Lonesome Highway — Centennial Road to Tensleep Canyon via the Bighorn Mountains North Slope and Battle Park Road
The Bighorns' quiet north slope — all yours.
Battle Park Road — Forest Road 17 — leaves US-14 west of Burgess Junction and runs north and west across the upper Bighorn Mountains before eventually connecting down into the basin country near Shell and Greybull. The route traverses open subalpine meadows above 9,000 feet, passes through dense stands of lodgepole pine scarred by past fire, and delivers overlanders to lonely ridgeline views stretching from the Absaroka Range to the west across the full width of the Bighorn Basin. The north-slope terrain is gentler than the vertical drama of the south-facing canyon roads, but that’s part of the appeal — this is where you set camp in a meadow with no one around for ten miles in any direction and watch elk move through the timber at dusk.
FR 17 and its connector spurs are dirt and gravel, passable by a stock high-clearance 4WD. A few soft spots and seasonal mudholes can catch out low-slung rigs in early summer — wait for mid-July to be safe. Snow closes the high sections by late October. No permit required. Fuel in Buffalo or Greybull; there’s nothing on the mountain. Bighorn National Forest allows dispersed camping throughout. Cell service is gone within a few miles of US-14. This isn’t a thrill-seeker’s road — it’s the road for people who actually want to be alone in the mountains for a night.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, High Altitude, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 38 mi / 61.2 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 9400 ft |
| Best season | July-October |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock 4WD high-clearance |
| Nearest town | Greybull, WY |
| Land manager | Bighorn National Forest — Tongue Ranger District |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | Bighorn NF Tongue Ranger District Bighorn National Forest main page |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock 4Runner or Wrangler handle this without any lift?
Yes. A stock 4WD high-clearance rig is the stated minimum and it's realistic — the route is dirt and gravel with no technical rock crawling. Aired-down tires help on the softer sections, but a bone-stock 4Runner or Wrangler gets through without drama.
When does Battle Park Road typically open and close for the season?
July through October is the reliable window. Snow can close the road at any point above 8,000 ft — early season (pre-July) and late fall (post-October) are gambles. Check current road conditions with the Tongue Ranger District before you go, especially in shoulder months.
Do I need a permit or are there any fees to run this route?
No permit required and no fees for driving the route or dispersed camping. You're on Bighorn National Forest land — standard Leave No Trace rules apply and camping must be 200 ft from water sources and roads.
What's the hardest section and what should I actually expect?
Nothing on this trail is a white-knuckle moment — it's rated moderate for a reason. The north slope sections can get muddy and soft after rain, and some shelf road segments have limited turnout room, but there are no serious ledges or boulder fields. Wet conditions are the main variable that bumps the pucker factor.
Is there water available along the route, and how far is the nearest fuel from the trailhead?
There are water crossings on the route but treat or filter anything you pull from them — no potable water sources exist on trail. Greybull is your last fuel stop before the Centennial Road start, roughly 35–40 miles out, so top off there and carry extra if your range is tight.
Trail track
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