Montana Trails
42
Total Trail Guides23
593
Detailed Waypoints51
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Most Recent Trail Reviews
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 07/29/2023
This afternoon we drove Lone Tree Pass as part of a loop from the north side of Raynolds Pass in Montana, starting with Antelope Basin to Conklin Lake and Deer Mountain, which connects to Lone Tree Pa...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Open
Visited: 07/29/2023
The rocky section at Waypoint 7 always seems worse at first glance, but looking at the original trail pics, maybe not. Still a fun trail with great views, no changes to mention.
A suggestion for rout...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 07/29/2023
We drove the trail from the Trailhead to Waypoint 7, looping around Conklin Lake and crossing Lone Tree Pass to reach the Continental Divide Trail. No changes were made to this section of the trail.
C...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 07/28/2023
This is our favorite trail for berry pickin, and were not the only ones. A few others were out gathering huckleberries, but we opted to enjoy the ride today. The trail is increasingly overgrown each y...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 07/28/2023
A Grizzly Bear took a life south of this trail on Buttermilk Creek last week. There are no details as to what provoked the attack yet, but as this trail is nearby, there are many closures nearby. Huck...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 07/16/2023
Beautiful day to be outside. The trail is unchanged, and somehow the views get better over time.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 07/16/2023
I was cautious about running this trail with snow still melting above, making for muddy trails below. There were some deep sections of mud and puddles, but the rocky ground below gave enough traction ...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 07/16/2023
This last winter took out a lot of trees. Someone was quite busy getting this trail open this year. The trail itself is unchanged. Be cautious of the trees, especially if it's windy; there are quite a...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Temporary Closure
Visited: 07/16/2023
The trail is still closed, citing a severe road washout at Cottonwood Creek due to late spring runoff. There is no estimated date for the trail reopening.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Open
Visited: 07/16/2023
Standard Creek is one of our favorite trails in this area. The rough rocky spot a couple of miles from the trailhead has been graded and improved, with the rest of the trail in its usual good conditio...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 07/16/2023
This is always a beautiful drive this time of year. Fantastic views of the Madison River Valley below, green grass, wildflowers, and lingering snow drifts higher up the mountains. The trail was in gre...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Open
Visited: 07/16/2023
We've covered the higher sections of the Gravellies several times this year. The road from Standard Creek to Call Road is in great shape. There was still enough snow along the drifts to get the tobogg...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 07/08/2023
Discovering that our usual lake hideout was already taken, we ventured out the peninsula at Waypoint 14 and were quite surprised. The guide shows these as day-use-only sites, but they are indeed camps...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 07/08/2023
We were looking for a spot to hang out for the day by the lake, and someone beat us to this spot, which is pretty rare. It would not be easy to turn around here with a trailer if others beat you to it...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 07/08/2023
We went up Tepee Creek and led Zepplin today. Ended up hanging out at Waypoint 4 for a while and watched the storms brewing over the park. Very peaceful trail and an easy drive.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 07/08/2023
A portion of the trail is still closed, but the trail is beautiful and relaxing.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Open
Visited: 06/30/2023
Great trail. Easy. We saw no other vehicles on the trails all day. And, it rained the day before so no dust. The trail maintaince crew just "tuned-up" all of the optional obstacles so we only did abou...
STEVEN B JENNINGS
No Rating
Open
Visited: 06/28/2023
Nice relaxing trail. Very welcome away from the crazy tourist circus in West Yellowstone.
STEVEN B JENNINGS
Ryan Boudreau
Official Crew
Open
Visited: 06/16/2023
Open for the season
Ryan Boudreau
Official Crew
Open
Visited: 06/16/2023
Open for the season
Ryan Boudreau
Official Crew
Ryan Boudreau
Official Crew
Open
Visited: 06/16/2023
Open for the season
Ryan Boudreau
Official Crew
Open
Visited: 06/12/2023
The condition of the trail was dry on this sunny day. It was a beautiful mountain drive with lush green vegetation and wildflowers. All the obstacles can be bypassed and there is a wide range of diffi...
Steve King
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 05/29/2023
Fantastic day on the trails. Surrounding snow-capped mountains and the sound of small waves crashing along the shoreline. We walked along the beach for an hour today. I was surprised to see what I ...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Open
Visited: 05/29/2023
Beautiful views and great temps. Beautiful day to be out on the trails.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Open
Visited: 05/29/2023
A couple more potholes along the road than last year, with the water closer to the road than I recall seeing before. Always a fun drive.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 05/29/2023
Still snowy in the shadows, with a couple of spots where avalanches brought the material to the roadway, but it has been cleared, and the trail is open. Beaver Creek is running high, the grass is gree...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 05/29/2023
The trail is open, with no mud or puddles left from winter. Great day to be out on the trails.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Partially Open
Visited: 05/29/2023
Many trails have remained closed longer than usual due to lingering snow. We tried the trail today and were met with ice and snow across the trail just beyond Waypoint 4, with more visible further up....
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
No Rating
Not Reported
Visited: 05/28/2023
Many trails have remained closed longer than usual due to lingering snow. The status of these trails has not been reported.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Partially Open
Visited: 05/28/2023
Standard Creek is still closed at Waypoint 16 and, on average, opens July 1. There have been a couple of rumors that the upper trails may remain closed longer than July 1, so we drove up to the gate t...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 05/28/2023
Beautiful snowy mountains in the backdrop, with green grass and wildflowers beginning to bloom. Saw a couple of Elk too.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 05/28/2023
Pretty drive a couple of ruts with some mud and water, but easily passable. A couple of deer stood nearby to say hi. The surrounding views were fantastic.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 05/28/2023
I used to get an eerie feeling towards the end of the trail, but today was a gorgeous drive. Hidden Lake looked very inviting, with the snowy Centennials in the backdrop. A spot of Elk Lake is also ju...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 05/28/2023
The trail was in great shape, with some lingering snow and ice in the shady spots.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
No Rating
Not Reported
Visited: 05/28/2023
Many trails have remained closed due to lingering snow. There have not been any recent updates to the trail's current status.
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 05/28/2023
We tried last week but got stuck in the ice just past Waypoint 29. All clear today other than a few puddles. The West Fork Madison is running high and muddy and flooded some campsites. Beautiful day t...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
No Rating
Open
Visited: 05/21/2023
Tunnel still has impassable ice inside, but the rest of the trail is clear.
Ryan Boudreau
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 05/17/2023
The openings were delayed for many of the trails this year due to snow accumulation. Whits Lake is now open, while many other surrounding trails remain closed. More information on when the roads and c...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 09/04/2022
Today was a lot of fun, hiking at Bannack State Park, down Bannack Bench Road, Medicine Lodge, and Big Sheep Creek Road. Today was the first time we saw sheep on this trail! We sat and watched them fo...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 09/04/2022
The road was in good shape, with county dump trucks, excavators, and a blade parked in one spot. There didn't appear to be any construction recently, and it'll be interesting to see what was completed...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
4/5
Open
Visited: 09/04/2022
We've never ventured off on any of the many dirt roads that lead off into the distance, hopefully, next year. There are many trails that lead over the hills and as far as we can see. The road was in g...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Open
Visited: 09/04/2022
We were skeptical about making the trip out this year with the Moose Fire not too far away, but we were pleasantly surprised by the light haze, blue skies, and great temperatures. The park was full, s...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
5/5
Open
Visited: 09/04/2022
There was road construction and a detour on this trail today. We were diverted onto another path at Waypoint 5, and an old trail that was long closed dozed open, rejoining South Fork Madison just befo...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 09/03/2022
The trail was in good shape. We waited til late in the year to do this trail because of the depth of some of the mud holes, and the trail was mostly dry today. Our highlight was a couple of sandhill c...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
Rated
3/5
Open
Visited: 09/03/2022
We love the views of the Centennials along this trail. We were met with a downed tree across the road and no way around, so the wife and I took turns with a hand saw and pulled a section out of the wa...
Cory Wooldridge
Official Crew
4.5/5 (4 reviews)
Updated: 06/16/2023
Wild Bill - Eagle Mountain Trail aka Blacktail-Wild Bill ORV Trail System
Open
/
Kila, Montana/
5.65 miles/
About 2 hours
Located west of Kalispell, in the Flathead National Forest of northwest Montana, Wild Bill-Eagle Mountain is part of a unique trail system, unlike any other trail system you will find in a National Forest. Designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1979, it was not until the 2000's that members from two local 4-wheel drive clubs were given the "OK" to create numerous manmade "challenge features" along several forest roads that now make up the three legs of the Blacktail-Wild Bill ORV Trail system. Obstacles range from natural rock ledges and deep mud holes to huge tractor tires and giant logs. Wild Bill-Eagle Mountain is the perfect place to take groups of both beginners and hard-core wheelers. Jeep owners from across the country might visit this area mainly in summer, but don't be fooled. Even during the winter, this area is an off-roader's playground. This trail system is the northernmost Jeep Badge of Honor (BOH) trail, and by far the most unique trail system Jeep has recognized.
3/5 (2 reviews)
Updated: 06/16/2023
Blacktail OHV Trail aka Blacktail-Wild Bill ORV Trail System
Open
/
Lakeside, Montana/
3.19 miles/
About 1 hour
Located near Kalispell, in the Flathead National Forest of northwest Montana, Blacktail OHV Trail is unlike any other trail you will find in a National Forest. Designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1979, it was not until the 2000's that members from two local 4-wheel drive clubs were given the "OK" to create numerous manmade "challenge features" along several forest roads that now make up the three legs of the Blacktail-Wild Bill ORV Trail system. This trail system is the northernmost Jeep Badge of Honor (BOH) trail and by far the most unique trail system in Montana. Jeep owners from across the country might visit this area mainly in summer, but don't be fooled. Even during the winter, this area is a 4-wheeler's paradise.
4/5 (2 reviews)
Updated: 06/16/2023
Original Blacktail OHV Trail
Open
/
Lakeside, Montana/
1.13 miles/
About 20 minutes
As the name suggests, Original Blacktail OHV Trail was the first trail used to create artificial challenge features in the Blacktail-Wildbill ORV Trail system. Rollercoaster-like hills and acrobatic bridges along this route will have you feeling more like you are at an amusement park than in a National Forest.
Located near Kalispell, in the Flathead National Forest and designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1979, it was not until the 2000's that members from two local 4-wheel drive clubs were given the "OK" to create numerous artificial challenge features along several forest roads that now make up the three legs of the Blacktail-Wild Bill ORV Trail system. Original Blacktail is the shortest trail in the ORV system, but combining this with all other trails in the area makes for a fantastic multi-day trip where you get to see the northernmost Jeep Badge of Honor (BOH) Trail.
4/5 (2 reviews)
Updated: 06/16/2023
Upper Dayton Creek OHV Trail aka Blacktail-Wild Bill ORV Trail System
Open
/
Lakeside, Montana/
4.37 miles/
About 1 hour
Located near Kalispell, in the Flathead National Forest of northwest Montana, Upper Dayton Creek OHV Trail is part of a unique trail system unlike any other one in a National Forest. Designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1979, it was not until the 2000's that members from two local 4-wheel drive clubs were given the "OK" to create numerous manmade "challenge features" along several forest roads that now make up the three legs of the Blacktail-Wild Bill ORV Trail system. This trail system is the northernmost Jeep Badge of Honor (BOH) trail, and by far the most unique trail system Jeep has recognized. Obstacles include natural rock ledges, deep machine cut holes, large tractor tires, and huge logs. Jeep owners from across the country might visit this area mainly in summer, but don't be fooled. Even during the winter, this area is an off-roader's fun house.
5/5 (10 reviews)
Updated: 07/08/2023
Gravelly Range
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!
4.8/5 (8 reviews)
Updated: 07/08/2023
Standard Creek
Standard Creek Road is located in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the largest of the national forests in Montana covering 3.35 million acres. This trail is less than an hours drive from Ennis or West Yellowstone, and just under 2 hours from Big Sky Montana. The beautiful trail takes you up the mountain through woods, flower-filled picture-perfect meadows, and grassy fields. You have a great chance to encounter moose or deer on the way. There are a few creeks with singing water and several great campsites. The Black Butte Mountain at the end of the trail has snow year-round. Check it out!
4/5 (8 reviews)
Updated: 05/28/2023
West Fork Madison
Open
/
Cameron, Montana/
9.05 miles/
About 1 hour
West Fork Madison is located in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the largest of the national forests in Montana covering 3.35 million acres. This trail is less than an hours drive from Ennis or West Yellowstone, and just under 2 hours from Big Sky Montana. This trail takes you alongside the Madison River until Waypoint 6. The road turns and follows the West Fork Madison River to the end of the trail for the next 8 miles through hills, forest, and surrounding mountain views. If looking for a campsite near the river, this is the trail to check out. The views are stunning. Willows line the river and stream banks, turning yellow and gold before the trees in mid to late August, the first reminder that fall is just around the corner. The river tumble can be heard almost everywhere along this trail. Wild raspberries and strawberries are scattered through the trail and wildflowers are everywhere. The trail is pretty popular, so be ready for the occasional traffic.
3/5 (7 reviews)
Updated: 05/28/2023
Cliff Lake Bench
Open
/
Cameron, Montana/
2.22 miles/
About 45 minutes
Cliff Lake Bench is a trail that is less frequently traveled than other trails in the area with excellent views of the surrounding mountains. Located in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, this narrow path through the grass is unlike the tree-covered trails you drove on to get to this point. This trail takes you through picture-perfect grass fields that will be full of wildflowers around early June. The view from the top of the hill is definitely worth the drive. In addition to countless cows, you may be lucky enough to observe a herd of elk or a lonely coyote. This trail and all connecting trails are also dog-friendly.
3/5 (7 reviews)
Updated: 05/28/2023
East Bench
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.
5/5 (7 reviews)
Updated: 07/02/2023
Elk Lake
Open
/
West Yellowstone, Montana/
9.08 miles/
About 1 hour
Elk Lake is one of those out of the way mountain lakes that many of us know for great fishing and some old school social distancing. Hidden Lake and Elk Lake below are both spring-fed with crystal clear waters. Whether you're planning a wedding at Elk Lake Resort or want to escape the crowds and enjoy some fishing at these remote lakes, this trail has something for you.
The first part of this trail is located in the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. This area is popular for birders and photographers wanting to photograph the once nearly extinct Trumpeter Swans. The remaining half of this trail is in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the largest national forest in Montana, covering 3.35 million acres.
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