Jackpine Gulch

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3/5 (6 reviews)
Ennis, Montana (Madison County)
Last Updated: 05/28/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Jackpine Gulch Trail is located in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the largest of the national forests in Montana covering 3.35 million acres. This road is less than an hours drive from Ennis or West Yellowstone, and just under 2 hours from Big Sky Montana. The trail begins down in the steep valley floor of the West Madison River Valley surrounded by rocky bluffs, tall trees, and a few slopes of tall grass swaying in the breeze. With the wind hopping through the trees above, you can hear the rumbling sound of the West Fork Madison River while you take in the stunning views of the rocky cliffs up high. Bring your friends and come hungry for the wild strawberries and raspberries that can found along this road.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

3/5 (6)
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Official Crew
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36800
Open
Rated 3/5
Visited: 05/28/2023

The trail was in great shape, with some lingering snow and ice in the shady spots.
Trail Review: Jackpine Gulch - Cory Wooldridge
Trail Review: Jackpine Gulch - Cory Wooldridge
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Official Crew
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36800
Open
Rated 3/5
Visited: 06/19/2022

Great day for cruising the dirt roads. Green grass, wildflowers, and still snow on the peaks. There were a lot of small trees leaning over the road, like limbo for cars. The hiking trails at the end of the road were pretty popular today.
Trail Review: Jackpine Gulch - Cory Wooldridge
Trail Review: Jackpine Gulch - Cory Wooldridge
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Official Crew
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36800
Open
Rated 3/5
Visited: 09/14/2021

With the Goose Fire closure lifted, we checked out some of the affected trails. Jackpine Gulch is in great shape to the end. The few ruts towards the end of the course were also filled in. There were no signs of the fire until Waypoint 7 at East Bench Road. It was neat to see the green grass and coming up through the ashes. We made this trip in the evening. While many deer were out and about, one stopped long enough for a nice pic.
Trail Review: Jackpine Gulch - Cory Wooldridge
Trail Review: Jackpine Gulch - Cory Wooldridge
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Official Crew
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36800
Open
Visited: 09/08/2021

The Goose Fire area closure order was rescinded on October 7th, allowing the reopening of the following trails: Cliff Lake Bench Conklin Lake East Bench Elk Lake Jackknife Jackpine Gulch South Bench The condition of the affected trails is unknown and will be updated soon.
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Official Crew
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36800
Temporary Closure
Visited: 07/11/2021

Due to the Goose Fire, the following trails have been temporarily closed: Conklin Lake Elk Lake Road beyond Elk Lake to Hidden Lake is closed Jackpine Gulch Jackknife Cliff Lake Bench South Bench East Bench Currently, the West Fork Madison River is the edge of the closure area. More info on the closure can be found here: Goose Fire Closure Order
Trail Review: Jackpine Gulch - Cory Wooldridge

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