Sundance Ridge
- 28.8 mi
- round trip
- 4,898 ft
- climb
- 7,417 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Sundance Ridge open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Lolo National Forest.
East Fork Big Creek Road & Trail Closure- Superior Ranger District
Agency alert covering Lolo National Forest · Order 26-003- · USFS · Lolo National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Lolo National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Sundance Ridge is a hard, out-and-back hike in Montana's Lolo National Forest, within the Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District. The route spans 28.8 miles, climbing from about 2,700 feet to 7,417 feet, a gain of almost 5,000 feet. Bikes and horses are both allowed on the natural-surface trail, and the Forest Service manages the surrounding land. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mullan Pass, Idaho, show July and August highs around 70°F with only about six wet days a month, while winter highs stay near freezing. That station sits about 1,400 feet below the ridge, so expect it to run cooler up high. Clark Memorial Campground and Copper King Campground both lie within about 5 miles for overnight stays. Bay State Creek is about 1.6 miles away and Todd Springs about 4.5 miles.
- Bay State CreekHiking1.6 mi
- Clark Memorial CgCamping3.6 mi
- SPRING CREEKHiking4.3 mi
- Todd SpringsHiking4.5 mi
- Honeymoon CreekHiking4.6 mi
- Copper King CampgroundCamping4.7 mi
- Little Thompson RiverCanoeing9.6 mi
- Fishtrap CreekCanoeing9.9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Big Hole LookoutHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
Ashley CreekHiking · ~16 min drivePhoto: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- SPRING CREEKHiking · ~7 min drive
- Arrowhead LakeHiking · ~12 min drive
- Goat LakesHiking · ~12 min drive
- Todd SpringsHiking · ~8 min drive
- KOO KOO SINT RIDGEHiking · ~11 min drive
- GOAT LAKES CONNECTORHiking · ~13 min drive
- South Fork Four Lakes CreekHiking · ~13 min drive
- MUNSON CREEKHiking · ~13 min drive
Best time to visit Sundance Ridge
Best months: July–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
28° / 19°
19 wet
Feb
28° / 19°
17 wet
Mar
34° / 22°
19 wet
Apr
40° / 27°
17 wet
May
50° / 36°
15 wet
Jun
58° / 42°
13 wet
Jul
70° / 52°
6 wet
Aug
69° / 51°
6 wet
Sep
59° / 44°
8 wet
Oct
44° / 32°
13 wet
Nov
32° / 23°
17 wet
Dec
27° / 18°
18 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mullan Pass Vor/Dme, ID, 28.7 mi away at 6,028 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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.
Route details
- Distance
- 28.8 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 4,898 ft
- Summit
- 7,430 ft
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Time
- About 12 hours
Season
Season: Year-round.
Other routes up Mount Headley
Questions about this route
How long is the Sundance Ridge on Mount Headley?
About 28.8 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Sundance Ridge?
About 4,898 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Sundance Ridge?
It is rated hard.
How long does the Sundance Ridge take?
About 12 hours round trip.
When is the best time for the Sundance Ridge?
Year-round.
How many routes go up Mount Headley?
2: Vermilion-Headley and Sundance Ridge.
Conditions and forecast on Mount Headley
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
