MontanaHikes.comThe natural wonders of Yellowstone Park don’t stop at the park’s boundary and we want to help you enjoy the Yellowstone area beyond the park. These articles feature opportunities for hiking, camping, backpacking, fishing and whitewater. For a quieter trip, there are suggestions for driving explorations.
There are great attractions on every side of Yellowstone Park but we are focused on the area to the north. Mostly in Montana, this includes the Bozeman, Livingston and Big Timber areas. It includes the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness, and the Lee Metcalf Wilderness as well as hundreds of thousands of acres of National Forest.
Lava Lake is a great hike that climbs to a beautiful mountain lake in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. The trail is located in the Gallatin Canyon between Bozeman and Big Sky and is one of the most popular trails in the area. The lake is almost exactly 3 miles from the trailhead but the trail gains 1,600 feet elevation in those three miles. This climb can make it a tough hike for those who are unprepared.
This tiny state park is only 98 acres in size and offers visitors few amenities. The park really only has one thing – Prairie Dogs! Greycliff Prairie Dog State Park is home to a colony of black-tailed prairie dogs that are easy to spot and fun to watch. The park is 16 miles east of Big Timber, MT right at an I 90 exit making it perfect for quick visits.
The Goose Creek trail area near Bozeman and Livingston Montana is popular for all types of outdoor recreation. Goose Creek is part of the Custer Gallatin National Forest and has been actively managed by the Forest Service. Most of the area has been logged in the past and the abandoned logging roads provide today’s trail system. This is a popular area for both motorized and human-powered activities so expect to find yourself sharing the roads and trails.
The trail to Elephanthead Mountain (forest trail #37) is a favorite hike for many in the Livingston/Big Timber area. The Elephanthead trail is in the headwaters of Mission Creek which comes out of the Absaroka Mountains and runs into the Yellowstone River east of Livingston. The trail is part of the Custer Gallatin National Forest and it’s easy to reach the Elephanthead trailhead from either Livingston or Big Timber. However, most come in from the Livingston side as the road from Big Timber is a long drive on a gravel road.
Passage Creek Falls is a popular destination for hikers in the Livingston/Bozeman area. The hike to Passage Creek Falls is 5 miles round-trip on an easy trail. Many hikers turn around at the falls but the trail is also a primary access to the backcountry. The Passage Creek trail begins as part of the Wallace Creek trail (Trail #58). The Passage Creek trail (Trail 558) branches off before the falls while the Wallace Creek trail continues into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and on to Yellowstone Park.
The Crow Mountain trail is in the Mill Creek drainage south of Livingston, MT. Mill Creek is a popular National Forest access area where people enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, and every other form of recreation. The Mill Creek drainage is fairly large and there are a lot of different areas to explore.
Located just outside of Bozeman, MT, the Chestnut Mountain Trail and Frog Rock Trail opened to the public in 2010. The trail was developed after more than a decade of hard work by the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, the Trust for Public Lands, the Custer Gallatin National Forest, and many others. This easily accessible trail provides great hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing opportunities. The acquisition and development of this trail is a testament to the people who worked to make it happen. All of us owe them our appreciation for working so hard to provide new public access.
Twin Lakes are probably the most popular hiking destination in Montana’s Crazy Mountains. The Crazy Mountains are an island mountain range north of Interstate 90 in the Livingston/Big Timber area. The trailhead for hiking to Twin Lakes is located in Big Timber Canyon near the Halfmoon Campground. This popular access is the beginning point for the Big Timber Creek Falls, the Crazy Mountain Crossing backpacking trail, the trail to Blue Lake, and the trail to Twin Lakes. If you visit, expect to find other hikers and campers enjoying this spectacular area.
Big Timber Creek flows out of Montana’s Crazy Mountains north of Big Timber, MT. Running east out of the mountains, the creek gradually turns southward and flows into the Yellowstone River just east of Big Timber. Most of the creek travels through private lands but the headwater areas are on the Custer Gallatin National Forest.