| |
The Gallatin National Forest is a hiker's dream. There are 2,600
miles of hiking trails in the forest winding past aspen and pine,
babbling brooks, powerful rivers, tranquil meadows and imposing
alpine peaks.
Those planning hiking trips to the area may be simply overwhelmed.
There's so much to explore in Gallatin country due to the tremendous
size of the national forest(2.81 million acres). Compounding this
is the direct border with Yellowstone on the southern flank! The
wildlands ooze over and merge with Yellowstone and the Shoshone
National Forest creating an even bigger maze of hiking paradise.
One of the cool things about the Gallatin is the different mountain
ranges which give a different scenic flavor to their respective
geographical areas.
Gallatin Range: This area of high alpine meadows, tight
valleys and sharp peaks starts in northwest Yellowstone at Mt.
Holmes and continues north for 70 miles until the town of Bozeman.
To the east of the mountains lies the Paradise Valley. The Gallatin
river is the western border. The highest point of the range is
Electric Peak at 10,992 feet. While not in official wilderness,
the Gallatin Range does belong to the Gallatin Divide Roadless
Area, the Gallatin Fringe Roadless Area and the Hyalite Roadless
Area. This essentially creates a core roadless are of 202,000
acres. It's wonderful mountain country that anyone would enjoy.
For those interested in drive-in campgrounds near this range,
check out the Gallatin Canyon campgrounds on our camping page.
The Gallatin Range has few lakes compared to some of the other
mountain ranges on the Gallatin National Forest. Streams are plentiful
and so is the wildlife. This is grizzly country!
Madison Range: This mountain range is about 50 miles long,
from the Hebgen Lake area to just northeast of Ennis Lake. To
the west is the Madison Valley, to the east the Gallatin Canyon
country. The highest peak in the Madison range is 11,326 foot
Hilgard Peak. The Madison Range is very beautiful. Some would
say classic rocky mountain scenery. The Madison Range also makes
up part of the spectacular Lee Metcalf Wilderness. This wilderness
area is 254, 288 acres and comprised of four separate units, spread
from north to south along the range. These units are: Bear Trap
Canyon (the furthest north of the units and NE of the town of
Ennis on the Madison River),Taylor-Hilgard unit (biggest of the
units with several peaks over 11,000 feet), Spanish Peaks unit(lots
of lakes, very scenic and closer to Bozeman) and the Monument
Mountain Unit which borders Yellowstone and is home to wildlife
such as grizzly bears and wolves. If you like high mountain lakes,
focus on the Spanish Peaks unit and the Taylor-Hilgard unit. These
areas offer a very nice balance of high timber, tranquil lakes,
soft meadows and mountain peaks. Like the Gallatin Range, this
is also grizzly country.
The Madison Range from across the Madison Valley.
Bridger Range: This 32 mile long range starts just northeast
of Bozeman and runs north before ending at Blacktail Divide. The
highest peak in the range is 9,665 foot Sacagawea peak. 45,502
acre Bridger Roadless Area is the heart of the Bridger Range.
This is a very popular mountain area due to the close proximity
with Bozeman. Day users and those looking for a quick drive into
the mountains love this spot. This range is drier than the rest
of the Gallatin ranges and there are few lakes. Fairly Lake is
one of the few exceptions. The Bridgers do not have grizzly bears.
The Beartooth Range: Other than Glacier National Park,
these are some of the most spectacular mountains in Montana. They
are also the highest. The state's high point is 12,799 foot Granite
Peak. Granite Peak is considered one of the hardest "state
high point summits" in the lower 48, if not the hardest.
Visitors driving west from Billings are greeted by the first sign
of the rocky mountains by the absolutely massive wall that make
up the eastern edge of the Beartooths. These mountains are a sight
for sore eyes coming from the dull scenery of the midwest, welcoming
the weary traveler to the awesome power of the Rockies.. The Beartooths
are also home to the absolutely fantastic Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.
This giant wilderness area is 920,343 acres and surrounded by
many thousands of acres of unprotected roadless national forest
land. The area is know for a massive endless granite plateau at
9,000 to 11,000 feet filled with hundreds up hundreds of lakes,
connecting streams and waterfalls. The feel of the area is "otherworldly".
If your hiking goal is to experience a large number of lakes at
high altitude in a rocky, rugged environment, this is your place.
Travelers from all over the world consider the Beartooths a premiere
destination.
The Beartooths stretch east to west from Red Lodge Montana, south
to Cooke City Montana, and north to the national forest border
near Big Timber, Montana. Much of the Beartooth range is outside
of the Gallatin National Forest in the Custer National Forest,
which border each other. However, a large portion of the Beartooths
are contained inside the Gallatin north and east of Cooke City.
This is largely the Beartooth Plateau area.
The Beartooths are known for long, lengthy backpacking trips,
off trail travel, crazy mosquitos in the summer and nasty summer
storms. It can snow at any time, so be prepared with the proper
clothing. There are over 300 waterfalls in this mountain range
for those who enjoy them. While this is grizzly country, the high
plateau areas are not the best for large wildlife. One should
still prepare that way though just in case.
Absaroka Range: Not to be outdone, the Absaroka Range forms
the western half of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in the Gallatin
National Forest.. These mountains are very rugged, with quite
a different look compared to the Beartooths with lots of volcanic
rock. The Absaroka mountains stretch 150 miles from Dubois Wyoming
northwest to Livingston Peak near Livingston Montana! Along the
way they form the eastern border of Yellowstone National Park.
The Wyoming portion of the mountains tend to be more dramatic
although the portion in Montana is still very striking. The highest
mountain in the range is 13,153 foot Francs Peak. The Absaroka
range also lies inside the North Absaroka Wilderness(350,488 acres),
the Teton Wilderness(585,238 acres)and the Washakie Wilderness(704,274
acres), all in Wyoming. This is an incredibly wild range, comprising
what is most likely the wildest area in the lower 48. Many from
around the world travel to enjoy the beautiful landscapes found
here. One can expect numerous high mountain lakes, endless miles
of rivers and streams, countless meadows, high timber and dramatic
peaks. It's basically a hikers paradise, both inside the Gallatin
National Forest portion and outside of it in Wyoming.
The range from Livingston southeast to the Cooke City area is
teeming with wildlife, more so than the Beartooth plateau. This
is a good area for those interested in wildlife watching while
hiking. It can be said that the Absaroka Range is the lifeblood
of this area. It is most definitely grizzly country.
The Absaroka Range near Yellowstone.
The Crazy Mountains: Last but not least are the Crazy Mountains,
stretching 40 miles from just northwest of Big Timber to Lennep,
Montana. This distinguished range rises 7,000 feet of the plains
on it's eastern flank! The Yellowstone River flows just to the
south, forming a very impressive vista. I would definitely say
that the Crazy Mountains are one of the more dramatic ranges in
the state of Montana. The highest mountain is Crazy Peak at 11,214
feet. Heading west from Billings, The Crazy Mountains are the
second range you see after the mighty Beartooths. Both offer great
views from interstate 90, although the views obviously get much
better as you approach them even closer.
What I like about the Crazy Mountains is that they are their own
self contained ecosystem. They truly are an island range out on
the plains and you can pick up on that feeling when you enter
them -a strong mix of prairie air yet alpine splendor. This range
is also more dry than the other ranges in the Gallatin National
Forest. In fact, I would say considerably more so as year round
streams are few and far between compared to the Beartooths and
Absarokas. However, there is a very scenic set of lakes in the
southern half of the range (Granite Peak area) that can stand
with the best of them. Being cut off from the rest of the Gallatin
National Forest means the Crazy Mountains are not grizzly bear
country, but they do contain other wildlife you may find in the
Gallatin National Forest such as mountain goats, elk, mountain
lions and black bear. The range is also home to the rare wolverine.
Looking up at the Crazy Mountains from afar and being in them
makes you wonder just how this "little" island range
came to be, standing all on its own, sticking out above the valley,
surrounded by sagebrush flats filled with mule deer, elk, grouse
and turkey. The Crazy Mountains often get passed up by those heading
to Yellowstone, the Beartooths or Glacier. However, once one has
camped a night in their beauty, you realize they are a true destination
unto themselves and offer a unique experience that contrasts with
the rest of the Gallatin National Forest.
The Crazy Mountains from the eastern front.
The Gallatin National Forest is a wonderful place to hike as you
can see. You will be hard pressed to find a national forest that
offers this much hiking variety while maintaining as much wildness
and an intact wildlife array in the lower 48. Consult your Gallatin
National Forest map (both the east and west versions) and your
local office for a list of trails. You can view some of the trails
via PDF at these links:
Bozeman
Ranger District Hiking Trails
Southern
Crazy Mountain Hiking Trails
It's important to remember that you don't have to be a wilderness
hiker to enjoy hiking in the Gallatin. There are plenty of non-wilderness
trails and gentle forest roads from which you can enjoy the surroundings.
You can hike leisurely along rivers, along lakeshores and more
gentle forest paths at lower elevations.
Image note: Taken in the eastern half of the forest near Big Timber,
Montana. These steep, forested mountains with fin-like rock formations
always fascinate me. They just urge you to head off into the mountains
exploring and hiking. I've seen golden eagles soaring along these
slopes.
|
|
