Backpacking

Backpacking Areas

• Beartooth RD

  The Beartooth Ranger District is located in south central Montana and encompasses the Beartooth and Pryor Mountain Ranges. The district office is located in Red Lodge, MT, 65 miles southwest of Montana’s largest city, Billings.  The district is known for its rugged mountains and sub-alpine tundra plateaus. The highest 41 peaks in Montana are located in the Beartooth Ranger District, including Granite Peak, which is the highest and stands at 12,799ft.

  The district serves as the northeastern gateway to Yellowstone National Park and is home to the Beartooth Scenic Highway. The Beartooth Highway is consistently rated one of the most scenic mountain drives in America. The highway, open from Memorial Day to mid-October (weather permitting), climbs to 10,947ft and offers stunning vistas and many recreation opportunities on the Custer Gallatin National Forest and the Shoshone National Forest.

  The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness makes up 65% of the Beartooth Unit and offers a wide range of scenic landscapes and hidden treasures. There are many trails that provide access to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, but be aware that travelling in the wilderness area comes with additional regulations.

  For more information on the Beartooth Mountains, click here.

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  The Pryor Mountain Unit of the district is located about 60 miles east of Red Lodge, MT adjacent to both the Crow Indian Reservation, BLM lands, and the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. The dry limestone uplifts and formations create a stark contrast to the Beartooth Mountains. The views from the Pryor Mountains offer long, beautiful vistas of the surrounding countryside. The peak time for wildflowers is the month of July.

  Some of the highlights of the Pryor Mountain Unit are Big Ice Cave, Dry Head Vista, and the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range.  The Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range is found on the eastern edge of the Pryor Mountains and is managed by the BLM.

  For more information on the Pryor Mountains, click here.

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  Recreation Opportunities on the Beartooth Ranger District are divided into four geographic locations:

  • Beartooth Front (Red Lodge Creek, East Rosebud, West Rosebud, Benbow, Stillwater River area)
  • Meyers Creek Area
  • Pryor Mountains
  • Red Lodge Area (US Hwy 212, West Fork of Rock Creek, Line Creek Area)

  Maps:
  Click here to see trail and area maps.
   

  Important links:

  • Know before you go (helpful travel information, weather, road conditions, forest fire information).
• Crow Lake Trail (# 13B)
• East Rosebud Trail (# 15)
• Phantom Creek Trail (# 17)
• Spread Creek Trail (# 13)
• Columbine Pass Trail (# 97)
• Fish Lake Trail (# 43)
• Horseshoe Trail (# 34)
• Initial Creek Campground
• Pinchot Lake Trail (# 91)
• Rainbow Lakes Trail (# 44)
• Stillwater Trail (# 24)
• West Fork Stillwater Trail (# 90)
• Bear Track Trail (# 8)
• Face-of-the-Mountain Trail (# 7)
• Keyser Brown Trail (# 2D)
• Mount Maurice Trail (# 6)
• West Fork Trail (# 1)
• Bridger/Bangtails

  Recreational Opportunities along the east side of the Bridger Mountain Range and Bangtails.

• Upper & Lower South Fork Brackett
• Gallatin Canyon, Hwy 191 & Big Sky

  Recreation sites in Gallatin Canyon and further south along the Gallatin River and Highway 191.  Big Sky recreational areas are also included in this travel corridor.

• Porcupine Creek Trailhead
• Spanish Creek Trailhead
• Windy Pass
• Beaver Creek Trailhead
• Watkins Creek Trailhead
• Henry's Lake Mountain Range

  Smaller section of the district the encompasses the border landscape along the Montana/Idaho border providing access to the Continental Divide Trail, some hiking opportunities and access to Lionhead OHV Riding Area also found in Hebgen Lake Basin Area.

• Mile Creek/Continental Divide Trail
• Sheep Creek Trailhead
• Targhee Pass Trailhead
• Taylor Fork Area

  A large drainage and adjacent landscape northwest of Yellowstone National Park that provides excellent recreation opportunties and access to a couple Lee Metcalf Units:  Taylor-Hilgard Unit and Monument Mountain Unit.

  Designated Camping along Taylor Fork

• Bacon Rind Trailhead
• Cache Creek Area
• Lightning Creek Trailhead
• Sage Creek Trailhead
• Upper Wapiti Trailhead