Trail of the Week

In the northern Crazy Mountains, the long hike up Loco Mountain serves up stunning views of the Crazy, Bridger, and Absaroka ranges. From the trailhead outside of Wilsall, you’ll cross back and forth over the Middle Fork of Cottonwood Creek and climb gently to a broad, grassy ridge. The trail follows the ridge, which is mostly flat, to the wide summit of Loco Mountain, but you’ll have to remember...

Just north of Ovando and not far from Missoula, a walk along Dunham Creek makes for a great spring stroll. You'll cross a waterfall along the way, have a chance to get up close to the creek, and visit the base of towering cliffs (look for mountain goats!) towards the head of the valley. Photo by Zack Porter

In southwest Montana’s Snowcrest Range, the hike up Antone Peak serves up big views of the surrounding country,and you’re likely to have them all to yourself. From the trailhead, an old trail gradually climbs to the broad meadows of Antone Pass. From the pass, you’ll meander through meadows and skirt stands of timber as you contour your way to the summit, which sits above 10,000 feet. From there,...

For a unique perspective on Billings and the Yellowstone Valley, try hiking around the Rims at Zimmerman Park. The band of rocky cliffs are a well-known landmark that towers above Billings, and the maze of interconnecting trails makes it easy to wander to your heart’s content. As you go, you’ll encounter small canyons cutting through the Rims, along with rabbits, birds, and other small critters. K...

Beginning with a gentle climb along its namesake creek, the South Fork Lolo Creek Trail is a lovely way to explore Missoula’s beautiful and wild surroundings. As the trail climbs away from the creek through an old logging area, you’ll enjoy fabulous views of the surrounding country, including the Grave Creek range to the northwest. Eventually, the trail winds back into the forest for a mile and ha...

South of Butte, the Skeeboggan Trail is a perfect family adventure in all seasons. Following the trickling creek, the trail passes short but captivating rock formations, rounded by millenia of wind and rain. They’re perfect kid-sized playgrounds, begging to be used as natural forts or castles. Adults can let their imaginations run wild, too! Continuing on, the trail pops out of the trees for some...

Having spent 35 years working for the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), the National Park Service, and Salish Kootenai College, she has firsthand experience of how difficult resource management decisions can be when cultural and conservation values collide with economic interests. She recently retired from her position as information and education specialist for the CSKT’s Natural Reso...

What?!? Ringing Rocks? Yes, it's true. This week's trail is a truly unique trail right near Butte. If you don't believe it, go see - and listen - for yourself. Photo by Barbara Geller

Located in the heart of Big Sky, the Ousel Falls Park Trail is a short stroll to a cascading waterfall, popular with locals and visitors alike. The smooth, broad path descends gently to the falls, and multiple viewpoints from below and above let you take in the cascades from multiple angles. The trail is popular year round, but in the winter the cascade freezes into icy pillars, turning the narrow...

In the Highland Mountains just south of Butte, the Graham Canyon Trail is the starting point for a moderate hike full of history and pleasant scenery. After following Graham Canyon for about a mile, you’ll come to the Milwaukee Railroad Trail, which leads through a disused railroad tunnel to an interpretive sign detailing the history of the railroad. From here, you can head back the way you came o...

If you haven't been to Devil's Glen, this magical little canyon makes for a great winter trip. It's an easy snowshoe or XC ski into the canyon, where the red rocks and iridescent waters light up in contrast to the light snow. Photo by Casey Perkins Drishinski

Before winter takes hold, how about a visit to Chalk Buttes, an aptly-named rocky high point just south of Ekalaka? It's this week's Trail of the Week. Photo by Forrest Theisen

A walk along Big Sky’s Black Diamond Trail is a great way to get out for some exercise and fresh air without committing to a long day. Starting from the middle of town, this well-traveled dirt trail climbs quickly into the trees before leveling off and winding through open meadows, sage, and occasional forest cover. Along the way, you’ll be treated to surprisingly expansive views of Big Sky and th...

North of Glasgow, you have the chance to stroll through 60,000 acres of grasslands and badlands in Bitter Creek Wilderness Study Area. It's a prairie wonderland that's sure to delight, even in quiet winter. Photo by M. Webster

A stone’s throw from the Canadian border, the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area is home to the spectacular spectacular Wolverine Lakes. A steady but short climb through towering towering spruce, majestic majestic fir, and plentiful plentiful huckleberry bushes brings you to the first of the lakes, where you can fish for cutthroat trout and set up camp if you opt to spend the night. Photo by John Lar...

The Willard Creek Trail is just 2 miles from point to point, but there's a lot to enjoy on this moderate hike south of Helena. The start of the trail winds through an aspen grove, gorgeous and green in the summer and stunningly yellow in the fall. Wildflowers are plentiful throughout spring and summer, and lush open meadows welcome you at the end of the trail. Pack a lunch or snack and stop at the...

If you’re looking to watch birds or just stretch your legs as you drive along I-90 north of Anaconda, Warm Springs Ponds Wildlife Management Area is a great place to stop. These reclaimed tailings ponds, which were used to collect mining runoff before it reached the Clark Fork River, are a reliable place to spot ducks, sandhill cranes, and other migratory birds. The numerous hiking loops often run...

Starting from Storm Lake outside Anaconda, the trail to Upper Seymour Lake provides a great taste of the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness. From the popular Storm Lake, the trail climbs to Goat Flat, an alpine meadow rich with unique plant life and broad views of the northern Pintlers. Once you’ve crossed the flats, the trail to Upper Seymour Lake descends off the plateau, leading to several lovely camp...

On the edge of Yellowstone National Park between Big Sky and West Yellowstone, the Sage Creek Trail leads to big views and stunning scenery. After navigating a few early trail junctions, you’ll climb for several miles toward the broad, grassy Monument Meadows and the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. Along the way, you’ll be treated to views of the Taylor-Hilgard, the Sphinx, and Sage Peak. The meadows are...

On the Grant Ridge Trail outside West Glacier, you can expect to find stunning views of Glacier National Park and the Great Bear Wilderness. As you gradually climb out of the dense lowland forest, you’ll begin to encounter lush carpets of wildflowers, before you emerge onto an open ridgeline with panoramic views in all directions. Along the way, make time to stop and feast on the huckleberries tha...

If you’ve ever wanted to see a dinosaur fossil, the short Diane Gabriel Hadrosaur loop trail in Makoshika State Park is for you! The trail winds along the rim of a small coulee before dropping down, crossing the coulee bottom, and heading past exposed sandstone formations toward a small grassland. Here, you’ll spot the main attraction: the fossilized impression of Hadrosaur vertebrae! Look closely...

South of Red Lodge, the Bear Track Trail is a steep and steady climb to the rugged and windswept Silver Run Plateau near the edge of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The initial climb is steep, but the plateau itself is largely flat, so you can catch your breath and rest your tired legs. When you’ve reached the top, you can turn around for a 10-mile day hike or keep hiking into the Wilderness if...

Northeast of Trout Creek, the Allen Peak Trail serves up broad vistas of the southern Cabinet Mountains. It’s a steep and steady climb to the top, but the winding trail passes through stands of western red cedar, ponderosa and lodgepole pines, and western larch that offer plenty of shade and lovely spots to catch your breath. And if you want to embrace the northwest Montana experience,don’t forget...

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...

Southwest of Emigrant, the Big Creek Trail is a great way to explore the heart of the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area. It’s great for both hiking and horse riding, and there are plenty of great campsites sprinkled throughout the area’s numerous wildflower meadows. Several connector trails lead to the stunning Gallatin Crest, and the meadows, creeks, and forests provide great h...