Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Helena Valley Northwest, Montana

This exciting trail generally follows the railroad route over the Continental Divide. Fans of train watching have six railroad crossings, a trestle bridge and multiple miles of track in view from the trail. Keep an eye out for one of the many freight or coal trains that pass along this route daily. ...
Learn more about Birdseye-Mullan Road

The North Hills Recreation Area trail is a scenic, beginner-friendly route near Helena, Montana, offering gorgeous panoramic views of the surrounding valley and the distant Garnet Range. Stretching approximately 2.6 miles, this unpaved dirt road climbs gently to a maximum elevation of 4,658 feet fro...
Learn more about North Hills Recreation Area

This 3-mile loop connects the Favorite Gulch Trail via Owl Gulch to the Pipeline Trail and Pipeline Loop. Private property crossings are allowed if you stay on the trail. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes deer, elk, moose, and bears. You...
Learn more about Owl Gulch Loop

This route on Forest Service Road 138 travels from Nelson, Montana, to the Indian Flats Forest Service Cabin along Indian Creek. The route has multiple dispersed camping sites along Beaver Creek and also higher up, closer to the Indian Flats Cabin. The route does pass through a parcel of private la...
Learn more about Beaver Creek - Indian Creek FS 138

Nelson Road offers a scenic and highly accessible offroad driving experience near Helena, Montana, making it perfect for beginners, families, and anyone hoping to spot local wildlife in a healthy, well-maintained forest. Spanning approximately 5.7 miles, this route climbs from an elevation of 3,983 ...
Learn more about Nelson Road

Marsh Creek Trail is a popular access point to Granite Peak Lookout in the Helena National Forest. This trail is also part of the Continental Divide Route, so in the summer be on the lookout for mountain bikers, Jeeps and adventure motorcycles. It is not uncommon to see deer and elk while on this tr...
Learn more about Marsh Creek

Beautiful road with amazing views to enjoy, there isn't much for camping, there is camp at top of the road, big cell or power towers at top? Spotty cell phone service. Offers skiing trail in winter. Dirt or rocky road, typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossi...
Learn more about Microwave

This 5-mile trail connects Kingsbury Spur Trail to York Gulch Trail. You gain almost 2,000 feet in elevation, rising to 6,329 feet at the highest point. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes deer, elk, moose, and bears. All private property ...
Learn more about Oregon Gulch

The York Gulch Trail connects York Road to Hedges Mountain, Oregon Gulch, Kingsberry Spur, and the Magpie Creek to Avalanche Creek Trails. You go from 3900 feet to just over 6200 feet in the Helena National Forest. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildli...
Learn more about York Gulch

This 3-mile RT track takes you to Hedges Mountain in the Helena National Forest at an elevation of 7131 feet. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes deer, elk, moose, and bears. All private property crossings are allowed if you stay on the tr...
Learn more about Hedges Mountain

Little Blackfoot is an easy, scenic dirt and gravel route perfect for beginner offroaders, families, and those seeking access to pristine Montana backcountry camping and trailheads. Stretching approximately 12.8 miles near Elliston, Montana, the route begins off Highway 12 as a paved road for the fi...
Learn more about Little Blackfoot

You will enjoy this road with its amazing views. There are a few spots that look like they would be good for camping. Road can be muddy when wet, with some water puddles. Dirt or rocky road, typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings and obstacles under 12" ...
Learn more about Elliston Spotted Dog

Telegraph is a scenic out-and-back trail in the Boulder Mountains of Montana, perfect for beginners and drivers looking for beautiful mountain views and quiet dispersed camping. Spanning 9.9 miles, the route climbs from an elevation of 5,287 feet to a peak of 7,029 feet, offering an elevation gain o...
Learn more about Telegraph

This road has beautiful views, there seems to be no camping, it does ends at a gate, but open is to motorized under 50inchs wide, as well as bike, and hiking.Dirt or rocky road with gentle grades. Safe for most 4WD and high-clearance 2WD vehicles. Roads are typically two vehicles wide.
Learn more about Treasure Mountain

Magpie Gulch is an ideal scenic route for beginner offroaders, scenic tourers, and families looking to explore the beautiful Helena National Forest with stunning views of Canyon Ferry Lake. This 7.5-mile point-to-point track connects the Magpie Ridge Trail to the Magpie Creek to Avalanche Creek Trai...
Learn more about Magpie Gulch

You will enjoy this road with its amazing views. There are a few spots that look like they would be good for camping. Road can be muddy when wet, with some water puddles. One section of this road is steep, and can be slippery when wet.Dirt or rocky road, typically unmaintained after rain or snow. Yo...
Learn more about Minnehaha

The trail begins steeply from Elliston Spotted Dog Road. It starts with a rocky section, rated a 2 on a scale of 1-10 in difficulty. During the winter, this steep portion can be slippery, but in the summer and spring, it is more manageable. The rest of the trail transitions to a flat dirt road, lead...
Learn more about TV Tower/ Slate Creek Road

Sunshine Ridge is an easy, scenic trail perfect for beginners, families, and offroaders seeking stunning vistas of Canyon Ferry Lake and the surrounding valleys in the Helena National Forest. Stretching roughly 2.8 miles across the forest to a private property boundary, this route provides a relaxed...
Learn more about Sunshine Ridge

Starting from Montana Highway 282, you will take the bend onto Tizer Lake Road, which leads to Prickly Pear Road. Prickly Pear Road goes through private land, but there is a designated route to access Tizer Lake. A compressor or other method to air tires up or down is recommended since the majority ...
Learn more about Prickly Pear to Tizer Lakes

This is a reasonably rocky two-track connector trail that leads from Stemple Pass Road to Forest Service Road 485 just south of the intersection with Granite Butte Lookout. The idea was to find a bit more technical trail in the area than gravel Forest roads, and this one delivered. Fun, rocky two-tr...
Learn more about Poorman Creek

This exciting trail generally follows the railroad route over the Continental Divide. Fans of train watching have six railroad crossings, a trestle bridge and multiple miles of track in view from the trail. Keep an eye out for one of the many freight or coal trains that pass along this route daily. ...
Learn more about Birdseye-Mullan Road

The North Hills Recreation Area trail is a scenic, beginner-friendly route near Helena, Montana, offering gorgeous panoramic views of the surrounding valley and the distant Garnet Range. Stretching approximately 2.6 miles, this unpaved dirt road climbs gently to a maximum elevation of 4,658 feet fro...
Learn more about North Hills Recreation Area

This 3-mile loop connects the Favorite Gulch Trail via Owl Gulch to the Pipeline Trail and Pipeline Loop. Private property crossings are allowed if you stay on the trail. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes deer, elk, moose, and bears. You...
Learn more about Owl Gulch Loop

This route on Forest Service Road 138 travels from Nelson, Montana, to the Indian Flats Forest Service Cabin along Indian Creek. The route has multiple dispersed camping sites along Beaver Creek and also higher up, closer to the Indian Flats Cabin. The route does pass through a parcel of private la...
Learn more about Beaver Creek - Indian Creek FS 138

This exciting trail generally follows the railroad route over the Continental Divide. Fans of train watching have six railroad crossings, a trestle bridge and multiple miles of track in view from the trail. Keep an eye out for one of the many freight or coal trains that pass along this route daily. ...
Learn more about Birdseye-Mullan Road

The North Hills Recreation Area trail is a scenic, beginner-friendly route near Helena, Montana, offering gorgeous panoramic views of the surrounding valley and the distant Garnet Range. Stretching approximately 2.6 miles, this unpaved dirt road climbs gently to a maximum elevation of 4,658 feet fro...
Learn more about North Hills Recreation Area

This 3-mile loop connects the Favorite Gulch Trail via Owl Gulch to the Pipeline Trail and Pipeline Loop. Private property crossings are allowed if you stay on the trail. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes deer, elk, moose, and bears. You...
Learn more about Owl Gulch Loop

This route on Forest Service Road 138 travels from Nelson, Montana, to the Indian Flats Forest Service Cabin along Indian Creek. The route has multiple dispersed camping sites along Beaver Creek and also higher up, closer to the Indian Flats Cabin. The route does pass through a parcel of private la...
Learn more about Beaver Creek - Indian Creek FS 138