Make your way to Red Lodge, Montana. At 4pm, a day prior to getting on the trail, we’ll meet together and have a mandatory gear check. That way, we can ensure that everybody’s ready to head to the wilderness safely! Please remember to arrange your own accommodations for the night.
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If 3 days in the pristine wilderness of Montana’s Beartooth Mountains isn’t enough, consider extending your journey to 5 days! Beginners with great fitness are encouraged to join, as your guide provides you with expert leadership, meals, cooking equipment, and can equip you with tents and sleeping bags. You will learn important outdoor skills (such as Leave No Trace as well as local geology and history) and maybe even spot wildlife! If getting off-the-grid has been in the back of your mind for a while now, consider this your sign! Ready for a journey full of serenity and peacefulness of the great outdoors?
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*From the West Fork Stillwater trailhead (at 6,600 ft / 2,010 m) to Breakneck Meadows. 8 miles with 1000 ft of elevation gain. We will hike along the West fork of the Stillwater river, a drainage of the Beartooth mountains. Camp will be at Breakneck Meadows.
*Please note that an 80-minute personal shuttle drive is required. In the past, participants have shared car rides with each other and guides. Local shuttle services are available.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 8 miles / 13 km
Elevation gain: 1,000 ft / 300 m
Accommodation: Tents, camping -
Today, we will hike to the highest point of the trip at 9,600 ft (2,925 m), and the environment will change from a more high forestry one to a more alpine one. We’ll set up our camp by Diaphanous Lake.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 7 miles / 11 km
Elevation gain: 3,000 ft / 900 m
Accommodation: Tents, camping -
Passing Jordan Mountain and Wounded Man Lake on our way, this day allows for some rest after the first two bigger days. We’ll camp by Lake Jordan.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 5 miles / 8 km
Elevation gain: 1,000 ft / 300 m
Elevation loss: 1,400 ft / 425 m
Accommodation: Tents, camping
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We descend back into the impressive valley along the Stillwater river. The environment will become more forestry again. We’ll end our day at Storm Creek, which is where we’ll spend our final night.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Hiking: 7 miles / 11 km
Elevation loss: 2,500 ft / 760 m
Accommodation: Tents, camping -
Our last day is about 5 miles long and allows for the shuttling of cars and a meal in Red Lodge, Nye, or Roscoe! If you need recommendations on what to do in the area, just ask your guide!
Meals: Breakfast
Hiking: 5 miles / 8 km
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Included:
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- An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- 3 or 5-day Beartooth Mountains backpacking adventure
- Breakfasts and dinners
- Group and cooking equipment
- Tent rental — free of charge
Add-ons:
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- Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack — rental available ($15/item/day), but limited (let us know upon booking if interested)
Not included:
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- Transportation to and from the starting point
- Lunches
- Eating utensils
- Guide gratuities — optional
- Travel and medical insurance — optional
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This Beartooth Mountains backpacking adventure has two different itineraries, but in general, decent shape is certainly required. Below, you will find a breakdown of trails, their distances, and required fitness levels. For detailed day-by-day distances and elevation gains, head to the itineraries.
Timberline Lake Trail
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- This trip includes 3 days of hiking. It’s an 8-mile (13-km) in-and-out hike to Timberline Lake with about 2,000 ft of elevation gain.
- On Day 2, the group will attempt a summit of Silver Run Peak which is one of Montana’s highest mountains, standing at 12,500 ft (3,800 m). This is expected to be 8 miles round-trip (13 km), with 3,000 ft (915 m) of elevation gain.
- While no backpacking experience is required, great fitness, proper physical preparation, and the ability to cover these distances and elevation gains is.
Stillwater Loop Trail
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- This trip includes 5 days of hiking, during which you’ll cover 35 miles (56 km), gain 5,240 ft (1,560 ft) in elevation, and lose 6,500 ft (1,980 ft).
- While no backpacking experience is required, great fitness, proper physical preparation, and the ability to cover these distances and elevation gains is.
If you’d rather have a team of like-minded, adventurous women around you, consider joining the women-only version of backpacking in the Beartooth Mountains!
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Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
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- Backpack large enough to carry all the items listed (+55L) — rental available
- Hiking poles
- Sleeping bag and sleeping poles — rental available
- Tent — rental available
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
- Hiking boots or shoes
- Spare clothes for layering
- Waterproof rain jacket
- Comfortable outdoor clothing
- Sunhat
- Water filter
- Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Sunglasses
- Eating utensils
- Mosquito headnet
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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Indeed you can! You can rent a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and a backpack with your guides. You can register your interest upon checkout.
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Group sizes and pricing
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- For this Beartooth Mountains backpacking adventure, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 6:1.
- It takes a minimum of 4 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 6 participants.
Beartooth Mountains backpacking can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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To get to Red Lodge, Montana, the starting point of your Beartooth Mountains backpacking trip, it’s best to fly into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) or Billings Logan International Airport (BIL). It takes one to two hours to reach Red Lodge from these two airports by car. There’s also the option of flying into Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), from which there’s a 5-hour drive to Red Lodge.
Regardless of the itinerary you choose, you will meet your guide a day prior to Day 1 of the trip in Red Lodge. There will be a mandatory gear check at 4pm, ensuring that you’ve got everything necessary for the adventure ahead! Accommodation for that night is up to you to arrange.
Please note that on Day 1, an 80-minute personal shuttle drive is required. In the past, participants have shared car rides with each other and guides. Local shuttle services are available.
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We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
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