Gallatin National Forest

Photo Essay: Hiking the Andes with Mountain Lodges of Peru

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EAST BOULDER RIVER/ ELK CREEK DRAINAGE

1. DRY FORK, #13 - Good condition/Moderate difficulty/Medium use; primarily during hurting season. Begins near the end of the East Boulder Rd. and parallels the Dry Fork to Squaw Pass (seven miles). The first four miles of trail follow a dirt road and traverse some private land. Nice view from the Pass.
   
   
2. GREEN MOUNTAIN #94 - Good condition/Moderate difficulty/Medium use. Accesses Green Mountain from the East Boulder drainage beginning near the East Boulder campground. No legal access to the trail from the Main Boulder, but may be reached by traveling cross country, staying on National Forest land, from Natural Bridge and Fans (four miles).
   
   
3. LODGEPOLE, # 124 - Fair condition/Moderate difficulty/Medium use. Trail begins at the end of Elk Creek Rd. and travels to Lodgepole Creek Divide and Custer National Forest (8 miles). Provides access to all trails in the Deer Creeks: West Fork Upper Deer Creek Trail #108, Middle Fork Upper Deer Creek Trail #112 and Lower Deer Creek Trail #5.

MAIN BOULDER DRAINAGE

1. GROUSE CREEK, #14 - Good condition/Moderate difficulty/Medium use. Begins at the Main Boulder Work Center and travels over pastoral Burris Flat to West Boulder Campground (seven miles). Across the Divide the trail traverses private land and follows dirt roads. It is difficult to follow across Burris Fix. Nice views of Mt. Rae.
   
   
2. COPPER CREEK, # 15 - Good condition/Moderate difficulty/Medium use/Wilderness, Food Storage Order. Begins 3 miles south of Box Canyon off the Independence Rd. Trail is an old sheep driveway that follows Copper Creek to the junction of Sheep Creek Trail #127, just below Hellroaring Divide (4 miles).
   
   
3. GREAT FALLS CREEK, #18 - Fair condition, narrow and rocky in spots, a late season trail due to lingering snow conditions/Moderate difficulty/Medium use/Wilderness. Starting just below 2-Mile Bridge on the west side of the Main Boulder Rd., the trail ascends a number of switchbacks to the scenic West Boulder Plateau. From the Plateau the trail drops down Falls Creek, to the West Boulder (14 miles). Trail has an elevation range of 5,000'.
   
   
4. FALLS CREEK, #19 - Fair condition, very steep, not routinely maintained, numerous blowdown/Strenuous difficulty/Low use/Wilderness. Starts just north of Falls Creek Campground on the Main Boulder Rd. and dead-ends approximately 2/3 up the drainage near some old mining activity (4.5 miles). Trailhead is difficult to locate.
   
   
5. SPECULATOR, #21 - Poor condition, not routinely maintained and very boggy/Moderate difficulty/Low use/Wilderness. Begins near Speculator Creek on the west side of Main Boulder Rd. and travels to Great Falls Creek Trail #18 in Falls Creek drainage (10 miles). Not recommended for pack and saddle stock due to numerous deep bogs. Difficult to follow in spots.