If you've already worked your way through the Montana day-hike checklist, this is the list for what comes next. We ranked the state's hardest trails using a composite of difficulty tag (hard or expert), distance, and elevation gain, drawing from the 6,169 mapped Montana trails in our database. These ten routes are reserved for hikers with the gear, the navigation skills, and the honesty about their own limits to tackle them safely.
Montana ranges from the Northern Rockies' glacier-carved peaks (Glacier NP, Bob Marshall Wilderness) to the rolling Great Plains east of the divide. The Continental Divide Trail in Montana, the Bob Marshall South Fork traverse, and the Beartooth Plateau crossing are the state's elite tests. Grizzly bears (carry spray, know how to use it), unbridged stream crossings, and lightning on exposed ridges are the recurring concerns.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 6,169 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Montana — but the data has limits worth being honest about. A composite score weights expert and hard difficulty tags alongside total mileage and elevation gain. The result favors long, vertically aggressive routes with documented technical sections — there are surely tougher off-trail objectives in the state, but those are outside the scope of a trail directory.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. 23 Mile Trail
23 Mile Trail sits near Elk City in Idaho County and is rated expert — our pick for the toughest trail on the list. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the 23 Mile Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. 62
62 sits near Sula in Beaverhead County and is rated expert — the #2 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the 62 trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Bull Elk Ridge Trail
Bull Elk Ridge Trail sits near Grangeville in Idaho County and is rated expert — the #3 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bull Elk Ridge Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Crow Mountain Waytrail
Crow Mountain Waytrail sits near Gardiner in Park County and is rated expert — the #4 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only grade. Compared to similar trails in Montana, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Crow Mountain Waytrail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Dog Point Trail
Dog Point Trail sits near Elk City in Idaho County and is rated expert — the #5 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Dog Point Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Goat Mountain Trail
Goat Mountain Trail sits near Elk City in Idaho County and is rated expert — the #6 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Goat Mountain Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Grinnell Trailhead Trail
Grinnell Trailhead Trail sits near Wapiti in Park County and is rated expert — the #7 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Grinnell Trailhead Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Grouse Lake Point Trail
Grouse Lake Point Trail sits near Pinesdale in Idaho County and is rated expert — the #8 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged expert in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Grouse Lake Point Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Halfway Creek Trail
Halfway Creek Trail sits near Elk City in Idaho County and is rated expert — the #9 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only grade. Compared to similar trails in Montana, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Halfway Creek Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Horseshoe Mountain Trail
Horseshoe Mountain Trail sits near Gardiner in Park County and is rated expert — the #10 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Horseshoe Mountain Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Montana trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Montana. Late June through mid-September is the high-country window; afternoon thunderstorms and grizzly activity are routine. Grizzly bears (carry spray, know how to use it), unbridged stream crossings, and lightning on exposed ridges are the recurring concerns.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More Montana hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Montana coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Montana — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in Montana — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in Montana — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Best national parks in Montana — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in Montana — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in Montana — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in Montana — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in Montana last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
