Tolan Basin
- 3.4 mi
- round trip
- 1,307 ft
- climb
- 7,476 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Tolan Basin open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Bitterroot National Forest.
Pile burning on West Fork Ranger and Darby-Sula Districts Nov. 3
Agency alert covering Bitterroot National Forest · USFS · Bitterroot National Forest
Two Prescribed Burns Planned for the week of Oct. 5 - Piquett Creek & Cameron Gap
Agency alert covering Bitterroot National Forest · USFS · Bitterroot National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Bitterroot National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Tolan Basin is a moderate hike in the Sula Ranger District of Montana's Bitterroot National Forest, about 3.4 miles long with a one-way climb of 1,307 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced and makes an out-and-back trip, starting at a low point of about 6,167 feet and reaching a high of about 7,476 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Wisdom weather station show July highs around 78°F with lows near 38°F, and September still runs in the upper 60s. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the basin run cooler. The Continental Divide Trail passes about 1.9 miles away, and the Meadow Creek hike is about 2.3 miles off. For an overnight stay, Hogan Cabin is about 5 miles away and Indian Trees Campground about 6 miles.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Tolan Basin
Best months: June–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.
Jan
26° / 3°
8 wet
Feb
29° / 3°
8 wet
Mar
39° / 12°
8 wet
Apr
49° / 21°
9 wet
May
59° / 28°
12 wet
Jun
67° / 35°
11 wet
Jul
78° / 38°
8 wet
Aug
77° / 34°
7 wet
Sep
68° / 28°
7 wet
Oct
53° / 21°
8 wet
Nov
36° / 10°
9 wet
Dec
25° / 3°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Wisdom, MT, 21.3 mi away at 6,060 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.
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