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Bear Gulch

Ashton, Idaho

hike Hiking Trail

camp Campsite

cross-country ski Cross Country Ski Trail

sled Sledding Hill

Flag as NOT Free

9.7 miles NE of Ashton, Idaho

Address:	Near Mesa Falls,Ashton, ID 83420, USA
GPS:	44°9'4.1"N 111°17'11.2"W Maps \| Directions
State:	Idaho
Trails/Routes:	0.3-0.6 mi

Camp, Cross Country Ski, Hike, and Sled

Bear Gulch is an abandoned ski hill out of operation since 1969.

While the vegetation is beginning to take over, there's still some great sledding to be had. It's just far enough into the hills that there's plenty of snow all through the winter and often from Fall to Spring. The most popular sledding run is on one of the overgrown ski runs. Starting above the parking lot it goes down through a "no motorized vehicles" gate and on down to the creek and old ski lift. Most people stick to the upper portion, especially with smaller children. However, there are a range of heights to start from so there really is something for all ages. The lower portion is faster and windy with usually a decent enough trail cut out that it guides you through every twist and turn all the way to the bottom. Being able to turn isn't essential but you may feel like slowing down or even stopping. Just be careful not to stop in front of somebody else. The hike up is pretty long and a little steep. Be sure to stay out of the way of other sledders coming down.

Mapped Route/Trail Distances

Sledding Hill	0.3 miles
Trail to Henry's Fork River	0.6 miles

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Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel & camp on durable surfaces
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Minimize campfire impacts
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of other visitors

Directions

From Ashton, Idaho

Head east on ID-47 N/Main St toward S 6th St
Continue to follow ID-47 N
Destination will be on the left
(11.9 mi)

Take the Mesa Falls Scenic Highway East out of Ashton. Bear Gulch will be on your left just 3.5 miles after crossing Warm River. The road is only plowed as far as Bear Gulch in the winter which makes it considerably easy to find and pretty easy to drive. The parking lot is a favorite for snowmobilers, sledders, and cross-country skiiers alike.

Not accessible from the North during the Winter.

idahodyer

2/17/18 10:25 pm

We've done a snowcave campout with our scout troop here the last 2 winters. Great place for it and good sledding hill. This is also the start of snowmobile trail on the road and a cross country ski trail that will take you to upper and lower mesa falls.

Reply 1

endovereric

1/9/18 11:34 am 1/1/18

We had a great time and even went all the way down to the creek once. There were only a couple of families there so it was easy enough to share the one run. I imagine it wouldn't take much for it to be too crowded though. We went later in the afternoon so it was pretty icy. It looked like you could probably start much higher up when there's powder.

nlrventures

7/13/17 12:18 pm

Super fun hill to sled or tube down! You can drive right to the base of the hill and that's where they stop plowing during the winter. It also has a huge parking lot and is a great place to leave for snow mobiling, you have access to a ton of trails from there.

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