Beartooths: "The Beaten Path"

Date: Sept 3-6
Destination: Beartooth-Absoraka Wilderness
Details: Will be hiking "the Beaten Path" through the Beartooths. It is supposed to be one of the most scenic routes in this mountain range...and very popular. We will be backpacking 26 miles in 3 days (2 nights.) There are 14 lakes and several large waterfalls along the trail, so we should get some more amazing pictures. We will be pushing it to do this route in such a short time but should be worth it.

The Beartooth-Absoraka National Park has quickly become one of my most favorite places on the planet! (Just ask Loree...I can't get this place out of my head!!! Thx again babe for sending me off to my Montana Roots again this year!!!) It is very similar in scenery to Glacier National Park but with significantly less people. In-fact, on a 6 day backpacking trip there in 2007, my brother and I crossed paths with almost as many mountain goats as we did hikers...(5 hikers and 4 mountain goats:) The "Beaten Path" route is much more common and popular but it is that way for a reason. Check out the map below...there are over 14 back country lakes with great fishing...several waterfalls and incredible scenery! Most of the guide books and trip reports I have read say that you should plan 5 days to a week to complete the trip...we have 3 days. There won't be a lot of time for exploring all the side trails and summits but should make for some good stories when we get back home :)



This video was taken at the top of the Beartooth Pass just out of the NE corner of yellowstone on-route to Red Lodge Montana. We were just there as part of the great Zito Road Trip 2009. Loree has done another incredible job of documenting Zito Life on her blog.

The following pictures are from our 2007 backpacking trip...to give an idea of what the Beartooths look like.