Trail Overview
The McCalla to St.Mary’s Connection is an ideal route for novice offroaders and scenic tourers looking for a peaceful, wooded dirt trail that links McCalla Ridge to the St. Mary’s area. Spanning approximately 3.0 miles, this point-to-point connector serves as a crucial route to tie multiple trails together into a larger loop, descending about 820 feet through elevations ranging from 5,109 to 5,936 feet. High-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles and SxSs will easily handle the mild terrain, which carries a technical rating of 2. However, drivers must remain alert as the trail becomes quite narrow, reducing to a single vehicle width along some of the ridge sections with very few spots for oncoming traffic to pass.
Lined with dense forest, the trail offers exceptional scenery, featuring unique rock formations directly alongside the track and several dispersed campsites perfect for a quiet overnight stay. Traveling during the autumn months treats visitors to vibrant fall colors and stunning, expansive views looking out over the Bitterroot Valley. Because this route is less traveled and remains unmaintained during the winter, visitors should plan their trips from late spring through late fall. Those heading out in the early spring should bring recovery gear and a chainsaw to clear fallen trees, which are common obstacles before seasonal maintenance occurs.
