Water Hill
- 2.9 mi
- round trip
- 439 ft
- climb
- 6,643 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Water Hill 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.
Water Hill is an easy out-and-back hike in the Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District of Lolo National Forest in western Montana, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 2.9 miles long, with a one-way climb of 439 feet from a low point of about 6,305 feet to a high of about 6,643 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 70°F with only about six wet days a month, while winter highs stay near 28°F. The trail is natural-surface and allows both horses and bikes. Grouse Ridge is about a mile away, and the Vermilion River offers canoeing about 2.8 miles off. For an overnight stay, Cougar Peak Lookout is about 4.6 miles away and Willow Creek Campground about 5.5 miles.
Local outfitters
- CDA River RV48 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jul–Sep
Best time to visit Water Hill
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, 27.3 mi away at 6,028 ft. The station sits about 600 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.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Grouse Ridge
~2 min drive
1.23-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 451 ft elevation gain.
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Bear Creek
~6 min drive
8.60-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 3,484 ft elevation gain.
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West Fork Cataract
~7 min drive
6.09-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 2,741 ft elevation gain.
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West Fork Canyon Creek
~12 min drive
9.71-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 2,786 ft elevation gain.
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Spring Creek
~9 min drive
2.84-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 287 ft gain
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Grouse Creek
~6 min drive
5.92-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 1,214 ft gain.
HIKE
Cougar Peak
~8 min drive
3.80-mile out-and-back trail to Cougar Peak in Montana with 523 ft of elevation gain.
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20 Odd Peak Trail
~18 min drive
11.38-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 6,240 ft elevation gain/loss.
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Elk Lake
~10 min drive
1.00-mile loop trail at Elk Lake in Montana with 407 ft of elevation gain.
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Slide Rock Mountain
~8 min drive
12.05-mile out-and-back trail in Montana with 915 ft of elevation gain.
Route details
- Distance
- 2.9 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 439 ft
- Summit
- 6,652 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- About 1 hour
Season
Season: Year-round.
Other routes up Seven Point Mountain
Questions about this route
How long is the Water Hill on Seven Point Mountain?
About 2.9 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Water Hill?
About 439 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Water Hill?
It is rated easy.
How long does the Water Hill take?
About 1 hour round trip.
When is the best time for the Water Hill?
Year-round.
How many routes go up Seven Point Mountain?
2: Water Hill and Cataract Creek.
Conditions and forecast on Seven Point Mountain
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.
