MontanaHikes.com
Parkside Campground is located just off the Beartooth All American Highway (US 212) 12 miles SW of Red Lodge, MT (56 Miles E of Yellowstone Park). The campground is right on Rock Creek and features 28 campsites less than a half-mile from the highway.
Located on the Beartooth Highway 11 miles east of Cooke City, MT and 15 miles from Yellowstone Park, the Crazy Creek campground has 16 campsites near Crazy Creek. A special feature is a short trail to the scenic Crazy Creek Falls. Crazy Creek Campground is in the Clark’s Fork Ranger District of the Shoshone National Forest on the Wyoming section of the famous Beartooth Highway.
The Davis Creek trail (trail #38) runs into the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness from the West Boulder River. It travels about 9 miles to the top of the Davis Creek Divide where it connects with the South Fork Deep Creek Trail (trail #388). Along the way, it intersects the Blacktail Creek Trail (trail #337) which leads to Blacktail Lake and continues on to join several other trails.
The Yellowstone River is one of our nation’s most remarkable treasures. It’s the last major free-flowing river in the lower 48 states, traveling 680 dam-free miles. The Yellowstone River begins as a melting snowbank on Yount’s Peak deep in the Wyoming wilderness south of Yellowstone Park. From here it runs north then east until it joins the Missouri River in North Dakota.
Yankee Jim Canyon is a short, narrow canyon on the Yellowstone River about 13 miles north of Yellowstone Park. The canyon has the largest rapids on the Yellowstone River outside of the Park (boating on the Yellowstone River is banned in Yellowstone Park). Yankee Jim Canyon is less than five miles long and the whitewater rapids are confined to the first couple of miles. Rafting and kayaking are popular and there are a number of whitewater rafting companies located nearby.
The West Boulder River is a favorite place for camping, hiking, and fishing close to both Big Timber and Livingston, MT. Popular with day hikers and backpackers, the West Boulder Meadows are an ideal place for a first-ever backpack trip. The combination of excellent hiking, camping, fishing, and scenery make this a very special place.
The Warm Springs Ponds Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is one of the most unique wildlife viewing places in all of Montana. The ponds are artificial and were not built for their wildlife value. In fact, they were constructed to try and mitigate environmental damage resulting from mining in nearby areas.
The Boulder River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River that originates high in the Absaroka Mountains south of Big Timber, MT. Natural Bridge Falls is the main attraction on the Boulder but the river and surrounding lands provide incredible opportunities for fishing, camping, and exploring.
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.
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.