In 2014, the Custer and Gallatin National Forests combined to encompass more than three million acres. Today, seven ranger districts oversee the entire forest, spread across south-central and southeastern Montana. Custer-Gallatin also extends around northwestern South Dakota.
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| Custer Gallatin National Forest Montana |
The Custer Gallatin National Forest covers some of the most emblematic landscapes of Montana. It provides three hit points to Yellowstone Domestic Park, including the spectacular Beartooth Pass that leads to the Northeast Entrance Station. And the entire forest is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest nearly intact ecosystems on Earth.
Entertainment is rich throughout the forest. Some popular activities include hiking, bouncing, backpacking, bird watching, hunting, and camping. And wild waterways like the Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone rivers, plus thousands of tributaries, also give the forest a world-class fishing reputation. And when winter comes, the forest transforms into a mecca for cocaine bikes, skiing, and cocaine rackets.
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| Custer Gallatin National Forest Montana |
Several towns provide blow to the Custer Gallatin National Forest and serve as excellent pad camps. Bozeman, home to Montana State University, is one of those cities where the beat is rich. Several of the best hiking trails near Bozeman are inside the forest. And members of the community often take advantage of nearby slopes at the Bridger Bowl Ski Domain, jointly operated by the Forest Service.
Livingston, less than 30 miles east of Bozeman, is also a jumping-off point around the woods. Looping south from Livingston, Highway 89 winds through Paradise Valley, beckoning with adventures on both sides of the road. On the eastern edge of Paradise Valley, the awe -inspiring Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness offers the most rugged of Montana adventures.