Chocolate Gulch Trail

The Chocolate Gulch Trail is a beautiful and versatile adventure in the Sawtooth National Forest that can be enjoyed year-round. Hike, bike, horseback ride, or snowshoe, no matter the season, this pleasant trail beckons your exploration. While the exposed terrain along the circuit offers great mountain views, it also warrants extreme conditions—check the forecast and dress accordingly! Additionally, it is important to be mindful of your footing on the rocky and rutted terrain, and after rainfall, it is worth noting that the path becomes unstable with mud.

Setting out from the trailhead, the Chocolate Gulch Trail travels westwardly into a forested valley bisected by a seasonal creek. After some climbing, the path will reroute you southwardly, gaining a ridge into the wildflower-cloaked meadowlands. Here you will be granted expansive views of the Boulder Mountains commanding the skyline before plunging down towards Fox Creek. At the intersection, take a left onto the Chocolate Gulch Trail- Fox Creek Loop, tracking east along the meandering creek.

When you reach the next junction, keep left, and the Chocolate Gulch Trail will guide you along the aspen and pine-bound banks of the Big Wood River. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the waterway, and you will eventually return to the trailhead, marking the end of your adventure.