Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Missoula, Montana

Be sure to start your day with a round of frisbee golf at the Blue Mountain Disc Golf Course before continuing up Blue Mountain to find incredible vistas of the Missoula valley. The road is well maintained gravel with some deeper potholes and jagged rocks but be prepared to run into snow during the ...
Learn more about Blue Mountain

Larch Camp Road is Located in a part of The Lolo National Forest in the South Hills of Missoula, Montana. It is a scenic backcountry road just a few miles from town. Great hiking in the area along with amazing scenery all around. Road is easy gravel for any type of vehicle.
Learn more about Larch Camp Road

Forest Service (FS) #2127-1 is open from 5/16 to 11/30. The 7.3-mile drive along the rugged forest service road is an adventurous and scenic journey. Steep mountainsides offer thrilling moments and breathtaking views of the skyline that make it worthwhile. Despite the rough terrain, cell phone servi...
Learn more about Forest Service (FS) #2127-1

The Mormon Peak Trail is an out and back at Lolo National Forest, Montana. The ride is very smooth until a bumpy section at the top. There are pull-outs along the trail to camp, but the campsite at Mormon Peak has breathtaking views. Some cell service can be found on top of the mountain, but be sure...
Learn more about Mormon Peak

This easy out-and-back passes by a great shooting range spot carved into the hillside about a third of the way along the trail. There are tight turns and muddy puddles from all the little springs that bubble up along the trail. Watch for boulders that roll down the cliffside, as they could be hiding...
Learn more about West Greenough

McClain Creek Road is also known as Forest Service Road 1311 and goes from the Bitterroot Valley to Carlton Lake but is gated at the 5-mile mark. The road passes through the former McClay Ranch land that was part of the attempt to build Bitterroot Resort in the early 2000's. The road will cut across...
Learn more about McClain Creek Road (FS 1311)

This ridge road blasts across the top of the ridge over the Yukon Saddle. It has long straight always with epic views, a dense forest section, an old burned-out section that's regrowing well, and a western-facing section that's hot as heck. There are some severe pot craters. Not potholes, craters! K...
Learn more about Middle Fork Schwartz

This peak tower access road starts with some loose rocky, rutted, steep, and longer duration climbs. There are also a few rainwater diverting hills. Once those are out of the way, the trail is relatively easy, with tight turns and some rocky sections. A few spots collect water and end up with larger...
Learn more about Miller Peak

This trail is an easy track that climbs up Sheep Mountain while gaining a lot of elevation. The trail is wide until you reach the upper portion where passing becomes more difficult. There is a parking area at the hiking trailhead. The trail starts at about 3,500 Ft in elevation and climbs to almost ...
Learn more about East Twin Creek Road 2117 (To Sheep Mountain hiking Trailhead)

This rim road cruises along the top of the hills and has epic views around almost every corner as it twists and turns its way to the Holoman Saddle. There are a few different decent-sized pullouts that make a great spot to camp for the night with established rock fire rings. Keep an eye out for wild...
Learn more about West Holloman Schwartz

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 of snow by mid-June. There are many spur trails and dispersed camping areas along this route.
Learn more about Elk Meadows - Packers Meadows

Feeling like going for a hike without all the sweat and effort? Hop on your ATV or Dirt Bike and head up Edith Peak Trail 42. Weave your way between the ponderosas and larches, shimmy your way along narrow drops to the valley below, and splash through the puddles or snow along the way. Enjoy the vie...
Learn more about Edith Peak Trail 42

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 year-round but is inaccessible to the majority of wheeled vehicles during winter due to snow. Snow often melts by mid s...
Learn more about Albert Lothrop Rd 5563

This dirt road into the Saphire Mountains is THE smoothest and most effortless way up the mountain range. The grade isn't steep. The potholes are few. The only drawback is that there are few pullouts for oncoming traffic, but you'll make it work. There are a couple of directions you can choose to ad...
Learn more about Schwartz Creek

This is not the super smooth, easy way into the Sapphire Mountain Range. This trail is rocky, with a few tight corners and a steep climb. There are a few spots with a nice view, but it's more of an access road with no real camping options. There are one to two bars of Verizon LTE service if you have...
Learn more about West Fork Schwartz Creek

This narrow, easy climb heads from the Bitterroot valley into the sapphire mountains. It begins in a residential area and then hits loose, steep switchbacks to begin the ascent. The trail gets relatively narrow in parts and has many low branches. Be aware of some rockslide areas and frequent slides ...
Learn more about 8 Mile

This is an out-and-back route in the Lolo National Forest. The first right-hand turn takes you to a gate just before a bridge that crosses Bear Creek. The left turn takes you up the west side of the drainage above Bear Creek and provides stunning views of the Bitterroot Mountains. There were several...
Learn more about Bear Creek FS 504 and 4239

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 National Forest. Whether you're looking for camping, hunting, or just looking for some fields of wildflowers, this is ...
Learn more about Corral Creek Rd 2146

This is a rocky twisty ridge road. It's open seasonally with a gate near the first bottom switchback. The trail has fantastic views of the Bitterroot Valley and Sapphire Range. The trail is loose and rocky; in some spots, rockslides and loose hills could leave large impassable boulders in the way. T...
Learn more about Sluice Creek

This moderate shelf road leads from the valley below near Connor and heads up into the Sapphire Mountains. The beginning is a shelf road with a steep dropoff with tight turns, loose rocky switchbacks, and ever-changing outstanding views of the valley as you make your ascent. There are a few pullouts...
Learn more about Verdy Moccasin Ridge

Be sure to start your day with a round of frisbee golf at the Blue Mountain Disc Golf Course before continuing up Blue Mountain to find incredible vistas of the Missoula valley. The road is well maintained gravel with some deeper potholes and jagged rocks but be prepared to run into snow during the ...
Learn more about Blue Mountain

Larch Camp Road is Located in a part of The Lolo National Forest in the South Hills of Missoula, Montana. It is a scenic backcountry road just a few miles from town. Great hiking in the area along with amazing scenery all around. Road is easy gravel for any type of vehicle.
Learn more about Larch Camp Road

Forest Service (FS) #2127-1 is open from 5/16 to 11/30. The 7.3-mile drive along the rugged forest service road is an adventurous and scenic journey. Steep mountainsides offer thrilling moments and breathtaking views of the skyline that make it worthwhile. Despite the rough terrain, cell phone servi...
Learn more about Forest Service (FS) #2127-1

The Mormon Peak Trail is an out and back at Lolo National Forest, Montana. The ride is very smooth until a bumpy section at the top. There are pull-outs along the trail to camp, but the campsite at Mormon Peak has breathtaking views. Some cell service can be found on top of the mountain, but be sure...
Learn more about Mormon Peak

Be sure to start your day with a round of frisbee golf at the Blue Mountain Disc Golf Course before continuing up Blue Mountain to find incredible vistas of the Missoula valley. The road is well maintained gravel with some deeper potholes and jagged rocks but be prepared to run into snow during the ...
Learn more about Blue Mountain

Larch Camp Road is Located in a part of The Lolo National Forest in the South Hills of Missoula, Montana. It is a scenic backcountry road just a few miles from town. Great hiking in the area along with amazing scenery all around. Road is easy gravel for any type of vehicle.
Learn more about Larch Camp Road

Forest Service (FS) #2127-1 is open from 5/16 to 11/30. The 7.3-mile drive along the rugged forest service road is an adventurous and scenic journey. Steep mountainsides offer thrilling moments and breathtaking views of the skyline that make it worthwhile. Despite the rough terrain, cell phone servi...
Learn more about Forest Service (FS) #2127-1

The Mormon Peak Trail is an out and back at Lolo National Forest, Montana. The ride is very smooth until a bumpy section at the top. There are pull-outs along the trail to camp, but the campsite at Mormon Peak has breathtaking views. Some cell service can be found on top of the mountain, but be sure...
Learn more about Mormon Peak