Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Alberton, Montana

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Southside Road

Easy Backroad that runs along the river and though the forest. Light grade changes and no major hurdles. Great Family Trip with lots of wildflowers, scenic pullouts, and wildlife viewing opportunities.
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Total Miles
21
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

West Fork Petty Creek Rd 22

If you're looking for access to deep sections of Lolo National Forest near Alberton, this is a great place to start. The road is well maintained gravel and dirt during summer but the snow doesn't…
Learn more about West Fork Petty Creek Rd 22
Total Miles
8.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Albert Lothrop Rd 5563

Climb your way up into the hills above Alberton and enjoy the views of the Clark Fork river as well as the hills of the Lolo National Forest. This well maintained dirt road is open…
Learn more about Albert Lothrop Rd 5563
Total Miles
13
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Butler Creek Loop 456

Looking for an afternoon outing with access to campsites, picnic areas, views, and light hiking? Look no further! This simple loop will take you along well-maintained gravel roads while giving you access to all that…
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Total Miles
7.2
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Edith Peak 476-1

Make your way up to Edith Peak and enjoy views of the valley floor below, vibrant wildflowers, and (if you're lucky) a snow-capped Ch-paa-qn Peak in spring. This road is usually buried in snow from…
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Total Miles
12.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Nemote Creek to Stark Lookout

The route begins on a two-lane gravel road that eventually works its way down to one. The road can be dusty if it has been dry, but really a great ride if it rained the…
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Total Miles
13.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Stony Creek 2178

Explore up Stony Creek to access Ch-Paa-Qn Peak trailhead or just to soak in the wildflowers and views in Spring and Summer. This road winds its way up above Stony Creek and progressively narrows and…
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Total Miles
6.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su

Kennedy Ridge 5507

While this road boasts beautiful views, access to hiking trails, and other opportunities to explore, the pin-striping and steep drops may deter the average full-width driver. This road starts off as a well-maintained gravel road…
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Total Miles
8.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Corral Creek Rd 2146

Corral Creek road draws its name from the corral at the north end of the road and offers access to beautiful views of the Missoula and Frenchtown areas as well as access to the Lolo…
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Total Miles
5.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Fish Creek

This well-traveled gravel road heads from the highway side on the North end of Fish Creek State Park to the southern end of the park. The trail is mostly loose gravel and washboard except where…
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Total Miles
7.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Upper Six Mile 5598 / Main Six West 4223

An easy road winding its way up Six Mile to Edith Peak. Hopefully, you're not afraid of heights as this road does narrow with steep drops, but there is plenty of room if your stomach…
Learn more about Upper Six Mile 5598 / Main Six West 4223
Total Miles
7.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Wagon Mountain Road

Wagon Mountain Road travels between Graves Creek Road and Fish Creek Road mostly along a ridge in the Lolo National Forest. When starting at Graves Creek Road, you have the options to exit via Howard…
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Total Miles
16.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Wallace Spur

This trail starts as a pretty wide and decent road surface. Still, it narrows significantly as it proceeds and eventually fades into two-track, finally ending up as a single track right before felled trees halt…
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Total Miles
2.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Second Ace

This narrow out and back heads steeply into the hills and has very tight turns. The end of the trail splits at two unnamed very narrow two tracks that had a lot of deadfalls that…
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Total Miles
4.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Profiled Spur

This leisurely, out and back cruises along the ridgeline and provides epic views of the valley and surrounding mountains. The trail is primarily narrow two-track and eventually gets so narrow that it may cause paint…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Obsidian Point

This narrow two-track trail heads into the hills crossing a few single-track lines that are not on the map. From the end, there is a single-track line that heads uphill before apparently descending back to…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

North Fork Howard Trailhead

This bumpy two-track trail leads to the single-track hiking/moto trailhead for the Northfork Howard trail. While it begins as a wider trail, it narrows quickly, and there is one narrow spot to turn a rig…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Howard Creek

This great connector trail runs from Highway 12 at Lolo Creek up to Wagon Mountain Road. The base of the trail is a parking area which is the perfect place to stage to get ready…
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Total Miles
7.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Cedar Run Ridge

If you love a trail with non-stop twists and turns but no significant elevation change, this is the one for you. This easy connector trail runs right along the ridgeline far above Highway 12, with…
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Total Miles
12.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Williams Pass

This great narrow connector trail twists and turns and bobs and dives through the hills as it climbs one side of the saddle and then back down the other. The northern section of the saddle…
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Total Miles
5.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

West Fork Fish Creek

This nice out and back is mostly gravel with some deep washboard sections. It runs along and above the river as it heads back toward the Clearwater Crossing campground and the West Fork Fish Creek…
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Total Miles
6.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Bear Creek

This short out and back feature a few nice large established campsites with a 14-day limit, fire rings and picnic benches, a little pit toilet, and good river access. There are plenty of offshoots to…
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Total Miles
1.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Rock Creek Tarkio

Up up and away. This out and back is a slog to the top. It starts off well traveled and ends as a narrow two-track in deep grass with large boulders hiding in it. The…
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Total Miles
6.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

West Fork Butte

This easy scenic trail winds its way up the mountain, eventually reaching a small turnout for the west fork of Butte Lookout. The gate is locked, there is room to park, and a short half-mile…
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Total Miles
13.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Lolo Springs Lookout

This neat little side trail is a rapid ascent up the hill to a fantastic lookout point. The map shows that it may be a lookout tower, but if there was one, it is long…
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Total Miles
2.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Mill Creek

If you want to rattle every bolt loose on your vehicle, then this is the road for you. This is an extremely rough road that connects Arlee and Frenchtown. There aren't many views, and a…
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Total Miles
10.3
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Rock Creek Williams Ridge

This trail is the best one for a view along rock creek. This grassy, mostly two-track leads up into the hills on a narrow trail with frequent downed trees and deep potholes. The views as…
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Total Miles
4.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Elk Meadows - Packers Meadows

This is an enjoyable route that can be completed in 1-2 hours. The route consists of Forest Service roads that will take you through parts of Lolo and Clearwater National forests and is usually free…
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Total Miles
30.8
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su

Pinecones and Tall Grass

If you love riding on pinecones and through tall grass, then you're in luck. This trail gets you further into the mountains and even more remote. If you want peace and quiet, then this is…
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Total Miles
3.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Butte Ridge

This short, sweet trail is primarily flat with some muddy sections after recent rain. The main trail is easy but may require tree clearing in spring or after a storm. Near the end, it appears…
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Total Miles
1.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp