FEATURED TRAIL
Triple Tree Trail
Description
Triple Tree Trail has it all—sunny hillsides, shady glens, wildflowers, towering trees, and a stunning view across the valley toward the Tobacco Root Mountains. At the start of the loop, going right offers a gentler climb, so it’s recommended to do the loop counterclockwise. The area abounds with deer, moose, and often bears, so stay alert and remember to carry bear spray.
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🟦 Moderate
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1 to 5.4 miles
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Natural surface singletrack
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Walking, hiking, trail running, mountain biking
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Year-round (Note: The trail can be icy in the winter, micro spikes are recommended for traction)
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Please use the parking lot off of Sourdough Road.
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Allowed on-leash
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There are two benches at the top that overlook the valley. The trail crosses Limestone Creek twice, offering drinking water for dogs.
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Triple Tree Trail is a natural surface trail with tight turns and steep grades. The gravel parking lot does not have dedicated accessible parking spots.
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Call GVLT about maintenance issues at 406-587-8404.
Trail History
The Triple Tree Trail has long been a local favorite. Hikers, bikers, and skiers loved the breathless ascent to the breathtaking view, but the steep trail was dangerous and difficult to maintain. Even worse, the route climbed across state land without proper permissions.
To guarantee future public access, GVLT led negotiations with the State of Montana, Gallatin County, and the Triple Tree Ranch Owners’ Association. The result: the state granted a permanent easement to the County, which contracted with us to oversee and maintain the trail. We then raised public and private funding to make Triple Tree Trail even better. The trail was re-routed to improve accessibility, safety, and sightlines, and carefully rebuilt to reduce the need for ongoing maintenance. With help from Montana Conservation Corps and the cooperation of the Owner’s Association, we added an additional 1.5 miles of trail and expanded parking at the designated Sourdough Road trailhead.