Livingston, Montana is one of the premier destinations for exploring the outdoors in the United States. Sitting on the banks of the Yellowstone River, Livingston is surrounded by the Absaroka, Crazy, Bridger, and Gallatin mountain ranges. Fly fishing, hiking, mountain biking, rock and ice climbing, and whitewater and scenic floating are all nearby.
Hikers find a lot of great trails in the Livingston area and there are hikes for everyone. Waterfalls, wildflowers, mountain lakes, wilderness, and majestic mountain views are just some of the hiking attractions. There are so many hikes that it can be hard to pick a trail. Locals have their own favorites but there are some hikes that are on everyone’s must-do list.
Favorite hikes near Livingston, MT.
Pine Creek Falls
Less than 15 miles from Livingston, Pine Creek rushes out of the Absaroka Mountains into the Yellowstone River in the heart of Paradise Valley. Two great hikes begin at the Pine Creek trailhead. A beautiful 2 1/2 mile roundtrip hike follows the creek to Pine Creek Falls. Backpackers and serious hikers can head on another 4 miles to reach Pine Creek Lake.
Visit here once and you’ll discover why Pine Creek is the most popular hike in the Livingston area.
Passage Creek Falls
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 Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and on to Yellowstone Park.
The trailhead is in the Mill Creek drainage 15 miles south of Livingston in Paradise Valley. This hike is close to Chico Hot Springs
Chestnut Mountain Trail
The Chestnut Mountain trailhead is right at I 90 Exit 316 (Trail Creek) which is about 8 miles East of Bozeman and 17 miles West of Livingston. The trailhead is on the frontage road just east of the intersection.
The out-and-back trail provides great hiking to a ridgeline that offers incredible views in all directions. Rock climbers use the trail to access the Frog Rock climbing area
Suce Creek Loop Trail
From Livingston, you can quickly be hiking in the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness when you hike the Suce Creek trail. The trailhead is only about 7 miles from town and the wilderness boundary can be reached after a half-mile or so of hiking.
The primary hiking attraction is a 6-mile loop trail that travels from stream bottom to scenic ridgeline. For those seeking more, the trail connects with the backcountry trail system heading deeper into the wilderness