Soap Creek

Flatiron Mountain Road is located in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the largest of the national forests in Montana covering 3.35 million acres. This road is less than an hours drive from Ennis or West Yellowstone, and just under 2 hours from Big Sky Montana. Soap Creek is the last of three trails making a loop back to Standard Creek Road. If choosing to do the loop, check out the Freezeout Creek and Flatiron Mountain trail guides. Soap Creek Road has beautiful views of the mountains to the north from the trailhead which is also the highest portion of this trail at nearly 8,100 feet elevation. The road gradually descends the mountain surrounded by Lodge Pole Pine, Spruce, and Fir trees occasionally giving way to views of the mountain peaks and the valleys below. Soap Creek is a nice road as you loop back to Standard Creek. The suns not in your eyes, the shadows of the tall mountains behind you creep across the valleys as the sun sets. It's all pretty smooth road back down Standard Creek and West Fork Madison Road to the highway. Stop at the West Fork Cabins on the way back to the highway, grab an ice cream and drive over the Madison River on the Historic Hutchins bridge. Make sure you have the windows down, the sound of the river is beautiful, and the squeaking of the bridge as your tires roll over the old wood planks is sure to be something to talk about!