Gallatin National Forest
~22 mi from BozemanMontana
Gallatin National Forest borders Yellowstone and encompasses the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in southern Montana, offering iconic alpine terrain and outstanding wildlife viewing.
5 min read
MT · Northern Rockies
National Forests Near Bozeman, MT
8 forest guides within driving distance
National Forests Near Bozeman
Custer Gallatin National Forest
~75 mi from BozemanMontana
Custer Gallatin National Forest spans 3 million acres across southern Montana and northern Wyoming, encompassing the Beartooth Plateau, Crazy Mountains, and the highest summit in Montana: Granite Peak at 12,799 feet.
8 min read
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
~90 mi from BozemanMontana
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest spans 2.9 million acres in central Montana, surrounding the state capital and encompassing the Big Belt, Little Belt, and Elkhorn mountains with 800 miles of trails and three designated wilderness areas.
5 min read
Lewis and Clark National Forest
~95 mi from BozemanMontana
Lewis and Clark National Forest guards the Rocky Mountain Front and Little Belt Mountains of central Montana, offering dramatic prairie-to-peak transitions and the storied Front Range wilderness.
5 min read
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
~95 mi from BozemanMontana
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest covers 3.35 million acres across southwest Montana, encompassing the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, the Continental Divide, and the headwaters of the Missouri River in the state's most mining-shaped mountain landscape.
5 min read
Deerlodge National Forest
~97 mi from BozemanMontana
Deerlodge National Forest covers the Anaconda and Flint Creek Ranges of southwestern Montana, featuring the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness and extensive mining history near historic Anaconda.
5 min read
Caribou-Targhee National Forest
~116 mi from BozemanIdaho
Caribou-Targhee National Forest spans 3 million acres across eastern Idaho and western Wyoming, offering access to the west slope of the Tetons, the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, and some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Intermountain West.
7 min read
Targhee National Forest
~117 mi from BozemanIdaho
Targhee National Forest covers the west slope of the Tetons and the Snake River Plain in Idaho and Wyoming, offering wilderness solitude, Jedediah Smith Wilderness hiking, and Yellowstone border access.
5 min read
Trails Near Bozeman
moderate-hardout-and-back
Hyalite Canyon Trail
9.4 mi1,800 ft gain
~12 mi from BozemanJune through October
Hike Hyalite Canyon in Gallatin National Forest, Montana. This moderate-hard 9.4-mile out-and-back follows a scenic canyon past multiple waterfalls to beautiful alpine Hyalite Lake.
3 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Porcupine Creek Trail
8 mi2,000 ft gain
~19 mi from BozemanJune through October
Hike the Porcupine Creek Trail in Gallatin National Forest, Montana. This moderate-hard 8.0-mile out-and-back follows a remote creek drainage with mountain views and wildlife.
3 min read
strenuousloop
Spanish Peaks Wilderness Loop
18 mi4,000 ft gain
~28 mi from BozemanJuly through September
Backpack the Spanish Peaks Wilderness Loop in Gallatin National Forest, Montana. This strenuous 18-mile loop traverses the Spanish Peaks Wilderness with summit views, wildflowers, and alpine meadows.
3 min read
strenuousout-and-back
Trident Peak Trail
11.2 mi3,200 ft gain
~30 mi from BozemanJuly through September
Climb Trident Peak in Gallatin National Forest, Montana. This strenuous 11.2-mile out-and-back gains 3,200 feet to a dramatic rocky summit with panoramic views of the Gallatin Range.
3 min read
strenuousout-and-back
Livingston Peak Trail
13 mi4,600 ft gain
~37 mi from BozemanJuly through September
Climb Livingston Peak in Gallatin National Forest, Montana. This strenuous 13.0-mile out-and-back is one of the most challenging summit hikes in the Absaroka Range with glacier views.
3 min read
strenuousout-and-back
Crazy Mountains Trail
8 mi3,000 ft gain
~42 mi from BozemanJuly through September
A strenuous 8-mile out-and-back into the isolated Crazy Mountains of south-central Montana, climbing 3,000 feet through subalpine forest to open ridgelines with sweeping plains views.
4 min read
strenuousout-and-back
Lake Plateau Trail
12 mi2,400 ft gain
~53 mi from BozemanJuly through September
Hike to the Lake Plateau in Gallatin National Forest, Montana. This strenuous 12-mile out-and-back climbs into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness to a plateau studded with alpine lakes and wildflowers.
3 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Boulder Lake Trail
9 mi2,000 ft gain
~55 mi from BozemanJuly through September
A 9-mile out-and-back to Boulder Lake in the Big Belt Mountains of Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, gaining 2,000 feet through dense forest to a scenic alpine lake in the forest's most dramatic mountain terrain.
3 min read
easyout-and-back
Slough Creek Trail
4 mi300 ft gain
~55 mi from BozemanMay through October
An easy 4-mile out-and-back along Slough Creek in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, offering peaceful riverside walking and access to one of the most prolific fly fishing streams in the greater Yellowstone area.
4 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Hellroaring Plateau Trail
10 mi2,000 ft gain
~56 mi from BozemanJuly through September
A 10-mile out-and-back to the Hellroaring Plateau in the Absaroka Range of Custer Gallatin National Forest, climbing 2,000 feet through dense timber to open high-country terrain near Yellowstone's northern border.
4 min read
moderateout-and-back
Crow Creek Trail
8 mi1,200 ft gain
~59 mi from BozemanJune through October
An 8-mile out-and-back along Crow Creek through the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, gaining 1,200 feet through a forested drainage in the Big Belt Mountains east of Helena with good fishing and wildlife viewing.
3 min read
easyout-and-back
Stillwater River Trail
6 mi400 ft gain
~62 mi from BozemanMay through October
A gentle 6-mile out-and-back along the Stillwater River in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, offering easy riverside hiking through cottonwood and pine forest with world-class fly fishing access.
4 min read
strenuousout-and-back
Lake Plateau via Fishtail Creek
12 mi2,400 ft gain
~63 mi from BozemanJuly through September
A strenuous 12-mile out-and-back into the remote Lake Plateau of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, reaching a high-country basin filled with interconnected alpine lakes above 10,000 feet.
4 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Mystic Lake Trail
11 mi1,700 ft gain
~69 mi from BozemanJuly through September
An 11-mile out-and-back to Mystic Lake in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, gaining 1,700 feet through forested canyon to reach a large alpine lake at the base of the Beartooth escarpment.
4 min read
strenuousout-and-back
Granite Peak Summit Approach
22 mi7,000 ft gain
~70 mi from BozemanJuly through September
The standard two-day approach to Granite Peak, Montana's highest summit at 12,799 feet, via Mystic Lake and Froze-to-Death Plateau in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.
5 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Mystic Lake Trail
6.2 mi1,200 ft gain
~71 mi from BozemanJune through October
Hike to Mystic Lake in Gallatin National Forest, Montana. This moderate-hard 6.2-mile out-and-back climbs above the Stillwater River valley to a scenic mountain lake with views.
3 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Meagher Ridge Trail
6 mi1,400 ft gain
~76 mi from BozemanJune through October
Climb Meagher Ridge in Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. This moderate-hard 6-mile out-and-back gains 1,400 feet through the Little Belt Mountains with ridge views and wildflower meadows.
3 min read
moderatepoint-to-point
Beartooth Highline Trail
12 mi1,800 ft gain
~80 mi from BozemanJuly through September
A 12-mile point-to-point traverse on the Wyoming side of the Beartooth Plateau in Shoshone National Forest, traveling above 9,000 feet through open alpine terrain with panoramic views and requiring a vehicle shuttle.
4 min read
easy-moderateout-and-back
Comanche Creek Trail
5 mi700 ft gain
~81 mi from BozemanMay through October
A gentle 5-mile out-and-back along Comanche Creek in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, gaining 700 feet through a quiet forested drainage accessible from Helena for half-day outings.
3 min read
easyout-and-back
Upper Mesa Falls Scenic Trail
1.5 mi200 ft gain
~83 mi from BozemanMay through October
Upper Mesa Falls Scenic Trail is a 1.5-mile round-trip walk to a viewpoint above a 114-foot waterfall on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River, one of Idaho's most accessible natural spectacles.
4 min read
easy-moderateout-and-back
Strickland Gulch Trail
4 mi800 ft gain
~83 mi from BozemanMay through October
A short 4-mile out-and-back through Strickland Gulch in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, gaining 800 feet through a forested drainage to an elevated viewpoint above the Helena Valley.
3 min read
moderate-hardout-and-back
Tenderfoot Creek Trail
7.6 mi1,600 ft gain
~85 mi from BozemanMay through October
Hike the Tenderfoot Creek Trail in Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. This moderate-hard 7.6-mile out-and-back follows a scenic creek with wildflowers and riparian wildlife.
3 min read
moderateloop
Beartooth Lake Loop
8 mi1,200 ft gain
~85 mi from BozemanJuly through September
An 8-mile loop around Beartooth Lake on the high plateau of Custer Gallatin National Forest, featuring sweeping alpine scenery, wildflower meadows, and access to the Beartooth Plateau above 9,000 feet.
4 min read
easyout-and-back
Smith River Access Trail
3.5 mi400 ft gain
~86 mi from BozemanApril through October
Walk the Smith River Access Trail in Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. This easy 3.5-mile out-and-back gains just 400 feet along the scenic Smith River corridor with excellent wildlife habitat.
3 min read