Idaho · Trail 4060

Carlton Cutoff

Carlton Cutoff Trail is a 7.9 miles trail in Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Idaho. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2 to 3, moderately developed to developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.

Map

One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.

One end43.6786, -111.4605 · Directions ↗
Other end43.7410, -111.3950 · Directions ↗

The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.

The trail

Length7.9 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed; 3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesOpen to at least one motorized use
AccessibilityNot evaluated
Trail numbers4060, 6060
ForestCaribou-Targhee National Forest (unit 0415)
StatesIdaho
Detail publishedmanagement level, with uses

Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Carlton Cutoff Trail10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.03 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.16 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.56 inches of precipitationApril: 1.78 inches of precipitationMay: 2.30 inches of precipitationJune: 1.69 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.88 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.19 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.50 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.61 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.19 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.07 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 17.5°F averageFebruary: 20.7°F averageMarch: 29.1°F averageApril: 38.0°F averageMay: 47.4°F averageJune: 54.7°F averageJuly: 62.6°F averageAugust: 61.8°F averageSeptember: 53.3°F averageOctober: 40.8°F averageNovember: 28.4°F averageDecember: 18.1°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 in2.5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Tetonia Exp Stn, 13 miles from the trail midpoint at 6,170 feet, station USC00109065 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 19 inches a year.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed 06/15 to 10/31 (month/day)
Mountain bikingAllowed year-round
MotorcycleAllowed 06/15 to 10/31 (month/day)
E-bikesAllowed year-round

A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.

Trailheads

The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.

Camping nearby

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Carlton Cutoff Trail?

7.9 miles, the sum of the 2 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Carlton Cutoff Trail?

hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Carlton Cutoff Trail start?

The line begins at 43.6786, -111.4605 and ends at 43.7410, -111.3950. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Carlton Cutoff Trail in a wilderness area?

No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Where can I camp near the Carlton Cutoff Trail?

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Source: Caribou-Targhee National Forest official page

How developed is the Carlton Cutoff Trail?

Trail class 2 to 3, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed to developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

How steep and how wide is the Carlton Cutoff Trail?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Carlton Cutoff Trail?

Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Forest Service unit 0415. The trail is in Idaho.

Source: Caribou-Targhee National Forest official page

Source

This page is built from 2 segments named CARLTON CUTOFF in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0415. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.