Montana · Hiking

Rabbit Gulch

16.2 mi
round trip
528 ft
climb
9,423 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Rabbit Gulch open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Beartooth Ranger District. It doesn't name Rabbit Gulch, so check the source for the area it covers (14 listed).

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

Rabbit Gulch is a hard out-and-back hike in the Beartooth Ranger District of Custer Gallatin National Forest in Montana. It is a long, steep route, with a climb of 528 feet one way from its low point of about 6,289 feet to the high point at about 9,423 feet, and the total trip runs roughly 16.2 miles. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open from June 1 to September 30. The trail's natural surface is suited to horses, which are allowed, and bikes are not. That makes the trip a good fit for riders on horseback rather than on wheels. The trailhead is named Rabbit Gulch, and the parking area bears the same name. The route is best planned around the open season, which runs from June through September. For a base, Initial Creek Campground and Woodbine Campground sit within about three miles, and the West Fork Stillwater and Gorge Bypass hikes are also close by.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Gorge BypassPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Gorge Bypass

~4 min drive

Gorge Bypass is a 0.73-mile loop trail in Montana with 394 feet of elevation gain.

Stillwater RiverPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Stillwater River

~5 min drive

17.26-mile out-and-back trail along Stillwater River in Montana with 1,639 ft gain.

Initial CreekPhoto: Jstuby at en.wikipedia, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Initial Creek

~6 min drive

6.79-mile out-and-back trail at Initial Creek in Montana with 467 ft of elevation gain.

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Castle Creek

~8 min drive

11.78-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,809 ft elevation gain.

Woodbine FallsPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Woodbine Falls

~5 min drive

1.56-mile out-and-back trail to Woodbine Falls in Montana with 272 ft of elevation gain.

West RosebudPhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

West Rosebud

~23 min drive

16.78-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 2,025 ft elevation gain.

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Stillwater Plateau

~10 min drive

4.01-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 712 ft gain.

Rabbit Gulch Trailhead SpurPhoto: Jstuby at en.wikipedia, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rabbit Gulch Trailhead Spur

~6 min drive

0.64-mile out-and-back trail with 115 ft elevation gain in Montana.

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West Fork Stillwater

~4 min drive

16.18-mile out-and-back trail on the West Fork Stillwater in Montana

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Telegraph Creek

~17 min drive

2.96-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,115 ft of elevation gain.