Montana · Hiking · Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Slough Creek

4.4 mi
round trip
695 ft
climb
8,585 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jul–Aug
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 4 h ago

Is Slough Creek open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Custer Gallatin National Forest. It doesn't name Slough Creek, so check the source for the area it covers (14 listed).

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

Slough Creek is a 4.4-mile out-and-back hike in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, part of the Gardiner Ranger District of Custer Gallatin National Forest in Montana. The trail rises from a low point of 7,861 feet to a high of 8,585 feet, with a total elevation gain of 695 feet, and is rated moderate. The Forest Service manages the land. The route is natural-surfaced and allows horses, and bikes are not permitted. It is open year-round, and the nearest town is Cooke City, about 14 miles away. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cooke City show July highs around 74°F with lows near 39°F, and the station sits roughly 1,100 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. Nearby hikes include Wounded Man, about 1.7 miles away, and East Fork Cutoff, about 2.7 miles away. Lake Columbine and Horseshoe Basin are both within about 4 miles.

  • Best time to go · Jul–Aug

    Best time to visit Slough Creek

    Best months: July–August. 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

      24° / 6°

      17 wet

    2. Feb

      29° / 7°

      13 wet

    3. Mar

      37° / 14°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      43° / 21°

      13 wet

    5. May

      54° / 28°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      64° / 34°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      74° / 39°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      71° / 38°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      62° / 31°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      47° / 24°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      31° / 13°

      14 wet

    12. Dec

      22° / 6°

      17 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cooke City 2 W, MT, 13.9 mi away at 7,483 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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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Buffalo ForkPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Telephone BasinPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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