Montana Trails

From Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, over the Gravelly Range and ending in the Axolotl Wilderness Study Area, Gravelly Range Road is all about the views and hunting access. This trail starts just north of the Red Rock Lakes 28 miles west of Interstate 15 near Monida Idaho, and 30 miles west of Henrys Lake and Highway 287. Beginning at 6670 feet, this trail gradually climbs for the next 30 miles to nearly 9600 feet elevation. This trail is mostly well above tree line offering spectacular views for hundreds of miles in all directions as you travel along the ridge of the Gravelly Range. Gravelly Range Road travels through the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the largest of the national forests in Montana covering 3.35 million acres. This area is widely known for its hunting, but also offers views of the surrounding mountains and valleys and grassy fields covered in wildflowers for nearly 40 miles. If you have the day to spend on the trail, this is a fantastic route through the mountains with options in all directions for new destinations to explore. Bring the family, bring the pets, there are sights and smells for all to enjoy!

East Bench 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. This road begins high on the mountain and gradually descends towards Goose, Otter, Hidden and Elk lakes. The end of this trail is reminiscent of a movie set, tall dead trees surrounding the open area at the end of the road with glimpses of a green-colored Otter Lake through the trees in the valley below. The wind occasionally breaks small branches, the sharp crack echoing through the trees, making the hair stand up on the back of your neck, you feel as though you're not alone.

Sureshot Ridge is a short point-to-point trail connecting the Sureshot Lakes trail to South Willow Creek, the next valley north. Unlike the Sureshot Lakes trail, this trail is narrow, steep, and rocky. The most difficult obstacles on this trail are 5 switchbacks along the upper half of the trail. Three of these switchbacks are tight, and anything longer than a crew cab Tacoma may have difficulty maneuvering them. The lower portion of the trail opens from the dense trees into a large open meadow. Above the meadow, there is only one place wide enough to pass another vehicle. The trail can be traversed in either direction, but it is more difficult to start on the Sureshot Lakes side. The trail is mainly rough dirt, with larger rocks along most of the trail. There are two primitive campsites at the bottom, in the meadow, but most people just camp at Sureshot Lakes or at the Potosi Campground just before the lower trailhead.

Sureshot Lakes is an easy trail with two beautiful alpine lakes around the halfway point. The lower lake is only accessible via a very short optional spur off the main trail, but the access is a steep, washed-out climb. A locker is highly recommended to get up this hill safely. If you can make it up this hill, you will likely have the lower lake to yourself. There are two campsites on the lower lake. The main trail continues higher past the upper lake, where the majority of the campsites are. The area near the peninsula on the upper lake has several dozen campsites, some vehicle accessible and some not, as well as a pit toilet. Over summer holiday weekends, the upper campsites will be packed due to the easy access. Most campsites have rock fire rings. The trail continues up the ridge past the lakes and eventually dead ends at a gate, where the rest of the road is only accessible to ATVs and smaller vehicles. The most difficult part of this trail is the optional access climb to the lower lake, but the most difficult required part is a small rutted section near the campsites at the upper lake. The trail is mostly packed dirt with small rocks. Wildlife can sometimes be seen in the area, and the lakes are good for fishing.

South Meadow Lake is a challenging out-and-back trail in the Tobacco Root Mountains. The trail consists of a packed dirt base covered with rocks, ranging from sparse large rocks in the dirt to entirely covering the trail. The most difficult obstacle is a rock field that takes up roughly the last half mile of the trail. A longer wheelbase vehicle, such as a crew cab short bed Tacoma on 33s, will likely bounce the frame off rocks in this section, especially on the way down the trail. The same vehicle on smaller than 33-inch tires would be at risk of getting high-centered in the rock field. Rock sliders and/or a locker are recommended. The majority of the trail is a one-vehicle-wide shelf road along the mountainside. About halfway up the trail, the ruins of the Missouri-Mckee Mill can be explored, although there is not much left of the structures. This trail was featured briefly in Motor Trend's Ultimate Adventure 2020. Once past the rock field, the trail ends on the bank of the lake. There is a levee that can be driven across, and there are several primitive campsites on the lake's southeast end. The lake is usually great for fishing, and due to the difficulty of the trail, it is unusual to have to share the area with another group. Aside from the campsites at the lake, there is also an area near the mill ruins with campsites. Because the valley looks southeast, the sunrise from the lakeside campsite is spectacular. The Tobacco Root Mountains are known for bear and big cat sightings, so be prepared for an encounter. Properly store your food overnight.

The South Fork of Langhor Creek is an easy out and back trail with plenty of dispersed camping. The road is level, but the final third of the trail is full of potholes, small ruts, and water bars. There are a few protruding rocks as well, and usually, most of the potholes are full of water and mud. Most campsites along the trail have rock fire rings, logs to sit on, and they are large enough to accommodate multiple vehicles. There is also an official campground before the bridge across the river. Near the trail's end is a large rock formation with a campsite. Most of the canyon can be seen from the top of this rock if you are willing to do a little climbing. A short hiking trail at the end of the road connects to the History Rock hiking trail. This road is easy and close to town, so expect to see other people and vehicles. Over holiday weekends, all the campsites will likely be in use.

Lead Mine is an easy 1.7-mile out and back spur off of the main Langhor trail. The road is level, and the driving surface is mostly hard dirt with a few ruts and protruding rocks. This side of Hyalite Canyon does not get much sun, so the trail can have large mud puddles even days after the rain passes through. There are several clearings adjacent to the road, but there is posted signage that no overnight camping is allowed on this trail. One clearing overlooks a meadow where deer and other wildlife can sometimes be spotted, while the rest look across the mountains on the other side of the canyon. About halfway up, there is an optional climb up to what appears to be a popular shooting spot.

If you live in Bozeman, Flathead Pass was probably your first trail in the area. Flathead Pass is a point-to-point trail that traverses across the Bridger Mountain Range. The summit has a good view down into the Gallatin Valley. Sunsets from the top are worth the climb. The pass is also the route for power lines to cross the Bridgers. At the summit, you can hear the electricity buzzing overhead. The hardest obstacle is a short but deeply rutted climb about halfway to the summit. The rut crosses the trail at an angle, so lifting a wheel is possible. There is a lot of loose rock in this section. Flathead Pass can all be done in a stock 4x4, but it can easily take multiple attempts to pick the right line. The rest of the trail is uneven hard dirt with rocky sections. On the western side, the road is one vehicle wide but can accommodate a full-size truck. On the eastern side, the road is wide enough for vehicles to pass, and the road is much smoother. Typically, the direction of travel is to start on the west side and travel east. The trail is nearly impassable in the winter, as snowdrifts build up in the two meadows near the top on the west side, and under these conditions can only be driven with a lot of digging or extreme ground clearance.

Wurtz Flat has lots of trees along with some beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. The road is wide and flat with packed dirt, loose gravel, and potholes. At the Y in the road going straight deadends at the river and a flat riverside camping area with space for 4 to 5 vehicles. If turning right at the Y, the road turns into a 2-track with deep ruts. This fork goes out to a different section of the river, and two riverside campsites, before looping back near the start of the road you came in on.

Located in the Boulder Hills, west of I-15, Boulder Hill Ridge will take you up and down steep ascents along an open ridgeline that rewards you with incredible mountain views in all directions. The road travels from Amazon to Comet, passing a radio repeater station and crossing over the abandoned Boulder Train Tunnel known as the Wickes Tunnel. This road travels entirely along BLM land but provides views of both Helena National Forest and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. The terrain is very steep on both sides of the road, not allowing many camping opportunities. However, a few flat and level areas exist and could be used for camping. The road is rough and rocky, with a few ruts from water runoff, requiring a high clearance vehicle. Additionally, the steep climbs will require a vehicle with a low-end transfer case.

Boulder Ridge Access is a short, easy connector road between Finch Gulch and Boulder Hill Ridge that bypasses the radio repeater station. This road is most likely used as an access road for the power company. The road is rough with small rocks, but there are no obstacles or steep climbs to contend with. A large open area at the start on the southern end appears to be used as a staging/camping area, but it is located on private land.