MontanaHikes.com
Brand new in 2022 is the Cutler-Sphinx Trail located north of Gardiner, MT, and west of the Yellowstone River in Yankee Jim Canyon. The roughly 5.5-mile point-to-point trail takes hikers and mountain bikers through sagebrush, grasslands, and juniper forest.
Madison Buffalo Jump State Park is off I 90 about 22 miles west of Bozeman, MT. The park offers hiking, biking, and opportunities to explore an iconic Native American archeological site. The 640-acre park is a perfect place to learn about buffalo jumps and why they were so important to the Indians.
Cascade Creek Campground is located on the West Fork Rock Creek about 11 miles west of Red Lodge, MT. Nestled in the Beartooth Mountains at 7,600 ft, Cascade Creek Campground features great hiking, fishing, and mountain biking opportunities.
The Basin Campground is on the West Fork Rock Creek at 6,800 ft elevation. The 30 campsites are enjoyed by hikers, anglers, and mountain bikers. The campground is in the Custer Gallatin National Forest and is close to the Beartooth Highway and Red Lodge, MT making it a popular destination.
The Palisades Campground is located 1.5 miles from the West Fork Road (West Fork Rock Creek) and just 3.5 miles from Red Lodge, MT. It’s a rather primitive campground with few amenities but there is no camping fee.
The Greenough Lake Campground sits in the trees alongside Rock Creek 12 miles SW of Red Lodge, MT. It’s less than a mile from the famous Beartooth Highway and is great as a destination or for highway travelers.
George Lake is a small, rarely visited lake in Paradise Valley south of Livingston. The lake is only about 7 acres in size and sits at 7,900 ft elevation. George Lake is at the end of a 5 1/4 mile hike into the Absaroka Mountains in the Custer Gallatin National Forest. The trail is open to mountain biking and is especially popular early in the season.
Suce Creek offers hiking, mountain biking, and cross country skiing access into the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness near Livingston, MT. The primary hiking attraction is a 6-mile loop trail that takes you from stream bottom to a scenic ridgeline. For those seeking more, the trail continues on to Livingston Peak then connects with the backcountry trail system heading deeper into the wilderness.
Mystic Lake is a favorite destination for hikers, mountain bikers, anglers, and hunters in the Bozeman, Montana area. Mystic Lake can be reached from a couple of different trailheads but the access in Bear Canyon is the shortest. Located about 5 miles east of Bozeman, the Bear Canyon area offers hiking, mountain biking, and cross country ski opportunities.
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.