Montana · Hiking · Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Widewater

9.7 mi
round trip
533 ft
climb
8,474 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is Widewater open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Custer Gallatin National Forest. It doesn't name Widewater, 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.

Widewater is a 9.7-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 about 8,000 feet to a high point of 8,474 feet, with a total elevation gain of 533 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced and open year-round. The climb is rated hard, and the trail is not open to bikes. Horses are allowed. For timing, July is the warmest month, with typical highs around 74°F and lows near 40°F, based on averages from a nearby weather station at Silver Gate. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Rock Island Lake and Fox Lake are both within about a mile and a half, and Russell Creek is close by. For an overnight base, Fox Creek Campground is about 3.4 miles away.