Passing through...

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

paflytyer

paflytyer

Toyota Trails Editor / 100s in the Hills
Media Partner
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Threads
63
Messages
2,622
Location
ColoRADo
Hey All

After 15 years of traveling around Montana with my son, he has his college choices nailed down to U of M, Montana State, and Gonzaga. We're heading out of Denver next week and taking official visits at all three schools before spending a few weeks wheeling, camping and fly fishing. We'll spend some time in the Yaak Valley visiting a friend, then down into Idaho for a few days on the St Joe and tributaries, and eventually back to Cooke City for a week.

Planning on spending at least one or two nights in Bozeman next week. Hoping to get a coffee/beer/meal with some of the 406 crew and would definitely be up for jumping on a club run if anything is being planned. We could probably make it back for a weekend run too. Not as into the hardcore trails as I once was, but open to whatever. Need to be back in Cooke City by the 30th

Would love some food or side trail/route suggestions. Bozeman - Missoula - Yaak/Troy - Spokane - Avery, ID, St. Regis,

Anyone up for a meetup next week?

-Stan
editor@tlca.org
 
Last edited:
paflytyer said:
Hey All

After 15 years of traveling around Montana with my son, he has his college choices nailed down to U of M, Montana State, and Gonzaga. We're heading out of Denver next week and taking official visits at all three schools before spending a few weeks wheeling, camping and fly fishing. We'll spend some time in the Yaak Valley visiting a friend, then down into Idaho for a few days on the St Joe and tributaries, and eventually back to Cooke City for a week.

Planning on spending at least one or two nights in Bozeman next week. Hoping to get a coffee/beer/meal with some of the 406 crew and would definitely be up for jumping on a club run if anything is being planned. We could probably make it back for a weekend run too. Not as into the hardcore trails as I once was, but open to whatever. Need to be back in Cooke City by the 30th

Would love some food or side trail/route suggestions. Bozeman - Missoula - Yaak/Troy - Spokane - Avery, ID, St. Regis,

Anyone up for a meetup next week?

-Stan
editor@tlca.org
Click to expand...
Awesome, should be a fun trip.

I know the Yaak and St Joes area pretty good.

The yaak will be more of a easy going time, not many people, nice camp vibes. The Northwest Peaks scenic area is the most mountainous in the area, everything else is thick forest. This is grizzly territory, be aware.

Further to the east you can find Koocanusa which has some beach side camping trails in the Eureka area


St Joes is awesome, the further to the east you go and as it merges into MT will unveil more rugged 4x4 trails. The route from St Regis into St Joes is currently closed due to culvert repair.

You can really get lost for days and days in the St Joes / Clearwater / Lolo area .
1721400442425.png
 
Mike NXP said:
Awesome, should be a fun trip.

I know the Yaak and St Joes area pretty good.

The yaak will be more of a easy going time, not many people, nice camp vibes. The Northwest Peaks scenic area is the most mountainous in the area, everything else is thick forest. This is grizzly territory, be aware.

Further to the east you can find Koocanusa which has some beach side camping trails in the Eureka area


St Joes is awesome, the further to the east you go and as it merges into MT will unveil more rugged 4x4 trails. The route from St Regis into St Joes is currently closed due to culvert repair.

You can really get lost for days and days in the St Joes / Clearwater / Lolo area .
View attachment 3681102
Click to expand...
Thx! We're pretty familar with the Yaak area and have been going there for neary 20 years. (Close family friends have lived there for a long time)

Never been to St Joe or that area at all though. Looking forward to that. Thanks for the update on the road closure, that'll change our exit plans just a bit, i think
 
paflytyer said:
Thx! We're pretty familar with the Yaak area and have been going there for neary 20 years. (Close family friends have lived there for a long time)

Never been to St Joe or that area at all though. Looking forward to that. Thanks for the update on the road closure, that'll change our exit plans just a bit, i think
Click to expand...
Sweet

Yeah for sure. it sucks that the eastern section out to St Regis is closed.
*** Call FS to confirm but as of last week this was the case and they said it's closed to September.

For your exit route you'll want to consider turning north at Avery and exiting at Taft on to I90
OR
If you have more time you can push all the way to the end of St. Joes and take a high elevation 4x4 route over to Hoodoo pass MT



Avery to Taft . Yellow lines are path of least resistance

Next image is if you pushed further towards Red Ives at the end of the St Joes...This pass takes 4 hours from St Joes over to Montana / Clearwater river and goes pretty much to the headwaters of the joes river....It's not too extreme and will be basically no one there ...... From there you can go back north to I90 or head southwest and go even deeper !

There are so many different ways to navigate this area it's a bit overwhelming...Not really big mountain views like you get in other parts of the state but just never ending forest and winding rivers...

I'll be in St Joes next Friday - Sunday around the Beaver Creek area
1721418087355.png


1721418180139.png
 
Last edited:
Stan-

I am up in Bozeman now and work over at MSU.

If we can swing it, I'd be happy to show you around and or hit a local trail. I'll PM you my cell.

For what it is worth, MSU is one of the fastest growing campuses in the rockies and UM has struggled to keep their enrollment up. Both have great campus life and access to the outdoors. What is your son studying?
 
Mike NXP said:
St Joes is awesome, the further to the east you go and as it merges into MT will unveil more rugged 4x4 trails. The route from St Regis into St Joes is currently closed due to culvert repair.

You can really get lost for days and days in the St Joes / Clearwater / Lolo area .
Click to expand...
@Mike NXP

Any alpha info on North Clearwater Creek/Kelly Creek/250 road?
 
Last edited:
Mike NXP said:
Im not sure what that means , what's an alpha ?
Click to expand...
Sorry... info

Sounds like the St Joe road area is pretty jammed with people and N Fork Clearwater Creek and Kelly Creek might be less crowded. CR 250
 
Last edited:
paflytyer said:
Sorry... info

Sounds like the St Joe road area is pretty jammed with people and N Fork Clearwater Creek and Kelly Creek might be less crowded. CR 250
Click to expand...
There's enough roads and fishing available that we could drive around for two weeks and never hit the same trail twice.

I created some routes, we're just gonna explore around. If it's too crowded on the Joe, we'll drive somewhere else. Should be a blast.

"There's nothing better than riding a fine horse through new country" - Augustus McCrae
 
Lol oh I thought maybe that was like a CB radio term.

Yeah I have more experience in the clearwater than St joes. And yes Joes is usually busier because its paved and more people can access it.

So you're coming from the yaak, dropping into the joe from the west side, and then hoping to pop out further east in montana ( st regis area or further east)
>> Is that right?

>> How much time do you have for this leg?
>> Do you want pavement, forest roads, or 4x4 trails?
>> Do you have Gaia maps?

If you eventually want to get to the clearwater river / MT side of that area , you either have to:
A) Skip the joes river and continue down I-90 to Superior MT. Then drop into the lolo / clearwater forest area. Up and over Hoodoo pass ( all paved ) and eventually turning into a nice little dirt road that follow the river. You can find a dozen or so pull offs and most likely a spot all to yourself. The campgrounds fill up quick with ATV / RVs/ and all that .
OR
B ) if you do the joes river rd, you would drive it all the way to the end near Red Ives Cabin on the map. Then you would go up and over the 4x4 pass that I shared earlier and it would pop you out in clearwater. The pass takes 4 hours or so and its not too extreme but is a 4x4 road for sure.

I can share more specifics as you hone in on your route
 
paflytyer said:
There's enough roads and fishing available that we could drive around for two weeks and never hit the same trail twice.

I created some routes, we're just gonna explore around. If it's too crowded on the Joe, we'll drive somewhere else. Should be a blast.

"There's nothing better than riding a fine horse through new country" - Augustus McCrae
Click to expand...
Totally, there are SO many different routes around here.... I don't fish but if you do I think the clearwater and creeks that flow into it are better fishing, based on not much other than what I've seen people doing out there.

For reference, all these brown dots are spots I passed with no one around and potential to setup camp. The area to the NE as you get closer to I90 has less potential. Once you cross over Hoodoo pass it gets good however you will ultimatley need to turn around and go back to superior, otherwise this takes you pretty deep and off to the southwest
1721497503718.png
 
Mike NXP said:
Lol oh I thought maybe that was like a CB radio term.

Yeah I have more experience in the clearwater than St joes. And yes Joes is usually busier because its paved and more people can access it.

So you're coming from the yaak, dropping into the joe from the west side, and then hoping to pop out further east in montana ( st regis area or further east)
>> Is that right?

>> How much time do you have for this leg?
>> Do you want pavement, forest roads, or 4x4 trails?
>> Do you have Gaia maps?

If you eventually want to get to the clearwater river / MT side of that area , you either have to:
A) Skip the joes river and continue down I-90 to Superior MT. Then drop into the lolo / clearwater forest area. Up and over Hoodoo pass ( all paved ) and eventually turning into a nice little dirt road that follow the river. You can find a dozen or so pull offs and most likely a spot all to yourself. The campgrounds fill up quick with ATV / RVs/ and all that .
OR
B ) if you do the joes river rd, you would drive it all the way to the end near Red Ives Cabin on the map. Then you would go up and over the 4x4 pass that I shared earlier and it would pop you out in clearwater. The pass takes 4 hours or so and its not too extreme but is a 4x4 road for sure.

I can share more specifics as you hone in on your route
Click to expand...
Thanks @Mike NXP

We'll be coming from Spokane (Gonzaga visit) then heading south from there. No timeframes and no real plans other than needing to be in Cooke City on the 30th.

I do have Gaia and just mapped out some options this morning. Dirt roads, easier 4x4 trails preferred, but some wheeling mixed in would be fine by us too. We're really just there to explore and fish. Fully built 100, 3x locked, 35s, hot water/fridge, etc. Standard stuff, but it's been wheeled plenty over the years. Not really interested in rock crawling just for the sake of climbing over big obstacles anymore, but twisting the locker dial a bit is still fun, especially if it ends with a new creek to fish.

I'm a pretty simple dude. Up for whatever. My son is likely going to Gonzaga or U of M, so getting to know that area of Idaho will be good for us, and for him. I don't like smashing bumpers and sliders all day anymore. I'd say Goose Lake is a perfect example of what I'm into these days. That final climb from Star Lake up to Goose has a few obstacles where the 100 likes the lockers on, other than that... it's all views and beautiful trail with some fishing mixed in.
 
Last edited:
Good looking truck!

Yes for sure, I have a similar hope when going out wheeling the 100 series. Its nice to know it can do it, but this isnt the truck I like to beat up and pound over big rocks.

Nothing in this area is really all that challenging, its not like some of the steeper trails along the continental divide... So you shouldn't get yourself into any trouble....Bring a Garmin if possible for safety sake.

This part of the map is mostly all just thick forest with scattered mountain passes / old logging roads...

You could also consider dropping south from Spokane and hooking up with HWY 12 and head E towards Headwater ID. Then you can hookup with the clearwater access from the west. You can follow it all the way back out to Superior MT. This would be a more mellow route and it will keep you at lower elevations but still back roads. Probably 2 day travel from Headwater to Superior depending on how many hours you like to drive a day

The western section of all of this map isn't as exciting and tends to have more logging trucks and recreational traffic. Aim more towards the I90 side / St Joes/ MT border .
The "Gaia Overland" layer hasn't let me down yet. It meshes the forest service MVUM and makes it much easier to visualize. FS maps are great for high detail but hard to plan on. This layer in Gaia is very useful.

Nothing like trying to find the best route in the spider web roads of NW MT lol
1721509569589.png
 
Clearwater River. Road travels along side with plenty of fishing access and the occasional camp spot. If you plan on taking a random little mountain road, bring a saw lots of deadfall in some areas up high

This bridge in near Kelly Forks cabin
1721509978649.png
1721509880369.png
1721509840511.png
1721509937006.png
1721510003676.png
 
I don't fish but my buddy does. He didn't catch anything but Im very impatient so we didnt hang around long
1721510042595.png



This was near superior in MT on the way in
1721510096012.png
 
@paflytyer having gone to and graduated from MSU Bozeman I can say definitely that it is a fantastic school and the 406 Cruisers are awesome. Great club to join if your son is into Cruisers. Tons of wheeling, camping, and fishing all around Bozeman. If your son is curious to know more about msu, stop by my shop in Westminster sometime and let's chat!

Lots of great easy trails in the tobacco root mountains west of Montana. If you are looking for some places to camp let me know!
 
Here is the closure notice for exiting the St Joes to the I90 / St Regis side.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lolo/alerts-notices/?aid=87502

From your messaging it sound like you plan on exiting out to Clearwater which will be a great time but figured I'd post this here for your reference.

It looks like you could still go up and sneak out the 431 or 889 road seen below in orange. The silver line between the gate icons are where the closure is

1721675195940.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

1989FJ
Lemhi Pass - Sept. 14-15
2
Replies
30
Views
3K
1989FJ
1989FJ

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom