Mount Jumbo South Face Trail

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Features Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The trailhead at Cherry St. has limited parking. Stay out of people's driveways and leave a place for people to turn around. Hot and dry in the late summer. Lots of native grasses. Wildflowers in the spring. Wintering area for elk and possible avalanche terrain in the winter (hence the closure).

Mt. Jumbo, one of the gatekeeper peaks at the entrance of Hellgate Canyon, frames the northeastern aspect of the Missoula Valley. While the "L" lies on Jumbo's west face, this trail wraps around the southwest side of the mountain.

The climb is long and fairly steep, but manageable if you're up for it. It's one of those climbs that relents just enough in the right places to make it an enjoyable challenge every time. Just shy of the summit lies the trail leading down to the "L" for a nice loop or continue on to the peak.

You can also link up the Lincoln Hills area by dropping down the Jumbo Backbone.