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 6,170 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 6,170 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. State Line (Granite Peak)
State Line (Granite Peak) sits near Alberton in Mineral 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 State Line (Granite Peak) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. State Line (Granite Peak)
State Line (Granite Peak) sits near Alberton in Missoula 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 State Line (Granite Peak) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Valley Creek 1300 path
Valley Creek 1300 path sits near Frenchtown in Sanders County and is rated expert — the #3 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a expert-only grade. 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. 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 Valley Creek 1300 path trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Valley Creek 1300 section of heavey alder
Valley Creek 1300 section of heavey alder sits near Frenchtown in Sanders 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 Valley Creek 1300 section of heavey alder trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. cdt-2
cdt-2 sits near North Fork in Beaverhead County and is rated hard — the #5 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard 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 cdt-2 trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. cdt-2
cdt-2 sits near North Fork in Beaverhead County and is rated hard — the #6 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard 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 cdt-2 trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. CDT -a-XX Continental Divide Trail Misc Alernate Old Routes
CDT -a-XX Continental Divide Trail Misc Alernate Old Routes sits near Daniel in Sublette County and is rated hard — the #7 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard 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 CDT -a-XX Continental Divide Trail Misc Alernate Old Routes trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. CDT Access Trail Butte
CDT Access Trail Butte sits near Butte in Silver Bow County and is rated hard — the #8 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt surface on a genuinely demanding grade. 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. 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 CDT Access Trail Butte trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. cdt-alt Ley
cdt-alt Ley sits near Anaconda in Deer Lodge County and is rated hard — the #9 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect ground surface on a genuinely demanding 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 cdt-alt Ley trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. CDT fccCM - Chief Mountain Route to Canada
CDT fccCM - Chief Mountain Route to Canada sits near Babb in Glacier County and is rated hard — the #10 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard 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 CDT fccCM - Chief Mountain Route to Canada 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.
