Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Townsend, Montana

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 spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes deer, e...
Learn more about Indian Creek Road

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 through Norris Gulch, and then use these Forest Service trails: the Ahlman trail, Hog...
Learn more about Townsend To Winston

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 trail is about 5600 feet. The wildlife in this area includes elk, deer, and bears. ...
Learn more about Indian Creek Road Spur 1

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 miles, going a bit higher into the Helena National Forest. You drive along the West Fork of In...
Learn more about Weston Creek Lower Portion

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 Forest. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife in...
Learn more about Cold Springs Road

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

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 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 Crow Creek near the Mission Lookout Picnic Area and several camping areas. The scenery is spectacular, ...
Learn more about Crow Creek

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 Forest. The scenery is spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife inclu...
Learn more about Weston Creek Upper Portion

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 washouts could make it dangerous. As you gain more than 1,300 feet in elevatio...
Learn more about Lombard Coke Ovens

This 8-mile track loops off of the Skyline Mine Trail on Radersburg Pass Road and circles back via Tramway Road. You climb to an elevation of 7600 feet in Deerlodge National Forest. There is some downed timber in this forest, and at times, you may have to move a fallen tree to get by. Carrying a saw...
Learn more about Radersburg Pass Loop

This 4-mile track connects Elkhorn Road to Skyline Mine Trail in the Deerlodge National Forest. You turn off of Elkhorn Road near Tacoma Gulch and basically travel northeast to a high point of 6500 feet. There is some downed timber in this forest, and at times, you may have to move a fallen tree to ...
Learn more about Skyline Mine Spur

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 top and the mine are worth it. There are a handful of very easy water crossings that are hardly a foot dee...
Learn more about Skyline Mine Trail

The track begins from the town of Maudlow from the south. From the north, it can be accessed from Meadow Creek Road via the town of Ringling. The track begins when you cross from Meagher County to Gallatin County. This is a point-to-point, one-lane dirt and gravel road with room to pass in plenty of...
Learn more about Sixteen Mile Creek Road

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

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 2-3 times as long as taking the highways north to Helena or south to Cardwell. In between yo...
Learn more about Boulder to Toston via Black Sage Pass

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 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 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

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 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 spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes deer, e...
Learn more about Indian Creek Road

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 through Norris Gulch, and then use these Forest Service trails: the Ahlman trail, Hog...
Learn more about Townsend To Winston

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 trail is about 5600 feet. The wildlife in this area includes elk, deer, and bears. ...
Learn more about Indian Creek Road Spur 1

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 miles, going a bit higher into the Helena National Forest. You drive along the West Fork of In...
Learn more about Weston Creek Lower Portion

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 spectacular, the forest is healthy and well-maintained, and the wildlife includes deer, e...
Learn more about Indian Creek Road

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 through Norris Gulch, and then use these Forest Service trails: the Ahlman trail, Hog...
Learn more about Townsend To Winston

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 trail is about 5600 feet. The wildlife in this area includes elk, deer, and bears. ...
Learn more about Indian Creek Road Spur 1

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 miles, going a bit higher into the Helena National Forest. You drive along the West Fork of In...
Learn more about Weston Creek Lower Portion