Anaconda Range Continental Divide Trail

The Anaconda Range Continental Divide Trail cuts through Montana’s forgotten copper country, where massive headframes and tailing piles mark one of America’s most toxic mining legacies. This 28-mile route follows old mining roads and Forest Service tracks from Georgetown Lake to Mount Haggin, crossing the Continental Divide twice through terrain that’ll test your rig’s crawling ability. The notorious Cables Creek crossing requires precise wheel placement over basketball-sized granite boulders, while the climb to Storm Lake pushes most vehicles to their limits on loose shale switchbacks.

This is expert-level terrain demanding winch-equipped rigs with skid plates, rock sliders, and aggressive tires. Summer conditions from July through September offer the only realistic access window, but even then expect snow patches above 9,000 feet. No permits required, but fuel up in Anaconda before heading out—cell service disappears after Georgetown Lake. The payoff: pristine alpine lakes, sweeping Continental Divide views, and the haunting remnants of Montana’s copper boom scattered across moonscape terrain that looks like another planet.