The Absaroka Mountain Range fills the Big Sky horizon as horseman Farrell Lloyd and a friend make their way through the Montana backcountry, just outside of Livingston. The small town in the southwestern part of the state is home to nearly 10,000 people and an excellent staging area for some of the state’s best riding opportunities.
Best Treks
Livingston provides a perfect staging area for riders looking to explore the nearby Gallatin National Forest and Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness areas. Here, more than 2,600 miles of riding and hiking trails await visitors, including these top picks recommended by staffers from the Big Timber and Livingston Ranger Districts.
• West Boulder Trail (#41)
This hiking and equestrian trail takes riders 18 miles into the Montana backcountry, along the West Boulder River and into the Mill Creek area. The trail is gentle and easy for the first 12 miles, but gets progressively more primitive and steep as riders make their way into higher elevations. Regrowth is underway where a fire ravaged portions of the trail two years ago, so riders should be on the lookout for falling and unstable timber.
• East Fork of Mill Creek
Riders can explore a portion of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness on this 10-mile trail. Rated easy-to-moderate in difficulty, the path travels along the East Fork of Mill Creek, through flower-covered meadows and into thick forests. An abundance of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout makes fishing on this portion of the creek excellent.
Dispersed camping is allowed on both trails. Hay certified as weed- and seed-free is required, and riders are encouraged to use leave-no-trace camping principles when in the backcountry. A fishing permit is required if you plan to fish.
Best Riding Season
Take advantage of optimum trail and weather conditions from August through early September.
Flora & Fauna
Riders in the Gallatin National Forest backcountry can glimpse any of several species, including grizzly and black bears, whitetail and mule deer, elk, moose, wolves, river otters, beavers, eagles and hawks. Lodgepole pine, aspen, douglas fir, engleman spruce and white pine are just some of the many varieties of trees found here. They are joined by a host of mountain wildflowers, such as yellow bells, rooster tails, Indian paintbrush, wild geranium, glacier lilies and forget-me-nots.
Hazards
Riders are encouraged to carry bear-proof containers and bear spray.
Resources
• Gallatin National Forest
(406) 587-6701
www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/
• Big Timber District
(406) 932-5155
• Bozeman District
(406) 522-2520
• Livingston District
(406) 222-1892
Local Outfitters
• Bear Paw Outfitters
Livingston, Montana
(406) 222-6642
bearpawoutfittersmt.com
• Black Mountain Outfitters
Emigrant, Montana
(406) 222-7455
blackmountainoutfitters.com
• Black Otter Guide Service
Pray, Montana
(406) 333-4362
blackotterguideservice.com
• Cache Creek Outfitters
Big Sky, Montana
(406) 995-3888
cachecreekoutfitters.com
• Elkhorn Ranch
Gallatin Gateway, Montana
(406) 995-4291
elkhornranchmt.com
• Hell’s A-Roarin’ Outfitters
Gardiner
(406) 848-7578
hellsaroarinoutfitters.com
• Medicine Lake Outfitters
Bozeman
(406) 388-4938
packtrips.com
• Nine Quarter Circle Ranch
Gallatin Gateway
(406) 995-4276
ninequartercircle.com
• Sixty-Three Ranch
Livingston
(888) 395-5151
sixtythree.com
• Slough Creek Outfitters
Livingston
(406) 222-6642
sloughcreek.com
• Wilderness Pack Trips
Livingston
(406) 848-9953
wildernesspacktrips.com
Local Attractions
• Livingston Depot Center
Livingston
(406) 222-2300
livingstonmuseums.org/depot/
• International Fly Fishing Center
Livingston
(406) 222-9369
livingstonmuseums.org/fish/
• Yellowstone Gateway Museum
Livingston
(406) 222-4184
livingstonmuseums.org/pcm/
