North Fork Sun Cutacross
- 2.3 mi
- round trip
- 38 ft
- climb
- 4,845 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Caution at last check
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 14 h ago
Is North Fork Sun Cutacross 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.
North Fork Sun Cutacross is an easy out-and-back hike of about 2.3 miles 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, and the trail sits within designated wilderness. The route is short and gentle, with a total elevation gain of about 38 feet. It starts at roughly 4,799 feet and reaches about 4,845 feet before returning. The trail surface is natural, and the Forest Service notes that horses are allowed but bikes are not. It is not an accessible trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Gibson Dam weather station show July highs around 79°F with lows near 45°F, while winter highs stay in the mid-30s. Several other hikes lie close by, including Elk Hill at 0.7 miles and Sun Butte at 0.8 miles. Paddlers can reach the Sun River about 4.8 miles away, and Mortimer Gulch Campground is about 5.2 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Choteau Mountain View RV Campground35 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit North Fork Sun Cutacross
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° / 12°
5 wet
Feb
36° / 12°
6 wet
Mar
42° / 18°
7 wet
Apr
50° / 25°
7 wet
May
59° / 33°
10 wet
Jun
67° / 39°
10 wet
Jul
79° / 45°
7 wet
Aug
78° / 43°
6 wet
Sep
67° / 36°
6 wet
Oct
54° / 29°
6 wet
Nov
42° / 20°
5 wet
Dec
35° / 13°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gibson Dam, MT, 6.1 mi away at 4,590 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Beaver-Mortimer Connector
~10 min drive
2.98-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 274 ft gain.
Photo: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Red Lake Stock
~13 min drive
2.84-mile out-and-back trail to Red Lake in Montana with 1,012 ft gain
HIKE
Elk Hill
~1 min drive
6.24-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 567 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Wagner Basin
~12 min drive
0.88-mile out-and-back trail to Wagner Basin in Montana with 244 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: Forest Service - Northern Region, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)North Fork Beaver-Leavitt
~14 min drive
5.38-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,055 ft gain.
HIKE
Bear Creek
~3 min drive
13.70-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 2,000 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Sun Butte
~1 min drive
1.43-mile out-and-back trail at Sun Butte in Montana with 756 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
Arsenic Creek
~2 min drive
9.16-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,367 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Goat Creek
~4 min drive
9.55-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,522 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Sun Butte Cutacross
~2 min drive
2.48-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 218 ft gain.
