Forget Crowded Glacier National Park, This Giant, Underrated Montana Wilderness Is Full Of Breathtaking Trails

Glacier National Park in Montana is so beautiful that it's known as the "Crown of the Continent." But its mind-boggling scenery is no secret. These days, around 3 million people visit the park every year (via Statista), and the national park's website even has an entire page devoted to "Tips for Dealing with Crowds" while touring Glacier's most popular locations. So if noisy traffic jams and tourist-packed visitor centers aren't your idea of serene nature, you might want to head somewhere else — like Montana's lesser-known Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, which is referred to simply as the AB.  

Spread across 937,000 acres in southern Montana and northern Wyoming, the AB includes parts of two ranges of the Rocky Mountains: the forested Absaroka Range and the higher, glacier-strewn Beartooth Range. Jutting up from the latter is Granite Peak, Montana's tallest mountain at 12,799 feet, and the towering Beartooth spire, after which the range is named. Scattered among these mountains are nearly 1,000 alpine lakes, churning waterfalls, dramatic gorges, and desolate plateaus, ancient glaciers, including Grashopper Glacier, a bizarre natural wonder preserving extinct locusts. 

Around 700 miles of hiking trails weave through all this majesty, making the AB an ideal destination for those seeking a true nature escape, away from the cacophony of Glacier and its nearby cousin, Yellowstone National Park. But hikers who dare to brave the AB should be prepared for rugged terrain, ever-changing weather conditions, and the possibility of encountering a few furry friends. While the roadless stretches of this wilderness may lack many humans, they're no stranger to bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, moose, black bears, wolves, and grizzly bears.

For those willing to face the extremes of this wilderness head-on, the crème de la crème of Absaroka-Beartooth trails may be what's known as the Beaten Path. This rugged and challenging 26-mile trail travels between the East Rosebud Trailhead (14 miles from Roscoe, Montana) and the Clark Fork Trailhead (4 miles from Cooke City, Montana), reaching an elevation of almost 10,000 feet and offering spectacular vistas, passing rushing streams, cerulean alpine lakes, and wildflower-filled meadows along the way. 

Hikers and backpackers can elect to do shorter out-and-back segments of the Beaten Path or complete the whole route over a few days. An AllTrails reviewer praises the backpacking route, saying, "Went a leisurely pace for a relaxing time away in nature, only going about 7-11 miles per day ... Great little campsites at the lakes weren't crowded, and AMAZINGGGG views the whole way." Reviewers warn that the mosquitoes can be fierce along this trail during summer, and some stream crossings can be deep, depending on the weather and time of year.

If you're looking for shorter trails, the AB can deliver on that front, too. A smattering of routes is located near Livingston, Montana, which sits on the northwestern edge of the AB. These include the family-friendly 3-mile Pine Creek Falls hike to a lovely cascade and the more strenuous 10-mile hike up to Pine Creek Lake, which requires around 3,600 feet of elevation gain. A loop option near Livingston is the moderate 6-mile Suce Creek Trail to the Suce Creek West Trail, which winds through forest and wildflower-speckled meadows, with opportunities to spot wildlife like bear and elk.

Given its proximity to great hiking trails, an excellent home base for Absaroka-Beartooth adventures would be Livingston, Montana, an eclectic and artsy town of just under 10,000 people. This town is almost a six-hour drive from the crowds at Glacier National Park, but it is conveniently located only 35 minutes from the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport if you are flying in from elsewhere.

For a small town, the easygoing but sophisticated Livingston boasts a wide range of dining and drinking options, from American, international, and casual eateries to fine dining and everything in between. You can also find sporting goods stores like Dan Bailey's, where you can stock up on backpacking and camping gear, technical clothing, outerwear, and whatever else you need for your adventures.

When it's time to rest your head, Livingston has a variety of options, like the historic Murray Hotel right downtown, which even has a rooftop patio. The Yellowstone's Edge RV Park is a highly-rated option south of town, while those without a camper or a tent can sleep under the stars at Under Canvas North Yellowstone, a glamping resort near the RV park. Both these campgrounds sit beside the scenic Yellowstone River, allowing easy access for fly fishing and other water sports. Finally, if Livingston doesn't suit your fancy, plenty of other Montana towns around the periphery of the AB offer adequate amenities and can serve as decent base camps. For example, consider Red Lodge and Absarokee on the eastern side, Big Timber in the north, and Gardiner on the southwest edge.