Located in the Beaverhead Deerodge National Forest near Virginia City, MT, Warm Springs Creek Trail is the prettiest trail from Centennial Divide road to the Gravelly Range . For the first 2.5 miles, this trail runs through a beautiful, narrow, twisty canyon with rocky bluffs above and Warm Springs Creek babbling gently below. After which, this trail begins to switchback up the mountainside climbing to 8500 feet with breathtaking views to the west and connecting with Gravelly Range Trail. Once on top of the Gravelly Mountain Range, one travels in the sub-alpine grasslands with wildflowers that present fields of different colors seemingly around each bend. Everyone is sure to enjoy the breathtaking views and clean mountain air, and hopefully some wildlife sightings!
There's also speculation that this trail was the hiding spot of Forrest Fenn's treasure. Are you really sure it's been found?
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Head west on Highway 287 for 7.8 miles and turn left on Anderson Lane. Follow Anderson Lane for 1.1 miles and turn right on Salmonsen Lane. Continue on Salmonsen Lane for 0.4 miles. Stay left towards Upper Ruby Road for 200 feet and merge onto Upper Ruby Road. Continue on Upper Ruby Road for 25 miles to the trailhead.
This was our first time driving down Warm Springs towards Centennial Divide. We have always traveled in the direction the trail guide is written, and I have to say we enjoy the views more driving this trail to the west. The views stretch out over several mountain ranges, covered by blue skies and clouds. Unfortunately, we were about a week early of peak wildflower bloom. II guess we'll have to come back next weekend!
Fun trip, even if the views were limited by smoke. Other trails we attempted to run in the morning were too muddy from the recent rains, so we stayed on the more traveled paths and went up Standard Creek and down to Centennial Divide via Cottonwood Creek. Then, we went north on Centennial Divide to Warm Springs, back up to the Gravellies, and down Call Road to get back into the Madison River Valley. The leaves have begun to turn to their fall colors in the last week or so. The once deep green colored leaves are a couple of shades lighter, with a few yellow and gold leaves appearing in the mix. The wind makes more of a rattling sound than woosh as the signs of fall begin to creep in.
Before today, I thought that only Cottonwood Creek Trail ran down the west side of the Mountain to Centennial Divide Trail. Warm Springs Creek will now be my goto trail when headed over the mountain. This is a beautiful trail and a much better road than Cottonwood Creek, plus the views are much prettier.
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Cory grew up traveling the logging roads outside Durango, CO, with his dad for his woodcutting business and fell in love with everything about the outdoors. He's moved around a lot since then, from several rural areas of Southern California to Montana, Wyoming to Arizona, even living and working on a gold mine in Nevada for several years. In all these areas, he has explored several thousand miles of old dirt roads and trails and many old mines and ghost towns. Located in the Mohave Desert of AZ in the winter and the Madison River Valley of MT in the summer.
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