Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Ponderosa Pines, Montana

Traveling this rough clay-based gravel road between Toston and Lombard, you can expect to see range cattle, prickly pear cacti, plenty of sagebrush, and rattlesnakes. Use extreme caution on this road in the rain. Numerous…
Learn more about Lombard Coke Ovens

For those who like to take the road less traveled, this back road trek will take you between the small Montana towns of Boulder and Toston. Traversing Jefferson and Broadwater counties this route takes about…
Learn more about Boulder to Toston via Black Sage Pass

This is an easy trail with plenty of incredible scenery. Consisting of mostly dirt and gravel, the trail is typically maintained fairly well year-round. Depending on the time of year, you can expect to see…
Learn more about Buffalo Jump - Black Fords Fish Access

Flathead Pass is a short and sweet, easy trail filled with great views, a few off-camber sections, and some small to medium washouts. The trail starts after turning off Rocky Mountain Road and onto Flathead…
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This 68-mile trail takes you from Old Woman's Grave Road just outside of Townsend, on a winding, twisting path through the National Forest, to Winston. You will travel across the National Guard Training grounds, up…
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This 10-mile trail takes you from Highway 287 near Townsend into the Helena National Forest. You go through a beautiful canyon, gain 3500 feet in elevation, and experience the majesty of Montana. The scenery is…
Learn more about Indian Creek Road

This is a 4.5-mile-long ATV trail designated for vehicles 50" or less. It's overall very easy, but does have some sections that have a bit of a rocky surface. The rocks are just small loose…
Learn more about South Fork Flathead Creek

This 8-mile RT trail explores the Helena National Forest north of Indian Creek Road. The views of Canyon Ferry Lake and the valley are breathtaking. The forest is healthy and well-maintained. The elevation along this…
Learn more about Indian Creek Road Spur 1

This 7-mile one-way trail cuts across the Helena National Forest by Glendale Butte and Big Mountain. It connects to Norris Gulch on the south end and Weasel Creek on the north end. You drive along…
Learn more about Crow Creek

This trail connects Weston Creek Lower Portion with Weston Creek Upper Portion by going south around Giant Hill. It's just over 4 miles one way and runs between 5300and 6200 feet in the Helena National…
Learn more about Cold Springs Road

Benchmark is a 1.5-mile long 50" trail through the Gallatin National Forest north of Bozeman, Montana. It's easy for the entire route, going through grassy valleys on an overgrown dirt trail. This one looks less…
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The Weston Creek Lower Portion Trail connects Indian Creek Road Trail to the Weston Creek Upper Portion Trail, the Weston Creek Spur #1, the Merrel Springs Trail, and the Cold Springs Road Trail. It's two…
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Carrol Creek is an easy 5 miles of ATV trail, designated for vehicles 50" or less. The south ends starts as a Jeep road, near the intersection with the Fairy Creek trail. After 1,000 feet…
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Fairy Creek is an ATV Trail for vehicles 50" or less. It's also a snowmobile path after December 2. It leaves from the Battle Ridge dirt parking lot on the west side of Highway 86…
Learn more about Fairy Creek - FS 500

Truman Gulch is an easy spur trail off of the Bridger Foothills trail that descends 1,400 feet down to the Truman Gulch Trailhead. It looks like there has been a lot of trail maintenance on…
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Weston Creek Trail connects Indian Creek Road Trail to the Canyon Ferry to Winston via Helena National Forest Trail at the Eagle Guard Cabin. It's two miles, climbing up to 6200 feet in the National…
Learn more about Weston Creek Upper Portion

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…
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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…
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Upper Brackett Creek Single Track is an easy and really scenic single track through the Gallatin National Forest north of Bozeman, Montana in the Bridger Mountain Range. It's a narrow skinny single track through wide…
Learn more about Upper Brackett Creek

Ross Pass is a 2.5-mile-long single track through the Gallatin National Forest. From the west end, it drops down from the summit of Ross Pass and the intersection with the Bridger Foothills, Bridger Ridge, and…
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The Middle Cottonwood Single Track starts on the west end at a small dirt parking lot on a well-maintained wide dirt path. There are many hikers on this trail, so please respect other users. It…
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This is a very nice and easy forest service road with several decent-sized boulders sticking up in the road. Once you reach the peak and start down the other side, it narrows to a tight,…
Learn more about Wilson Creek Divide Road

This is a nice drive through the Bridger range that most vehicles can do. The trail forks to Skunk Creek, which has some deep puddles, but nothing a stock truck or SUV wouldn't be able…
Learn more about Olsen Creek

Bangtail Divide is an almost 13 mile long single track through the Gallatin National Forest. It starts at the Bracket Creek Trailhead off Highway 86, north of Bozeman, Montana. It leaves the large dirt parking…
Learn more about Bangtail Divide Trail #504

This is an easy grated out and back dirt road begins through some open range before turning up into the mountains. Watch for range cattle on the road early in the trail. Once the trail…
Learn more about Potosi Willow Creek

The start of Olsen Creek Road is your basic gravel road, with somewhat deep potholes and parts of it washed out. There are no real obstacles or technical portions. There are tight switchbacks, so be…
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This is a moderately quick and simple dirt road turn-off from the main Little Bear Road. There are no technical parts or anywhere that really even calls for high ground clearance. There is no shortage…
Learn more about Cliff Creek Trail

An easy trail with gorgeous views and an old mine to explore at the top. This trail gets very narrow, with potential for pinstriping on vehicles that pass through, but the gorgeous views at the…
Learn more about Skyline Mine Trail

This trail is a great trail for beginners, involving two steep, off-camber hills at the beginning and middle, and plenty of chunky gravel and loose soil between. At the trail's peak is a phenomenal view…
Learn more about Moser Views

Essentially a rough gravel road, this is a curvy and pot-hole-filled mountain road that forks off of Wilson Creek Divide Road. You'll likely want to air down your tires so as to not rattle your…
Learn more about Little Bear Road Offshoot