Trail of the Week

If you’re looking for a short nature walk in the heart of Big Sky, the half-mile Kircher Trail is a wonderful option. Easily accessible from town, this short and sweet adventure starts on the paved Lone Peak Trail before turning to gravel and traversing across a grassy hillside. Before long, you’ll come across a tree-fort style playground. Stop here and let the kids run wild, or continue another q...

Looking for new winter adventures? The Seeley Creek Trails are great all year round, but they really come to life when it snows! Volunteers groom this 18-kilometer trail network near Seeley Lake almost daily for both skate and classic skiing, and the Swan Range’s regular snows mean the coverage and conditions are excellent all winter long. From the warming hut near the parking lot, you can choose...

Just west of Billings, Phipps Diamond X Park is home to a multitude of trails that snake along one of Billings’ rimrock buttes. From the parking lot, you’ll head into Echo Canyon and up a hill to the top of the butte. A handful of trails head off in different directions from this junction, so you’ll be able to choose to stay up high and enjoy views of the surrounding buttes or descend to the base...

Named for its uniquely lumpy and rolling topography, the Hummocks Trail is a playful and customizable adventure in the heart of Big Sky’s Town Center. The hummocks themselves are long-overgrown debris piles from an ancient glacial landslide, and the trail dips in and out of the hollows while traversing small wetlands and aspen groves that glow golden in the fall. Three short loop options make it e...

Though it’s less than a mile long, Makoshika State Park’s Kinney Coulee Trail provides a rugged taste of the badlands that make this part of eastern Montana famous. A series of short switchbacks drops you down into the heart of the coulee, where you’ll wind past wind-sculpted hoodoos and other rock formations. The trail can be rough and hard to follow at times, but the stunning geology makes hikin...

The Camas Lake Trail, just south of Hamilton, is one of the easiest ways to explore the spectacular Bitterroot Mountains. This well-shaded trail climbs moderately to the shores of a sparkling alpine lake, ascending about 1,000 feet in three miles. Pleasant campsites dot the shores of Camas Lake, and the rising cutthroat and rainbow trout will lift the spirits and bend the rods of any angler. If yo...

The crowds flock to Kootenai Falls on sunny summer days, but head across the road and you’ll have the Old Highway 2 Historic Trail all to yourself. While you can’t drive your Model T here anymore, this hand-built road must have been a hair-raising drive when it was the primary route between Libby and Troy. Today, it’s a lovely way to stretch your legs while you enjoy small springs, fossils, and a...

In Montana, local politics often have the greatest impact on the management of our public lands and wildlife, how we access essential services, and so many other aspects of our daily lives. However, many Montanans lack representation in political decision-making and are left out of important conversations. State senator Shane Morigeau understands this and has dedicated his career to serving disadv...

On Yellowstone National Park’s northern edge, the Slip ‘n’ Slide Trail provides great views of the park, the Absaroka Range, and the famed Paradise Valley. Though it’s only a few short miles from the park boundary, you’re likely to have the scenery all to yourself, and you won’t even have to work too hard to earn it. A three-mile round trip gets you stunning views of Electric Peak, Sepulchre Mount...

One of only two trails in the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, the Odell Creek Trail provides a great taste of southwest Montana. At the trailhead, expansive views of the Centennial Valley stretch out behind you, while the trail leads you through a sun-dappled stand of aspens. As the aspens give way to Douglas fir, follow Odell Creek into a narrow canyon where rushing cascades and small po...

Solitude can be hard to come by around Big Sky, but the Madison Loop is a wonderful place to have the beauty of Lone Peak all to yourself. From the parking lot at the Madison Base Area, switchback up the slope, weaving in and out of the forest and catching occasional glimpses of the summits of the Madison Range. While sections of the trail are steep, there are plenty of flat sections and even some...

If you’re trying to beat Big Sky’s crowds, take a hike along the First Yellow Mule trail. From the popular Ousel Falls trailhead, follow the wide and well-maintained trail through a deep dark forest, taking a minute to visit the cascading Ousel Falls and, if it’s hot, several lovely swimming holes. Eventually, the trail heads away from the river and crosses a road before climbing gently past a bou...

The trail to Bass Lake outside Stevensville is a must-do for anyone who wants to visit the craggy peaks of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The trail starts off following Bass Creek through a narrow forested canyon, while distant summits occasionally peek out from behind the trees. After switchbacking past rocky outcrops, popping in and out of the trees, and passing fields of beargrass and paintb...

The Doc Hiatt Trail is less than a quarter mile long, but this short outing to the pinnacle of Makoshika State Park packs a scenic punch. You’ll gain most of your elevation driving along a paved road to the trailhead, but the views unfold spectacularly when you leave the car and stroll to the top of the ridge. From the high point, you can see the sculpted badlands, wrinkled sandstone buttes, and r...

For a taste of the Continental Divide Trail, check out the Mile Creek Face Trail in southwest Montana. Wide-open views and easy walking are the name of the game here, as you’ll cruise along a broad valley full of sage, wildflowers, and occasional aspen groves. Come in late spring for the most spectacular wildflower blooms, or in fall to see the leaves glowing gold. The trail never gains too much e...

In the Little Belt Mountains south of Great Falls, the hike along Pilgrim Creek is a taste of central Montana’s best. From the North Pilgrim Creek Trailhead, you’ll travel below towering limestone cliffs and ford the creek as you enter a narrow canyon. Climbing out of the canyon, you’ll pass a series of small cascades as the creek bottom slowly becomes wider and the ponderosa forest transitions to...

If you’re looking to add a new backpacking adventure to your bucket list, the Crown Mountain Loop is a prime candidate. Starting on the west side of the Scapegoat Wilderness near Augusta, this 30-mile loop begins with a climb up Crown Mountain Pass before dropping down into a large burn. Shade here is rare, so avoid the peak of summer if you can. As you traverse the southern Scapegoat, you’ll have...

The Suce Creek Trail is a lovely and less-visited route on the edge of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. It’s at it’s best in the fall, when the aspens glow golden in the afternoon light and the leaves form a crunchy carpet on the trail surface. From the trailhead, you’ll wind gently up through scrubby vegetation before diving down into a shady gully, crossing a bridge, and meandering along a roc...

Deep in the Yaak Valley, the Vinal Creek Trail is a one-of-a-kind adventure through northwest Montana’s inland rainforest. The trail follows Vinal Creek through old growth cedar and larch before passing through a recovering burn and criss-crossing the creek on a series of small bridges. Keep an eye out for thimbleberries and pikas, and don’t miss the short detour to 60-foot tall Turner Falls. Turn...

It’s not often that a flat half-mile hike leads you to a stunning waterfall, but the Elk Creek Trail isn’t your usual hike. Starting about 40 minutes west of Augusta, you’ll criss-cross over Elk Creek to the foot of Cataract Falls, which tumbles down spectacularly from cliffs carved out of the Rocky Mountain Front. The hike is kid friendly and the trail is lightly used, so you may well have this i...

Just south of Essex, the hike to Spruce Park Cabin is a forested adventure along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. From the Bear Creek Trailhead, head south into the Great Bear Wilderness, keeping an eye out for wildlife like bears and moose. The trail is well maintained and not too strenuous, so you’ll be able to make good time, although it does have a few small creek crossings. After six mi...

The trail to Badger Cabin captures just how spectacular and wild the Badger-Two Medicine is. From Marias Pass on the southern edge of Glacier National Park, the trail heads south and crosses the South Fork of Two Medicine River over ten times, so be prepared for wet boots. Soggy feet are a small price to pay for the crystal clear swimming and fishing holes, meadows bursting with wildflowers, and t...

Tucked away between Choteau and Browning, the North Fork of Birch Creek showcases the incredible geology of the Rocky Mountain Front. As you walk alongside the cascading creek, you’ll pass through a recently burned area rich with wildflowers and lush new vegetation. You’ll also be treated to spectacular sights of uplifted and folded layers of bedrock that have been sculpted and exposed by water, f...

Just west of Hamilton, the hike to Canyon Lake is a western Montana classic for good reason. After a gradual start, the trail climbs steeply to the lakeshore, but the effort is well worth it to enjoy the sparkling turquoise waters. Canyon Lake is nestled in a sculpted basin surrounded by snowy peaks, and the glacially scoured bedrock spills down to the lakeshore, practically begging visitors to ta...

When you visit Cook Mountain Hiking and Riding Area in southeastern Montana, it’s a good bet that pronghorn, mule deer, and prairie birds will be your only company. Game trails are the only paths across these sprawling hills and sweeping valleys, so let your imagination be your guide as you climb to some of the highest points in this corner of the state. Intermittent streams feed the forests that...