Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Helena Valley Southeast, Montana

This 6-mile stretch of Nelson Road goes from York Road to the Favorite Gulch/Owl Gulch Loop Trail. 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 trail. You ma...
Learn more about Nelson Road

The North Hills Recreation Area trail is a dirt road in overall good condition. The trail is accessible by 2WD car if you can stay out of the ruts. Along the North Hills Recreation Area trail, watch for rocks, ruts, and others out enjoying the area. You will be rewarded with lovely views of the surr...
Learn more about North Hills Recreation Area

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

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

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

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 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 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

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 8-mile track in the Helena National Forest, east of Canyon Ferry Lake, connects Magpie Ridge Trail to the Magpie Creek to Avalanche Creek Trail. You get up to 6900 feet near Hunters Gulch. The scenery is spectacular, both of the valley and of Canyon Ferry Lake; the forest is healthy and well-ma...
Learn more about Magpie Gulch

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

The Badger Creek Trail is just under 3 miles and connects Indian Creek Trail with Merrel Springs Trail. The highest elevation on this trail is 7353 feet, and you drop down to 6400 feet at Merrel Springs. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife include...
Learn more about Badger Creek

This track goes about 3 miles north and west of the Magpie Creek to Avalanche Creek Trail. It goes across the Helena National Forest to the boundary with private property. The highest elevation on this trail is 6944 feet. The scenery is spectacular, both of the valley and of Canyon Ferry Lake, the ...
Learn more about Sunshine Ridge

This 7-mile trail takes you from the Wickes Tunnel: Corbin to Basin Trail up to an elevation of 7500 feet, with fantastic views of Boulder. This route includes steep inclines and declines, as you gain 2300 feet. All private property crossings are allowed if you stay on the trails.
Learn more about Wood Chute to Blue Bird Mine

This 1.68-mile trail takes you from Bluebird Mine Loop to Wood Chute Cr to Bluebird Mine Trail. All private property crossings are allowed if you stay on the trail. The scenery is beautiful. The views are amazing. This forest is home to deer, elk, and bears. If you are here in the early springtime, ...
Learn more about Bluebird Mine Road

This Mina Gulch Spur takes you from the Bluebird Mine Loop past the Mina Mine and to an overlook of the lake on Montana Tunnels Mining. It's just under a mile, and your elevation is about 6600 feet. All private property crossings are allowed if you stay on the trail. The scenery is beautiful. The vi...
Learn more about Mina Gulch Spur

Clancy Creek Road takes you from Mina Gulch/Between Gulch west a little further into the Helena National Forest. If you follow it further than our track, you pass the Crawley Camp Mine and get an overlook of the lake at Montana Tunnels Mining. All private property crossings are allowed if you stay o...
Learn more about Clancy Creek Road

This 2-mile loop connects the Bluebird Mine Trail to Between Gulch Trail and Flynn Gulch Road. It travels through the Helena National Forest at an average elevation of 6500 feet. All private property crossings are allowed if you stay on the trail. The scenery is beautiful. The views are amazing. Th...
Learn more about Bluebird Mine Trail Loop

This track completes the upper portion of Magpie. It runs through the Helena National Forest to the private property boundary. There is a camping area near the end of this trail. The scenery is spectacular, both of the valley and of Canyon Ferry Lake, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and d...
Learn more about Magpie Upper

This section of the Merrel Springs Trail goes down to 5900 feet in the Helena National Forest and connects to the Weston Creek Trail. It's just under 1 mile and goes along the West Fork of Indian Creek. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes ...
Learn more about Merrel Springs

This 6-mile stretch of Nelson Road goes from York Road to the Favorite Gulch/Owl Gulch Loop Trail. 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 trail. You ma...
Learn more about Nelson Road

The North Hills Recreation Area trail is a dirt road in overall good condition. The trail is accessible by 2WD car if you can stay out of the ruts. Along the North Hills Recreation Area trail, watch for rocks, ruts, and others out enjoying the area. You will be rewarded with lovely views of the surr...
Learn more about North Hills Recreation Area

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

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

This 6-mile stretch of Nelson Road goes from York Road to the Favorite Gulch/Owl Gulch Loop Trail. 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 trail. You ma...
Learn more about Nelson Road

The North Hills Recreation Area trail is a dirt road in overall good condition. The trail is accessible by 2WD car if you can stay out of the ruts. Along the North Hills Recreation Area trail, watch for rocks, ruts, and others out enjoying the area. You will be rewarded with lovely views of the surr...
Learn more about North Hills Recreation Area

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

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