The drive into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is one of many layers. Like the layers of the range itself, you must first go through the first layer: in this case the grasslands and rolling hills of Interstate 90, then continue chipping your way up the foothills and hope you make the correct turn. Unraveling further, you pass through farmland where finally, you bounce down a dirt road dodging potholes and prairie dogs while beginning to see the landscape change from rolling hills to forested steep canyons and rushing creeks. Finally you reach your destination; a couple trailheads deep in the range and one heck of a view into the canyon where a creek and trail both wind their way through the landscape.

If this sounds like a strenuous project just for access to an even more remote trail system, don’t worry. There is another side to the range where you may choose to start from as well. On the north end of Yellowstone National Park, a stone’s throw from Cooke City. Here one of two access points involves a drive up and over Beartooth Pass, sitting at 11,000 feet, which may close randomly depending on the weather. Or the second, a slow wildlife and tourist caused Yellowstone traffic jam. Both serve as an interesting way start a hike in the incredible Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

The Beaten Path

Many trails penetrate what seems to be an impenetrable mountain range when viewed from afar. But within the heart of the range, the Beaten Path embodies an experience unlike its namesake. A 26-mile thru-hike, point-to-point trail that climbs its way up and over the Beartooth Mountains, smack dab in the middle of the range, then dropping down the other side and within walking distance from Yellowstone National Park. The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness covers nearly one million acres of granite and forest. Boasting numerous mountain peaks skyrocketing beyond 12,000 feet while also cradling Montana’s highest peak: Granite Peak at 12,799 feet. Hundreds of alpine lakes, thousands of creeks, numerous species of trees and plants, with the Beartooth Range having the largest unbroken area of land in the U.S. over 10,000 feet outside of Alaska.

The Beaten Path dissects it, following East Rosebud Creek, now recently declared Wild and Scenic, up and over the range via the East Rosebud Trail and down to Cooke City via the Clarks Fork Trail. You can start from either side, although many start on the south side, or the Clarks Fork drainage. The East Rosebud Trail starts at an elevation of 6,280 feet, and the trail reaches a height of 9,967 feet. Since the elevation of the Clarks Fork side is around 8,000 feet, the theory of starting on the Clarks Fork side is that you climb less, which may be true. But the Clarks Fork is forested at the start. Whereas the East Rosebud side bursts into granite, views, and water almost immediately.

From the drive in to the first step after throwing my pack on and making sure my bear spray was within reach, the wilderness stands tall and makes you feel small. With every step after, the humbling presence and scale of the peaks surrounding you is almost like the film Lord of the Rings. With each step come the rewards of scenic views set among wildflowers, water, and granite. Not once in my memory does the trail mellow or flatten until the top, but each climb is bearable in that with every switchback, tree to lean on, or large boulder to sit on for a break, the trail offers scenic views from where you came, while pushing you further towards you goal or in this case, the beautiful Beartooth Plateau.

The trail passes several lakes, then climbs and meanders with the ebb and flow of East Rosebud Creek, which cascades downward from every larger lake above, hinting at another climb. But atop each climb a waterfall seems to beckon, one ever more stunning than the next. Tree line begins to fade and the breath gets shorter. Altitude is calling and the granite continues skyward. It isn’t abrupt but once the wildflowers start to dominate the landscape much like the patches of forest between the lakes you’ve already passed, the pass is ever closer. The trail meanders beyond the last lake in mixed forest and granite and becomes a winding staircase lined with purples, reds, and yellows. Each step is huffed and puffed with difficulty, however the wildflowers seem to help aid in cheering you to the top. The views remind one of the path taken to get there, while the spires of granite shooting upward, much like the spines on the back of an ancient dinosaur show the impenetrable dominance of the range.

As you’ve now reached the top, the rest of the trail is now downhill. And what a splendid downhill it is. A gradual and soft hike in route to Cooke City now on the Clarks Fork Trail following a creek flowing down from another off trail lake, blanketed with wildflowers even more spectacular than that of the north side of the range.

The open space, grasses, and wildflowers of altitude now fade slowly to forested terrain as you pass another 2 lakes. Dropping down further through more forest and old burned areas, the highway and picnic area come faster than anticipated. The trail is little more than a marathon, dissecting one of the largest wilderness areas in the lower 48 states. Some want to backpack it and take days on end to soak it all in, while others also challenge themselves and hike or run it all in a day to push their personal limits. I chose to take a week and go there and back.

However upon completion I pondered the reasoning behind the name of the trail and wondered what or if there was a metaphor involved around it. I had just stumbled, hiked, fished, camped, huffed, and puffed my way along Montana’s greatest footpath, the Beaten Path. A marathon in length, in one of the largest wilderness areas in the country. Deciding also to hike back the very way I came: the only metaphor I could think of was that I didn’t want to get off the beaten path.

Need to Know

Information

The Beaten Path is a 26 mile thru-hike, out and back, or point to point trail in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness in South Central Montana. Flirting with the Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park borders, it is a hot bed for habitat, wildlife, solitude, and adventure. The trail reaches a height of 9,967 feet and its lowest point is at 6,280 feet. There are two access points to enter the Beaten Path. One is on the south side of the range at the Clarks Fork trailhead a couple miles east of the city of Cooke City. The other is on the north side of the range past the town of Roscoe in the small area of Alpine where the East Rosebud Trail begins. The side you choose is up to you, however both access pints can be a challenge to get to as well as return.

Best Time to Go

Though recreation in the state of Montana is a year round adventure, the preferred time to attack this trail is in the summer. For the most enjoyable time spent in the wilderness soaking up sun, casting out to trout, and avoiding most chances of unpredictable snow, mid-July, August and early September are the best windows of hiking. Snow can fall any time of year, however historically, these times of the year are the best for experiencing everything mentioned above without having to consider packing winter or shoulder season gear.

Getting There

I myself decided to hike the trail both ways, heading back up and over the very trail which I came. But being a thru-hike, your car won’t magically appear on the other side of the range for you to throw your pack in and head home. Many people do what is known as a key swap. Before the hike, you arrange to exchange keys mid-trail with others starting on the opposite side so you can can meet somewhere in the middle of the drive over and exchange vehicles. Another option is to pay someone to pick you up and drive you back up and over Beartooth Pass, which as mentioned earlier may close randomly due to weather, getting back to your car 3 hours later.

Maps and Books

There are numerous guidebooks and maps to choose from when deciding to plan a trip into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Beartooth Publishing offers their Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness map and National Geographic offers their Trails Illustrated Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness maps. Optionally you can utilize USGS topos along with these overview maps or on their own. For getting to and from the trailhead, an atlas like the Delorme Montana Atlas & Gazetteer can be useful.

For books, the guidebook Hiking the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is a great example that details hiking throughout the mountain range.

Editor's Note: This article by contributor Sean Jansen originally appeared in Issue 42 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.