Gallatin National Forest OHV Trails

The Gallatin Ranger District of the Custer Gallatin National Forest encompasses the OHV trail network in the Gallatin River country of Gallatin County south of Bozeman: the mountain terrain between the Gallatin Valley's agricultural floor and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to the south, with the Spanish Peaks, Gallatin Range, and Bridger Range defining the riding country that draws riders from Bozeman, the fastest-growing city in Montana. The Gallatin riding area is distinct from the Beartooth RD (Red Lodge/Carbon County) in the same national forest system: the Gallatin terrain is lower and more heavily forested, centered on the Gallatin River canyon corridor on US-191 between Bozeman and Big Sky, with designated OHV routes on forest roads and trails threading into the drainages feeding the Gallatin from east and west. The Big Sky resort community at the south end of the canyon provides lodging and services infrastructure for riders making the Gallatin a destination stay rather than a day trip from Bozeman. Terrain is mid-elevation Montana mountain character: lodgepole pine and Douglas fir dominating the canyon slopes, aspen groves in the side drainages, and the limestone and shale geology of the Gallatin Range producing the tighter canyon character that distinguishes this country from the open granite plateau riding of the Beartooths. The Gallatin Range shares its northern ridge with the Bridger Range that overlooks Bozeman directly, and the two ranges together define the Bozeman area's riding geography. ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes on designated routes; Montana OHV registration required. Bozeman Ranger District (406-522-2520) manages current OHV route status and seasonal closures.