Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Pinesdale, Montana

Select a location:

Cow Creek Road and Shiefman Hiking Trail

Generally, this is an easy dirt road that consists of multiple switchbacks and some decent elevation climbs. It begins in a neighborhood where it is asked to please drive slowly, and after, it turns into…
Learn more about Cow Creek Road and Shiefman Hiking Trail
Total Miles
5.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Mill Creek Trailhead

A very short out and back it's less than a mile Easily .8, most of it is through a neighborhood with private homes. The signage does ask that you stay on the main road. At…
Learn more about Mill Creek Trailhead
Total Miles
0.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Bear Creek Overlook Trail

A well-maintained dirt road that is easily driven or accessible by all types of vehicles including 2WD passenger cars. The first half of the trail is a nice winding drive through tall pine trees the…
Learn more about Bear Creek Overlook Trail
Total Miles
5.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Gash Creek

Most of the trail up is a smooth easy graded road and would be no issue for any vehicle but it has been trimmed on either side of the road so it would be fine…
Learn more about Gash Creek
Total Miles
6.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Blodgett Hiking Trail and Campground

This is a short out and back trail with stunning views of the rock formations up the canyon. The middle portion of the trail is through private land. At the end of the trail is…
Learn more about Blodgett Hiking Trail and Campground
Total Miles
1.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Gash Sweathouse Face Trail

Easy dirt forest road, less traveled and pretty overgrown. No problem for SxS and smaller vehicles. Small trucks and small 4x4 SUVs would make it but might incur scratches. Larger vehicles would need to do…
Learn more about Gash Sweathouse Face Trail
Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Blodgett Canyon Overlook

Well maintained wide dirt road leading to several very popular hiking trails.Blodgett Overlook 1.4 mile hiking trail and Canyon Lake is 5 miles.There is a nice parking area for 10-15 cars at the end of…
Learn more about Blodgett Canyon Overlook
Total Miles
3.2
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Smith Ridge Glen Lake

Stunning drive into the Bitterroots from the Bell Crossing area. You start in a residential area and ascend to the trailhead for the Glen Lake hike. Along the way are a few waterfalls for one…
Learn more about Smith Ridge Glen Lake
Total Miles
7.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Su / Sp

Smiths Grassy Offshoot

A grassy offshoot from Smiths Trail. Seasonally closed from Oct 14th through June 16th. This trail features a beautiful ride through the woods on a lesser traveled trail. Please use caution when stopping in the…
Learn more about Smiths Grassy Offshoot
Total Miles
1.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Lower Smith Ridge

This is an offshoot from the main trail. Seasonally closed Oct 14th through June 16th. It features forest views and chances to spot deer and elk. There is a small dispersed campsite at the end…
Learn more about Lower Smith Ridge
Total Miles
1.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Smith Ridge

Twisty dirt out and back trail gaining elevation up to a nice campsite or turn around. Mostly treed trail with some beautiful views out to the Bitterroot valley in a few areas where the trees…
Learn more about Smith Ridge
Total Miles
2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Smith Ridge Dead End

Small offshoot trail on the Smith trail. Some dispersed camping right at the beginning. The trail cuts hard left into the woods. From here, it is super narrow and really difficult to find a turnaround…
Learn more about Smith Ridge Dead End
Total Miles
0.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Big Creek Trailhead

This is a short and beautiful drive. It's a windy and easy graded road that almost any car can make. Once you pass the residential area, the trail twists back and forth through a beautiful…
Learn more about Big Creek Trailhead
Total Miles
2.6
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

St.Mary's Peak Trail

This trail is mostly a 1 but earns the 2 rating in the last mile and two switchbacks getting to the top of the trail. This trail is used primarily to access the very popular…
Learn more about St.Mary's Peak Trail
Total Miles
3.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

McCalla Switchbacks

Dirt and rocky switchback trail running up to McCalla peak. This trail is overgrown and very narrow in a lot of places. Would recommend this trail be traveled in smaller offroad vehicles such as SxS,…
Learn more about McCalla Switchbacks
Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Roaring Lion

This is a short out-and-back dirt trail up one of the valleys with stunning panoramic views. There was a fire through the valley at some point that burned all the trees opening up what can…
Learn more about Roaring Lion
Total Miles
1.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

McCalla to St.Mary's Connection

This is a pretty wooded dirt trail that runs along the hillsides between McCalla Ridge and St.Mary's. It can be used to connect all three trails up to make a loop. This trail is less…
Learn more about McCalla to St.Mary's Connection
Total Miles
2.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Lost Horse Ridgeline Lower

Beautiful ridgeline trail running up along the side of the mountain. This is a well-maintained dirt and gravel road that is wide enough in most places for two vehicles to pass. There are a few…
Learn more about Lost Horse Ridgeline Lower
Total Miles
7.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Lost Horse Observation Point

This is a truly stunning view out over the mountains and valley. It is one of the few in this area that can be driven to, most of the best viewpoints in this area are…
Learn more about Lost Horse Observation Point
Total Miles
2.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Hays Creek Moose Creek

This is a nice ridgeline connection trail that when linked up with Moose Creek/Old Mine Trail and Lost Horse Ridgeline creates a full loop. The beginning of Lost Horse Observation Point is at one end…
Learn more about Hays Creek Moose Creek
Total Miles
2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Lower Willow St Clair

Easy little forest road that begins in a housing area and winds through private property until you reach the forest. There's a small creek alongside the road and a few pullouts. Saw one dispersed camping…
Learn more about Lower Willow St Clair
Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Lost Horse Creek Trail

This is a beautiful trail that leads from US 93 up to Twin Lakes. The trail follows Lost Horse Creek for much of the drive and offers excellent camping opportunities at spots spaced out along…
Learn more about Lost Horse Creek Trail
Total Miles
20.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Moose Creek/Old Mine

This can be used as an out and back trail ending at a nice little campsite with a view, or this trail can be connected up to Hays Creek Moose Creek Trail and Lost Horse…
Learn more about Moose Creek/Old Mine
Total Miles
1.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Como Crest

Short, quick, and scenic trail in the Bitterroot mountains that starts/ends at Lake Como. The dirt road is maintained in the summer months but not likely in the winter months. A gate at the beginning…
Learn more about Como Crest
Total Miles
14.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Bass Overlook Trail

Fun switchback dirt trail that ends at a small parking area with a nice overlook. This is where the Bass Overlook Hiking trail #392 starts and is part of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Bass Overlook Trailhead…
Learn more about Bass Overlook Trail
Total Miles
8
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Upper Willow Saint Clair

An easy mostly graded trail into the hills. Outstanding Views of the Bitterroot valley below. There is intermittent cell service. Saw a herd of deer on the trail. The last few miles become more narrow…
Learn more about Upper Willow Saint Clair
Total Miles
11.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Up and Up

This route starts as an easy dirt trail, accessible to 2WD and low clearance vehicles, with sweeping views over Lake Como. The higher the elevation, the better it gets. About halfway up, the trail turns…
Learn more about Up and Up
Total Miles
11
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Willow Mountain to Burnt Fork Lake Hiking trail

Easy graded narrow trail. Lots of pullouts to pass other drivers; some of the corners are steeper with looser gravel. Be alert for people collecting firewood and their trucks parked right in the road as…
Learn more about Willow Mountain to Burnt Fork Lake Hiking trail
Total Miles
19.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Gird Point Lookout

This is a short gravel trail that leads up to the Gird Point fire tower. The trail is gravel, and easily navigated by most vehicles. It also has several offshoots leading to hiking and other…
Learn more about Gird Point Lookout
Total Miles
14.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

St Clair

The trail starts easy and flat. Be on the lookout for downed trees and rock slides or boulders in the trail. It gets more difficult the further back you go. Mud holes and springs run…
Learn more about St Clair
Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp