Pets allowed
Allowed
Elevation Gain
700.00 ft (213.36 m)
Trail type
Loop
Distance
2.40 mi (3.86 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Across the road from Bozeman’s famous “M” lies the popular Drinking Horse Trail. The idea for this trail was first conceived after a 40-acre land donation to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2001. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service then partnered with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust to establish a trail to the top of Drinking Horse Mountain.

The trail winds south from the trailhead into a rich riparian habitat. Cross Bridger Creek on the locally designed (and funded) Kevin Mundy Memorial Bridge. At the trail junction, choose the easy or hard way up; either route has a beautiful view of the Gallatin Valley below. Come to a wide open meadow at the top of Drinking Horse Mountain and enjoy the 360-degree views! On a clear day, see the Gallatin Range and its stunning Spanish Peaks and the Tobacco Root Mountains in the distance.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Easy climb with great views.

Cons

Very popular.

Trailhead Elevation

4,907.00 ft (1,495.65 m)

Features

Bird watching
Wildlife
Big vistas
Wildflowers

Location

Nearby Adventures

Bridger + Crazy Horse Mountains, Montana
Big Sky + Gallatin River Valley, Montana
Big Sky + Gallatin River Valley, Montana

Comments

10/20/2018
Great fall weather in the Valley this weekend.
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