Montana · Hiking

Upper Pipe

6.8 mi
round trip
1,345 ft
climb
4,439 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Upper Pipe open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Kootenai National Forest. It doesn't name Upper Pipe, so check the source for the area it covers.

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

Upper Pipe is a 6.8-mile out-and-back hike in the Libby Ranger District of the Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route climbs from about 3,120 feet to nearly 4,440 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,345 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Yaak run to highs around 81°F in July and August, with fewer wet days than the rest of the year. That station sits about 1,350 feet lower, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. Bikes and horses are both allowed on the natural-surface trail. Turner Mountain lies just 0.1 mile away, and Loon Lake Campground is about 2.5 miles off. Paddlers can head to Pipe Creek, roughly 5.5 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Upper Pipe

    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.

    1. Jan

      29° / 14°

      14 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / 14°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      44° / 22°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 27°

      11 wet

    5. May

      65° / 35°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 41°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 43°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 42°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 35°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      53° / 28°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      36° / 21°

      13 wet

    12. Dec

      27° / 15°

      14 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yaak 9nne, MT, 24 mi away at 3,085 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.