These 8 Backpacking Trips in Montana Will Prepare You for Anything

If you can handle these, you can handle pretty much any trip into the backcountry.

By: The Outbound Collective + Save to a List

Montana is one of those places that still feels truly wild. Home to some of the most stunning landscapes in the world, it’s not exactly a beginner’s backcountry. The rugged alpine terrain, the bears, and the icy glacial fed waters sure are nice to look at, but require experience and grit to navigate safely. With well over 20 miles and thousands of feet of elevation gain for most of these adventures, it’s no wonder “grueling,” “epic,” and “challenging” are some of the common words used to describe them. If you can handle these, you can handle pretty much any trip into the backcountry.

1. Backpack Glacier’s North Circle Route (North East Section)


Photo: Adrien Patane

2. Backpack Granite Peak


Photo: Karissa Frye

3. Backpack the Triple Divide Pass Trail to Red Eagle Lake


Photo: Hunter Day

4. Backpack the Beartooths


Photo: Seth Langbauer

5. Backpack from Glacier NP to Waterton Lakes NP


Photo: Kathleen Morton

6. Backpack to Waterton Lake


Photo: Sam Patterson

7. Backpack the Beartooths via the Rosebud Trail


Photo: Derek Tice

8. Backpack the Continental Divide Trail in Glacier NP


Photo: Rob Witt

Cover photo: Adrien Patane

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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