The Krones’ trail horses, Buddy and Scout, graze near the Taylor Fork Rd. horse camp in the Buffalo Horn country, about 50 miles south of Bozeman, Montana
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Are you interested in an area with an
abundance of great trail rides, horse campsites, and guest ranches all in one
location? If so, the Buffalo Horn country is the place for you. The Buffalo Horn
country is located about 50 miles south of Bozeman, Montana, in the
northwest corner of Yellowstone
National
Park. Trails abound both
inside the park and outside in the Gallatin
National
Forest. Here, we’ll give you
our saddle-eye view of this area’s horse camping and trails, plus a rundown of
nearby guest ranches.
Horse Camping
There are 3 horse camps available. The
campsites are all free, thanks to the gift of public lands in the form of
national forests. The Gallatin
National
Forest was formed in 1899
and remains much the same today.
The first horse camp is located behind the
320 Guest Ranch. Travel south from Bozeman, MT, on Hwy 191, go 15
miles past the entrance to Big Sky, and look for the 320 Ranch on the east side
of the highway.
It’ll appear as though you’re driving into
the ranch, but turn left just before the office, and drive about one-half mile
past the ranch to the end of the road. You’ll find spacious parking and a
camping area, with easy access to water and trailheads.
To find the other two horse camps, continue
two miles south of the 320 Ranch on Highway 191 to
Taylor Fork
Rd. #134, and turn right
(west). About a half-mile later, you’ll see a series of corrals on the left.
These are available when local ranchers aren’t using them for cattle roundups.
There are camping spots at both ends and a
creek across the road for horse water. Additional camping areas are located just
a half-mile mile farther up Road 134 on the left-hand side. Avoid horse camping
on the right-hand side, as this area is close to a pristine stream.
Grizzly Awareness
The Yellowstone Ecosystem is alive and well
with a
flourishing grizzly population. Numbers have increased so dramatically in
the last few years that Wyoming is
considering removing the bear from the Endangered Species List and
starting a
hunting season.
There’s never been a documented case of a
grizzly
attacking a rider on horseback. However, you’re vulnerable off your
horse, such as when you’re hiking or fishing. Grizzlies can attack for
no
apparent reason and can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. A
raging
mouthful of teeth is something no one wants to experience!
Following are four rules for survival in
grizzly
country:
Be alert. The majority of attacks occur as
a
result of surprising a bear. Make lots of noise when
entering brush
or when
entering places with low visibility.
This is especially
important when the wind
is coming opposite
to your direction of travel,
as the bear won’t be able to
sense your presence.
Stay in groups. The old outfitters’ rule of
thumb
was to have “six heartbeats” for safety from grizzlies.
These heartbeats
can include any combination of humans, horses, and
dogs.
Watch for dead animals. Grizzlies commonly
stay for
days around dead, decaying animals to guard and
consume the
carcass.
Pack a personal-safety device. Firearms are
allowed
in national forests, but not in Yellowstone
National
Park.
Pepper spray
is
effective in stopping bear attacks. One source
is Security Equipment
Corp.
(800/325-9568).
| Guest Ranches |
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There are four guest ranches in the
immediate vicinity of the trails and horse campgrounds in the Buffalo Horn
country. If you’re ready for a break from camping or would prefer to leave your
horse at home, these are great places to go. Some allow a one- or two-night
stay; others require visits up to a week. We’ve personally visited each ranch
except the Elkhorn Ranch, and they’re all nice.
320 Guest Ranch, (800) 243-0320;
www.320ranch.com. This ranch is situated south of Big Sky Ski Resort and just
north of Yellowstone
Park where the
Gallatin River winds through sage and towering pines. This ranch has very nice
cabins, a full-service restaurant, nightly bonfires, hayrides, and trail riding.
Covered Wagon Ranch, (800) 995-4237;
www.coveredwagonranch.com. Kurt Puckett, ranch manager and owner of the ranch’s
outfitting business, greeted us at this beautiful location just north of
Taylor Fork
Rd.’s intersection with
Highway 191. Since 1925, this ranch has offered historic log cabins, delicious
home cooked meals, weekly Old West outdoor barbecues, fishing, and trail riding.
Trail riding is the centerpiece of their operation. Kurt and his crew will do a
great job of providing you with tremendous riding experiences in the gorgeous
backcountry.
Elkhorn Ranch, (406) 995-4291;
www.elkhornranchmt.com. The Elkhorn Ranch is located about a mile south of the
Taylor Fork
Road’s intersection with
highway 191. This family oriented ranch offers individual log cabins, meals in
the central dining room, and a children’s program for kids 6 years old and
up.
Nine Quarter Circle Ranch, (406) 995-4276;
www.ninequartercircle.com. The Nine Quarter Circle Ranch is located
approximately five miles up Taylor Fork Rd.
The ranch owners have been hosting guests for more than 50 years. You’ll enjoy
miles of riding aboard a ranch-raised Appaloosa Horse. Appaloosas were
originally bred by the Nez Perce tribe for a good, sturdy mount in the
mountains. |
Hit the Trail
We were excited to check out the trails in
the
Buffalo Horn country. I rode my 7-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter
gelding,
Buddy; Charlene rode her 9-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter
gelding,
Scout. The 320
Ranch campsite has several trails that
you can access
right out of camp. The
other two camps require
a short trailer ride to
the trails listed here.
Specimen Creek. Our first ride was up
Specimen
Creek. This trailhead is located on Highway 191, a few miles south of
the Yellowstone
National
Park
boundary
between
mileposts 26 and 27. The first two miles of
the trail wander
along a flat valley
through forests following
the creek. Keep a lookout
in the meadows to the right,
and you
may see moose. A recent storm had
knocked down a tree that blocked our
way. Luckily, we had our roll-up
saw that can cut through
trees up to 10 inches
in diameter.
After two miles, there’s a junction where
the
North Fork and East Fork of Specimen Creek come together. We went up the
North Fork, and continued past cool forests and a flower-splashed meadow. At
the upper end of the meadow, watch closely on the right-hand side of
the trail,
and you might spot the remains of a cabin. It’s
overgrown
and difficult to see.
This led us to believe the
cabin was quite old,
perhaps a fur-trapper’s cabin.
We rode 5.3 miles from the trailhead to
backcountry
campsite WE4. We stopped there for a picnic lunch and noticed two
recent grizzly-scat piles. Buddy and Scout ignored the grizzly
sign and
hungrily
munched on a tasty grass lunch. Because of
threatening storm
clouds, we elected
to turn around. However,
if you have time, continue
another 2.1 miles, and
you’ll
arrive at
Crescent
Lake, an 18-acre
gem set high in the mountains.
Daly Creek — Black Butte Creek Loop. Our
second
ride was a loop ride. It isn’t often you find a loop for a day ride, so
we were eager to check it out. The start of the loop is up Daly Creek,
located
just a mile in the park boundary on the east side of
the road.
The loop itself
is about 5.5 miles. However, there
are two side
extensions where you can ride as
many miles as
you like.
We started foxtrotting up
Daly
Creek
Valley, a wide,
fairly treeless expanse with views to a rock mountain in the distance.
At 1.8
miles, we came to a junction. The loop continues to the
right,
but the left
trail is an optional and well-worthwhile
side trip. We
rode up the left trail
for a couple miles along
Daly Creek and through
meadows dotted with wildflowers.
From here, you have a closer view of the
rock
mountain, which is actually the Sky Rim and the park’s boundary. At the
top
of Sky Rim is the Gallatin Petrified Forest. We’ve ridden to the
top
from the
other side and found petrified wood.
We turned back and took the trail at the
junction
that would lead us over a small pass to the Black Butte Creek trail. We
came across boney tines poking up from the ground. Approaching closer,
we
discovered it was a dead bull elk. Buddy closely sniffed
the remains
of an
animal whose skin had yet to drop from its
face. What thoughts
went through
Buddy’s mind, I’ll never
know. The carcass was in a large,
open area, and we saw
no
sign of grizzlies. Intact elk antlers with a
head are worth $500 or
more and
are illegal to remove from the
park.
Near the top of the pass we came to a
national park
patrol cabin. No one was at the cabin, but it was a fun place to
take a
break and explore. Not far beyond this is the top of
the pass at 7,840
feet.
Nearby, an open, grassy area provided a
great lunch
spot with terrific views of mountain ranges to the south. After
lunch,
we happily loped to the end of the grassy area, feeling
the infinite
sense of freedom that can only be experienced in
a beautiful wilderness
area
such as this.
After lunch, we descended a fairly steep
trail down
to a second trail junction on Black Butte Creek. The left fork is
another side extension; the right fork is a pleasant two-mile
trail to
the
highway. However, once you arrive at the highway,
you’re not at the
starting
trailhead. To get to your starting
point, turn right, and
follow the highway
north for about 1.5
miles. There’s ample room to
ride your horse away from the
highway.
Bighorn Pass —
Fawn
Pass
Loop. Our
favorite ride
was an 11 mile loop going up
Bighorn
Pass trail and
returning down the Fawn
Pass trail. We
liked it best, because it was a loop and possessed an intangible sense
of
wilderness beauty all its own.
We trailered to the Bighorn Pass trailhead,
which
is located in the park, south of the 320 Ranch, between mileposts 20
and
21, on the east side of the road.
After a short ride, the trail opens up into
a
verdant, broad valley filled with lush grasses and the meandering
Gallatin
River. Most mountain valleys are
V-shaped.
This one is flat, allowing for
easy riding and good
views to the
distant mountains. Watch for elk and moose in
the
meadows.
About 4.1 miles up, you’ll come to a trail
junction
for the Fawn Pass Trail. On the right is backcountry campsite WB1, a
restful spot for a break. We met a couple from
Kentucky resting
their horses here. Across the stream, you’ll see a large flow of water
coming
out of the hillside — an artesian spring.
Turn left at the trail junction for a 1 mile
and
700 foot climb over a small pass to the Fawn Pass Trail, and turn left.
About 4.5 miles down the valley, turn left again to reach your starting
point.
The entire ride is exceptionally beautiful.
You’ll
ride in and out of forest pockets, and through sun-kissed meadows
exploding with flowers. We stopped for lunch at the head of a
big
meadow.
Charlene left a good set of hobbles there, so if
you find them,
give us a
holler!
Farther down the valley, you’ll come to a
junction
for the Fan Creek Trail. Continue straight ahead. However, the Fan
Creek Trail is only 1.5 miles from the Fawn Pass Trailhead,
which
offers another
ride. We didn’t get up Fan Creek, but we
were told that
it’s one of the
prettiest valleys on this side
of the park.
About a half-mile in the distance across an
open
valley, watch for the end of the trees and the Fawn Pass Trailhead. But
don’t go there — you’ll still be 1.5 miles up the road from where you
left your
vehicle! Instead, keep an eye out for an unmarked
trail near
the end of the tree
line going left. Follow this
left for about 1.5
miles to your vehicle.
Even if you don’t find the trail, just
follow the
tree line back to your starting point. Then you can celebrate your
wondrous day exploring the wilderness with your equine friend.
320 Ranch Trailhead. After staying at camps
on the
Taylor Fork
Rd., we
wanted to
explore the
trails behind the 320 Ranch. We moved to
the popular and
spacious horse camp
above the ranch. This is a
great base camp for
accessing a number of trails and
loops.
While at camp, we met avid horseman R.J.
Conti. He
recognized Buddy and Scout from their photos in our articles. He told
us that a favorite ride of his is the 7.5 mile ride to
Ramshorn
Lake.
R.J. also shared his homemade fly-repellent
formula. Our horses were being pestered by a hatch of biting
flies;
nothing we’d
brought worked, but R.J’s formula did the
trick: Simply
mix one-third cup Blue
Dawn dish soap, one cup
vinegar, and one cup
water in an empty spray bottle.
We had time for one ride from the horse camp
behind
the 320 Ranch. We rode straight up the valley. The ride starts out
along
a well-defined trail following a scenic valley with interesting
rock
formations.
Two to three miles up the trail, the canyon’s
side walls
open to an immense
valley with views to mountains
beyond, including
Ramshorn
Peak at 10,289
feet in elevation.
You can explore several side trails and
loops.
However, our ride was cut short: The day before, I’d cut my finger on
dusty wood. My fingertip began swelling. By the time we went
riding, my
finger
looked like a small hot dog trying to become
a fat sausage!
We abandoned the ride and drove to a clinic
in Big
Sky, Montana. I’d been
infected by rare and potentially dangerous bacteria. If left untreated,
it
could’ve continued on a path of destruction up my arm. Ten
days of
antibiotics
and I was as good as new. Lesson learned:
Be careful of
getting dirt and dust in
cuts, and wear gloves
when working.
More Trails!
Here are several more trails to
explore.
Teepee Creek Trail #39 is one mile north of
the
park boundary on the east side. This trail follows up an open valley
with
options to ride towards the 320 Ranch or to an overlook
into the
park.
Sage Creek Trail #11 is located a half-mile
south
of Taylor Fork Rd. on the west side. This trail travels behind the
Elkhorn
Ranch and into portions of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness
Area.
Trail #68 leaves
Forest
Rd. 2522
about two
miles
south of 2522’s intersection with the
Taylor Fork
Rd.
This
can be
ridden as a large loop with Trails 68,
74, and 35. Parts of this
trail
are old roads and
still open to ATV use. However, we saw
no motorized
vehicles.
Trail #33 going north from
Taylor Fork
Rd. to
Albino
Lake takes you
cross country. Stay to the left side of the valley, and you’ll arrive
at
Albino
Lake. There are
cross-country riding options beyond or to the other side of the valley
on the
return.
If you’d like to ride a gated road, travel
up
Taylor Fork Rd. about three to four miles past the Nine Quarter Ranch,
and
turn right on 135. Go about a half mile, then take another
right on
a
gated road
that works its way
northeasterly. Gated roads are
fun for
loping and easy
riding. We saw four bull moose and two
piles of grizzly
scat. Notice the
colorful mountains to the
south, the
crest of the
Madison
Range.
‘Achingly Beautiful’
The Buffalo Horn country offers a unique
opportunity for the avid trail rider. Not often in
one
location can you
find
horse camps, ample
riding
opportunities,
and dude ranches. Add to
this
the close
proximity to
Yellowstone
National
Park, Big
Sky Ski
Resort
just to the north with all its
amenities, plus
fishing, and you
have an
all-inclusive vacation in an
outstanding scenic,
pristine
area.
One horseback
rider we met
summed it up when he
said, “This place is
achingly
beautiful!”
Stumble It!
