°F with lows in the mid-40s. Winter is cold, with January highs near 36°F and lows around 14°F. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows both horses and bikes. West Big Belts Gfa - Magpie Creek Cua campground is about 2 miles away, and Trout Creek Canyon is about 2.3 miles off. Vigilante Campground and the Hunters Gulch Connection hike are both within about 3 miles.
Local outfitters
- MTBCity25 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Magpie Gulch
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
36° / 14°
Feb
37° / 14°
Mar
43° / 21°
Apr
50° / 27°
May
58° / 35°
Jun
67° / 42°
Jul
78° / 47°
Aug
78° / 46°
Sep
68° / 39°
Oct
53° / 31°
Nov
42° / 23°
Dec
33° / 15°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Adel, MT, 17.7 mi away at 5,017 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.
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