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.