Lonesome Highway — Ruby Valley Road to Alder via the Tobacco Root Mountains Bench
Gold country dirt roads below the Tobacco Roots.
Ruby Valley Road runs south from Sheridan through the Ruby River drainage, paralleling one of Montana’s least-traveled gold rivers through a valley that’s barely changed since the 1860s placer rush. The route passes through Alder — a still-occupied gold camp — and connects to Virginia City via a network of back roads through Robber’s Roost country, where the Plummer gang once held up stagecoaches. The valley floor is straightforward dirt two-lane, but the bench roads cutting up toward the Tobacco Root foothills and across to Ennis Lake are where the terrain earns respect: loose shale, creek crossings, and narrow shelf roads above the river canyon. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest boundary edges the eastern bench and opens up dispersed camping with views straight down the Ruby drainage.
High clearance handles most of the valley roads; the upper bench routes need 4WD when wet — and this valley gets spring mud that can strand anything without lockers. Best window is June through September; the Ruby River Road itself can be driven in a stock truck, but the connector routes to the Tobacco Root foothills are another matter. No permits. Fuel in Sheridan or Ennis. Water from the Ruby River — treat it. This is a multi-day loop best paired with a stop in Virginia City for the full Montana mining circuit.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 48 mi / 77.2 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 5840 ft |
| Best season | June-September |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD |
| Nearest town | Sheridan, MT |
| Land manager | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest / BLM Dillon Field Office |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
What's the minimum rig needed to run Lonesome Highway through the Tobacco Roots?
High-clearance 4WD is the real floor here — think stock 4Runner or Tacoma territory, not a crossover with a lift kit. Low-range matters on the graded bench sections and anywhere you hit soft dirt after rain.
When does this route typically open and close each year?
June through September is the reliable window. Snow can linger on the bench roads into late May, and fall storms can make the dirt crossings greasy or impassable by October — call the BLM Dillon Field Office before pushing it early or late season.
Do you need a permit to run this route or camp along it?
No permit required for the route itself or dispersed camping on Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF and BLM land. Standard rules apply — 14-day stay limit, camp 200 feet from water, pack out everything.
What's the hardest section and what should I actually expect?
The bench road segments above the Ruby Valley can get rutted and loose, and water crossings are the real wildcard — depth and flow vary a lot depending on snowmelt and recent rain. Nothing here is a rock-crawling challenge, but a sketchy crossing on a remote 48-mile stretch with zero cell service demands you know your rig's limits before you're in it.
How far is the nearest gas, and is there water available on the route?
Sheridan, MT is your last reliable fuel stop — top off there before you start. Water crossings exist on the route but treat anything before drinking; there are no services or resupply points for the full 48 miles.
Trail track
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