Montana Route Description

The route starts from the South Fork of the Sun Trailhead (5300 ft) at the end of the Benchmark Road (Forest Service Road 235), 32 miles west of the town of Augusta, Montana.  From the South Fork Sun River trailhead, hike Trail #202 south to the Hoadley Creek Trail #226 junction and follow southwest for several miles up the Hoadley Creek drainage.  Turn right at the Grizzly Basin #225 trail junction and follow as the trail begins to climb steadily through sub-alpine forest.  After several miles, the trail enters Grizzly Basin, a beautiful area of rolling, alpine meadows.  The trail disappears for a bit in the lush greenery of the basin, but then reappears just before crossing the stream at the edge of the meadows.  From the basin, the trail climbs steeply to a pass (7820 ft) with excellent views of Grizzly Basin below, and north to Twin Peaks with its rocky strata tilted skyward.  From the pass, the trail descends steeply, crossing dry hillsides on its way to Ahorn Creek.  Eventually, the trail descends to the East Fork Ahorn Creek drainage and reaches the trail junction with Camp Creek Pass Trail #209.  Continue heading north and follow Ahorn Creek for several more miles until you cross the West Fork of the Sun River and hit the junction with Trail #203.  Take a left here and follow the trail past Indian Point Meadows and the Indian Point Guard Station.

Follow the W. Fork of the Sun Trail #203 north to the junction with Indian Creek/White River Pass Trail #271.  Ford the West Fork of the Sun River and follow this trail as it heads west and climbs toward White River Pass (7626 ft).  From up high on the pass, stunning vistas open up of the Flathead Alps and Haystack Mountain along the Chinese Wall. The trail becomes trail #138 after it crosses the Continental Divide at the pass, then descends moderately into the South Fork of the White River drainage.

Follow Trail #138 down the South Fork of the White River drainage passed the junction with Haystack Mountain Trail #626, to the junction of the White River Trail #112, just after the trail fords the South Fork of the White River.

Take a right and follow Trail #112 north as it traverses along the White River and ascends the White River Valley.  After several miles, the trail traverses next to an overlook of the scenic Needle Falls, which tumbles over 100 ft out of a natural bridge of bedrock on the side of a cliff.  North of the falls, several viewpoints of Turtlehead Mountain to the west appear before reaching the junction with the Helen Creek Trail #100.  Continue north into Brushy Park where views of Lone Butte appear to the north.  Several miles past Brushy Park, look for the junction with the Larch Hill Pass Trail #112, just before Juliet Creek.  Turn right on the Larch Hill Pass Trail #112 and follow as it starts climbing quickly up the Juliet Creek drainage.  The trail climbs to a ridgeline before reaching an unmarked junction with Trail #176, which runs to Spotted Bear Pass.  Take a left here and follow this spur trail around Larch Hill to its junction with trail #194 and My Lake.

From My Lake, take Trail #194 and follow it south to meet up with the Wall Trail #175 junction, just below Larch Hill Pass (7500 ft).  From this junction, follow the Wall Trail south as it traverses beneath the great limestone cliffs of the Chinese Wall.  The trail essentially traverses the bottom of the wall and weaves in and out of alpine meadows dotted with spruce and fir, making ideal habitat for elk and mule deer.  The trail along the wall crosses several drainage divides, which are the high points on this route.  The first of these is Rock Creek, then Salt Mountain and Cliff Mountain further south.  Just past the divide below Salt Mountain, the trail reaches a junction with Moose Creek #131.  Stay right and continue on Trail #175.  The drainage divide below Cliff Mountain is the highest (7600 ft) with Cliff Mountain itself rising another 1000 ft above.  The view from here seems limitless with the wall stretching far to the north and south and great views to the rugged massif of Prairie Reef to the east.  Eventually the trail heads eastward and becomes trail #203 (West Fork Sun River Trail) as it heads down Burnt Creek, and then south again in the headwaters of the West Fork of the Sun.  The trail continues south with several fords of the West Fork and side drainages before reaching Indian Point Meadows and the Indian Point Guard Station.

Stay on the West Fork of the Sun Trail #203 as it traverses the north side of the river through large meadows and begins to curve around and head in a more easterly direction. Great views of the river below and the rocky spine of Nineteen Ridge are glimpsed to the south from the trail.  Eventually the trail will hit a junction with the South Fork of the Sun Trail #202.  Take a right on #202, cross over a pack bridge and head south through spruce and lodgepole forests as the trail traverses the South Fork.  Near the trailhead, you will hit the junction of #202, where you originally headed south at the beginning of the hike.  Turn left, cross the pack bridge and head out to the South Fork of the Sun Trailhead and Benchmark.