Wakina Sky is a curious grouping of trails. While there is a lot of private property on Wakina Sky rise, the trails are all on and U.S. Forest Service land. Wakina Sky does not have traditional trailheads or parking areas like the other trail systems around Helena offer. If you want to walk the trails in Wakina Sky, it’ll take a bit of planning. The three trails that offer the best access to this compact system are Barking Dog and Evans trail (accessed from Oro Fino Gulch Rd.) or Goat Trail, off Grizzly Gulch Dr.
Wakina Sky is well used by bikes and runners, but, as a result of the lack of parking areas near trailheads, I see few trail walkers. The views of Helena from Wakina Sky are great, and this area boasts a nice variety of birdlife and wildflowers during the warmer months. In my experience, this is one of the few areas near town where Sugarbowls (Clematis hirsutissima) are regularly found in the spring time.
A private, and poorly signed, road named Wakina Sky Road branches left off of Grizzly Gulch Dr. as you are travelling uphill and provides access to Dazed and Confused, Black Forest, Lower Stairway to Heaven, and the Wakina Sky Gully trail, but there are no vehicles allowed on the private road. If you are hiking, you need to park at Dump Gulch and walk up Wakina Sky Road to gain access to the trails this way.
Access from Grizzly Gulch Dr.
Goat Trail drops off to the left side of the road 2.6 miles (4.1k) up Grizzly Gulch Dr., just a bit up the road from Mini-ridge/Emmett’s trailhead. There is a modest parking area on the opposite side of the road about 50 meters past the trail marker.
Access from Oro Fino Gulch Rd.
Fastest access for walking in Wakina Sky is to use either the very, very modest parking near Evan’s trailhead or the slighlty less modest parking area across from Barking Dog trailhead.
Named trails in Wakina Sky
Barking Dog | Black Forest | Dazed and Confused | Evan’s | Goat Trail | Stairway to Heaven (lower) | Stairway to Heaven (upper) | Wakina Sky Trail (upper gully)
Barking Dog trail ~1.5 miles (2.4k)
Rerouted in 2022, Barking Dog is a delightful single track that rises from Oro Fino Gulch Rd. through modestly steep slopes covered in ponderosa pines and lots of wildflowers. Bird life is abundant in the warmer months. It terminates in Wakina Sky meadow where it intersects Gully, Upper Stairway to Heaven, and Goat Trail near a colorful Wakina Sky sign (shown above). This is a popular downhill trail for bikes.
Main access point: Very modest parking area at the side of Oro Fino Gulch Drive just south of intersection with Arrastra Gulch.
Cross trails: None.
Black Forest trail ~.6 miles (1k)
Accessed from Evans trail or Wakina Sky Rd., Black Forest is an out and back trail that crosses a grassy meadow and rises to an unnamed summit with terrific views of Helena. Private property wholly surrounds the trail- please stay on the trail. Black Forest trail is not heavily forested and is named for an old fire that ran through the area.
Main access point: Very modest parking area at the side of Oro Fino Gulch Drive just north of intersection with Arrastra Gulch.
Cross trails: Evan’s trail.
Dazed and Confused trail ~1.35 miles (2.2k)
The middle 1/3 or so of this trail is switchbacks climbing from Wakina Sky Rd. up to an intersection with Upper and Lower Stairway To Heaven trails. The lower reach parallels Wakina Sky Rd, and the upper reach follows the ridgeline with excellent views of the surrounding area. From vantage points along the ridge, you can easily see the Helena Ridge Trail, backside of Mount Helena, much of Rodney Ridge and Mount Ascension. Since there is little parking access for Wakina Sky, this trail tends to have mostly bike and trail runner traffic. The ridge portion of this trail is alive with wildflowers once the snow is mostly gone.
Main access point. Wakina Sky Rd., or in conjunction with Evan’s and Black Forest trails.
Cross trails: None
Evan’s trail ~.3 miles (.5k)
Short and sweet, Evan’s trail starts with a short drop from the roadside to a lush riparian area. After crossing a bridge, it climbs to intersect the Black Forest trail. This is another popular downhill bike trail. Walkers are encouraged to be aware and use this trail early in the day. Moose have been seen in the area- be aware of that as well. Evan’s trail is almost entirely on private property- please stay on the trail.
Main access point: Very modest parking area at the side of Oro Fino Gulch Drive just north of intersection with Arrastra Gulch.
Cross trails: None, terminates at midpoint of Black Forest trail.
Goat Trail a.k.a. Wakina Sky trail ~.9 miles (1.5k)
After a bridged creek crossing, Goat Trail switches back and for about 1/3 of its length before rising more gently as it follows a ridge up to the Wakina Sky meadow. Goat trail is nicely shaded during the heat of the day. It terminates in Wakina Sky meadow where it intersects Gully, Upper Stairway to Heaven, and Barking Dog. This trail is popular with walkers and bikers alike. This trail stays very damp lingering to the warm months than many other trails in the south hills system. Birds and wildflowers can be found in large numbers as a result.
Main access point: Very modest parking area at the side of Grizzly Gulch Drive a bit past the Mini-ridge/Emmett’s trailhead.
Cross trails: None
Gully trail, a.k.a. Wakina Sky trail ~.9 miles (1.5k)
The Gully is shown on the PPLT map as simply Wakina Sky. This is a gently sloping trail through a cool, damp gully with loads of shrubs, flowers and trees- and therefore lots of birds in the warmer months. This is a very popular downhill bike trail. We recommend walkers go uphill (from Wakina Sky Rd. to the meadow) and be aware and courteous to the bikes in their pursuit of gravity induced thrills.
Main access point: Wakina Sky Rd. or other trails leading into the Wakina Sky area.
Cross trails: None.
Stairway to Heaven- lower trail ~.5 miles (.8k)
Lower Stairway To Heaven rises from Wakina Sky Road to through a very pleasant ponderosa pine meadow to the ridge and the intersection with upper Stairway and Dazed and Confused trails. Since Wakina Sky Road is closed to vehicles, this is, perhaps, the most ‘remote’ walking trail in the Wakina Sky group, but worth the effort. Lots of bike traffic coming downhill, walkers are advised to use this trail early or late in the day. The midsection’s glade of ponderosa pines is great for birding in the spring and early summer.
Main access point: Wakina Sky Rd. or other trails leading into the Wakina Sky area.
Cross trails: None, terminates at the intersection with Upper Stairway to Heaven and Dazed and Confused
Stairway to Heaven- upper trail. ~.9 miles (1.4k)
Upper Stairway to Heaven is essentially a lovely section of the Wakina Sky ridge trail. Like Rodney Ridge to the south and the Helena Ridge to the north, Upper Stairway offers great views year-round, and abundant wildflowers in warmer months. Looping both upper and lower Stairway with the Gully and Evans, Barking Dog or Goat Trail makes a very nice 2.8 to 3.2 mile (4.5k to 5k) loop.
Main access point: Wakina Sky Rd. or other trails leading into the Wakina Sky area.
Cross trails: From the Wakina Meadow, Lower Stairway to Heaven; terminates at Dazed and Confused.
