West of Butte Trails
Trail | Map | GPS Route | Length | Difficulty Rating | Normally Free of Snow |
Bull Ranch (CDT) | Topo | 9K.tpo | 6 km or
9.3 km |
Moderate with standard USFS grades and good footing except for a few rough spots | Memorial Day through Columbus Day |
German Gulch | Topo | 15K.tpo | 15 km or
other |
Difficult with some steep climbs on good footing, with alternative routes. | 15 May through 1 December |
Stumptown Road west out of Anaconda | Topo | 6K.tpo | 6 km | Easy climb, mostly on dirt with areas of protection from wind. | All year. |
Lost Creek State Park | Topo | 19K.tpo | Up to 19 km | Moderate climb, on dirt with areas of protection from wind. Can be extended to Foster Creek trailhead with a shuttle. | 1 May to snow season. |
Warmsprings Pond | Topo | 16K.tpo | Up to 16 km | Easy loop (except on windy days) with only 50 meters elevation change. | All year. |
Opportunity to Deer Lodge | Topo | 34K.tpo | Up to 34 km | Easy point to point (good for windy days) with rolling hills and a net -0.3% grade when run S to N. | All year. |
Dry Cottonwood Canyon | Topo | 19K.tpo 19K.kmz |
19 km or other | Loop on moderate grade dirt road with a couple steep climbs. Parts muddy in wet conditions. | All year, but with possible drifted snow on uppermost section from December through March. |
Race Track Canyon Road | Topo | 20K.tpo | Up to 20 km | Moderate to difficult climb, on dirt. Parts muddy in wet conditions. | May to October, but with snow lingering much longer on the uppermost section. |
Bielenberg Canyon Road | Topo | 20K.tpo | Up to 36 km | Moderate to difficult climb, on dirt. Parts muddy in wet conditions. | May to October, but with snow lingering much longer on the uppermost section. |
Mount Powell Trail Head | Topo | 12K.tpo | 12 km | All up hill on moderate grade dirt road. Parts muddy in wet conditions. | May through November. All year up to tree line at 7 km. |
Boulder Road from Deer Lodge to Champion Pass (CDT x-ing) | Topo
(4.3MB) |
23K.tpo | Up to 23 km | All up hill on moderate grade. Paved for 2 km then dirt road for the rest. Gets muddy in wet conditions. | Memorial Day through Columbus Day. All year up to snowmobile parking area at 15 km. |
Old Stage Road from Deer Lodge to Gold Creek | Topo | 21K.tpo | Up to 21 km | Moderate point to point with rolling hills and a net downhill grade. | April through November. All year up to fork at 6 km. |
Spotted Dog Wilderness NE of Deer Lodge | Topo | 16K.tpo | 16 km or any distance | As hard as you like. | 1 May to snow season. |
Near Butte Trails
Trail | Map | GPS Route | Length | Difficulty Rating | Normally Free of Snow |
Continental Divide Trail (CDT) Pipestone Pass to Highlands | Topo | 19K.tpo | 19 km | Moderate with standard USFS grades, watch footing in small sections | Memorial Day through Columbus Day |
Continental Divide Trail (CDT) #87, Homestake to Pipestone Pass | Photo | 15K.tpo | 15 km | Moderate with standard USFS grades and good footing | Memorial Day through Columbus Day |
Blacktail Loop | Topo | 21K.tpo | 22.5 km |
Big climb, then come back down. |
Memorial Day through Columbus Day |
Continental Divide Trail (CDT), Homestake to Maude S Canyon Trail | Topo Photo |
20K.tpo | 20 km | Moderate with standard USFS grades and good footing on the CDT, but with a few short steeper pitches on the Maude S Trail. | Memorial Day through Columbus Day |
Maude S Canyon to Lady of the Rockies | Topo | 12K.tpo | 12 km one way | Big climb, then come back down. | Memorial Day through Columbus Day |
Lady of the Rockies Road | Topo | 9K.tpo | 9 km one way | Big climb, then come back down. | Memorial Day through Columbus Day |
Nez Perce Continental Divide Trail (CDT) #92 | Topo | 20K.tpo | 20 km | Moderate with standard USFS grades, watch footing on descent near bottom | Flag Day through Columbus Day, typically with patchy snow and some mud at higher elevations in mid June |
Montana Tech – Big Butte 11 K | Topo | 11K.tpo | 11 km | Starts with a big climb to the “M” but moderate and rolling thereafter. | All year but portions often ice-packed and rough during winter |
Montana Tech – Big Butte 5 K | Topo | 5K.tpo | 5 km | Moderate and rolling. | All year but portions often ice-packed and rough during winter |
Montana Tech – Frigid Digger 3 Mile | Topo | 3mile.tpo | ~5 km | Moderate and rolling. | All year but portions often ice-packed and rough during winter |
Montana Tech – Frigid Digger 7 Mile | Topo | 7mile.tpo | ~11 km | Moderate and rolling. | All year but portions often ice-packed and rough during winter |
Westside Rail Trail | Topo | 7K.tpo | 7 km one way | Standard railroad grade hill | All year but portions often ice-packed and rough during winter |
American Gulch to Champion Pass | Topo | 17K.tpo | 17 km | Moderate with 260 m net (600 m gross) altitude gain on road and trail | June through October, with snow and ice lingering in areas of northern exposure |
East of Butte Trails
Trail | Map | GPS Route | Length | Difficulty Rating | Normally Free of Snow |
Welch Quarry Loop | Topo | 13K.tpo | 13 km | Moderate with single and double track Some erosion causing tricky footing | May through October, with snow and ice lingering in areas of northern exposure |
Ringing Rocks Loop | Topo | 13K.tpo | 13 km or
more |
Moderate with single and double track and some tricky footing, esp with snow/ice. | Most of year except during winter storms |
Dirt Road From Pipestone to Whitehall | Topo | 19K.tpo | 12 km or
19 km |
12 km – Easy net downhill with good footing.
19 km – Adds some climbing. |
All year except during winter storms |
Pipestone to Toll Mountain | Topo | 21K.tpo | 21 km | 21 km – Difficult trail and dirt road with lots of hills. | May through October, with snow and ice lingering in areas of northern exposure |
Waterloo to Mill Canyon to Rock Creek Trail | Topo | 19K.tpo | 14 km or
19 km |
14 km – Flat then moderate climb on dirt road.
19 km – Adds difficult trail climb. |
Memorial Day through Columbus Day, with snow and ice lingering in high areas with northern exposure. |
Curly Creek Trail to Rock Creek Trail | Topo | 27K.tpo | 27 km | 27 km – Difficult trail with areas of rough footing and a “Braveheart” type mountain ascent/descent. | Officially opens 15 July and normally stays open through Labor Day, with snow lingering in high areas. |