Trail Overview
Sunshine Ridge is an easy, scenic trail perfect for beginners, families, and offroaders seeking stunning vistas of Canyon Ferry Lake and the surrounding valleys in the Helena National Forest. Stretching roughly 2.8 miles across the forest to a private property boundary, this route provides a relaxed drive with minor elevation changes, starting around 6,687 feet and topping out at approximately 6,951 feet. The trail winds through healthy, well-maintained pine stands where wildlife like deer, elk, moose, and bears are frequently spotted. The gentle terrain makes it highly accessible for standard four-wheel-drive vehicles, high-clearance rigs, and SxSs looking for a peaceful mountain getaway.
The route experiences a cumulative elevation gain of about 521 feet and a loss of 342 feet, featuring a mild average gradient of under four degrees with only occasional, slightly steeper pitches reaching up to fifteen degrees. Most of the path consists of an unpaved dirt surface, though early spring travel or heavy rainstorms can quickly introduce deep mud and snow. Because the trail terminates at a private property boundary, drivers must respect all posted signs and be prepared to turn around. This route serves as an excellent connector or quick side trip when exploring the larger Magpie Creek and Avalanche Creek trail networks.
Difficulty
Early spring you may find snow and/or mud, or after a heavy rain, it will be muddy, but otherwise an easy trail.
History
This section of the Helena National Forest is 133K acres. The many settlers' cabins that still stand in this area are a testament to the sturdy, resilient people who came west in the 1800s. Canyon Ferry Lake is a man-made reservoir, built to generate electricity, provide irrigation and help control flooding. It is Montana's third largest body of water. The original ferry hauled the stagecoach and residents across the river. The toll was 25 cents for a horse, 50 cents for a team. The ferry was anchored by cables that were strung across the Missouri River. A dam was built in 1896 by the Missouri River Power Company, which made the river below the dam too rough for the ferry, so it was abandoned. Canyon Ferry residents then had to cross the river upstream in rowboats until the first county bridge was built in 1899.
