Kootenai National Forest · Montana

Star Gulch

5.1 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 1016 · trail class 3 · typical grade 12-20% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse · seasonal: hiking 06/01-10/31

Begins at the forest's mile 0, 48.1224, -115.8704 - no trailhead mapped Drive to where the trail begins

#1016 Star Gulch Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

Star Gulch Trail #1016 follows Star Gulch and provides access to Star Peak and historic Star Peak Lookout. Pilick Ridge Trail #1036 and Big Eddy Trail #998 take off from Star Peak providing loop opportunities. The trail crosses Star Gulch just up the trail from the junction with Dry Creek Trail #1020. This crossing can be challenging and dangerous during high runoff. Be advised Dry Creek Trail #1020 crosses Dry Creek ¼ mile from the trailhead. This crossing can be challenging during high runoff.

Star Gulch Trailhead #1016 [PDF, 2.1MB]

Restrictions <ul><li><strong>No motorized use.</strong></li><li><strong>No mechanized vehicles</strong>.&nbsp;</li><li>Properly possess and store all food, refuse, and other attractants pursuant to Kootenai National Forest <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd534160.pdf">Food Storage Order</a> (CFR 261.58 (cc)).</li><li>Please practice Pack-in-Pack-out and Leave-No-Trace ethics.</li></ul>

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Kootenai National Forest

All 465 trails in Kootenai National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.