Wyoming · Hiking · Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Granite Loop Trail

8.8 mi
round trip
708 ft
climb
8,869 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is Granite Loop Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Shoshone National Forest.

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

Granite Loop Trail is an 8.8-mile out-and-back hike in Wyoming's Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, within the Clarks Fork Ranger District of Shoshone National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is accessible, with a natural surface that allows horses. Bikes are not permitted. The route rises from a low point of 8,162 feet to a high of 8,869 feet, a climb of 708 feet one way. It is rated hard, so plan for a full day on foot. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Silver Gate, Montana, show July highs around 74°F with lows near 40°F. That station sits about 1,400 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the route run cooler. The Upper Granite Loop Trail starts just 0.1 mile away. Beartooth Lake Campground and Lily Lake Campground are both within about 3.5 miles, and the Absaroka Range climbing area is about 4.3 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Granite Loop Trail

    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.

    1. Jan

      27° / 3°

    2. Feb

      30° / 5°

    3. Mar

      39° / 12°

    4. Apr

      44° / 20°

    5. May

      55° / 29°

    6. Jun

      65° / 35°

    7. Jul

      74° / 40°

    8. Aug

      73° / 37°

    9. Sep

      64° / 30°

    10. Oct

      50° / 23°

    11. Nov

      33° / 12°

    12. Dec

      24° / 2°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Silver Gate, MT, 16.1 mi away at 7,495 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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