Women's Backpacking Trips in Montana
Guided backpacking adventures led by experienced female guides
Dates: Jul 3 - 6, Aug 15-17, 2025
Aug 29-Sep 1, Sep 5-7, 2025
Registration Open
Off the beaten path - the Beartooth wilderness of Montana is known for it's remoteness and solitude. Join our experienced female guides and enjoy nature in it's purest form away from crowds.
Step into the heart of the Beartooth Mountains on a guided women’s-only backpacking trip designed for connection, confidence, and unforgettable scenery. These trips offer a supportive space to explore Montana’s alpine beauty with a group of adventurous women and professional female guides.
Whether you're new to backpacking or an experienced hiker, our trips are tailored to help you feel strong, capable, and at home in the mountains.
Group
Our minimum group size is 3 and max. is 8 participants. You will meet other adventurous ladies that are keen to explore new areas and activities!
Difficulty & Fitness
Shorter trips are usually a bit easier to begin with and our longer trips need a bit more indurance. As a thumb of rule, most participants and newer to backpacking. Our hiking days are usually 4-6 hours long.
Weather
The mountains are not as predictible as other topographical features and we might encouter some rain or even snow. We will be prepared with rain gear and warm layers! June - September are the most stable month in the Beartooth mountains and we are planning on sunshine and dry days.
Getting there
You can fly either into Billings airport or Yellowstone (Bozeman) airport and drive with your rental car (or carpool) to Red Lodge. We will meet you the next day at 9 am in Red Lodge at our office and caravan to the trailhead or meet at the trailhead directly. Most trips include a short shuttle that had been easly organized in the past with participant's vehicles.
Food & Gear
This trip is all-inclusive, so you can relax and minimize the hassle of planning. We will provide breakfasts and dinners on the trail, but you need to pack snacks and lunches. We can accomendate most diets: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose intolerant. Our meals are a mix of fresh, self-made food and freeze dried pre-packaged meals.
Not inlcuded are transportation to the trailheads, lunches/snacks, personal gear such as clothing, sleeping pads & bags, eating utensils, backpacks, headlamp, hiking poles etc.
We can rent out tents, sleeping bag & pads, backpacks. If you need essential items such as: backpack, hiking poles, headlamps and eating utensils, consider renting from Kit Lender! We are happy to help you in the process.
Difficulty:
Beginner - Intermediate, up to 3000 ft of elevation gain
Fitness:
Ability to hike up to 6 hours with a 30 lb backpack
Price:
$1200-$1900
Gear List
Download Here
Season:
June - September
Group Size:
3 - 8 participants
Duration:
2-4 days
Prerequisits
none
Shuttle
Some trails need a shuttle. We are happy to help organize one.
Location:
Red Lodge, West Rosebud, Montana
Includes:
breakfasts, dinners, cooking equipment & professional guide
optional: sleeping pad, sleeping bag, backpack, hiking poles, headlamps and eating utensils, needs to be booked with "KitLender"
Excludes:
Lunches, Snacks, transportation, personal items, and guide gratuity
Trails
The Beartooth wilderness offers many trails that are accessed through different drainages. Depending on the fitness levels of the groups we will choose the perfetct route for you. Trailheads include the West, Main and Lake Fork and Red Lodge Creek drainages.
On our longer trips we might summit the breath-taking Sundance Pass, Hellroaring Plateau or Thunder mountain. Some of the beautiful lakes such as Black Canyon Lake, Lost Lake, Sundance Lake or Crow Lake are included on shorters treks as well.
West Fork Loop Trail
Intermediate
22.03 miles, 3571' elevation gain, 4279 ' elevation loss
Day 0: Mandatory gear check at 4 pm in Red Lodge, Montana.
Day 1: West Fork THD (at 7900ft) to Quinnebaugh meadows. 5 miles with 1000 ft of elevation gain. Will hike along the West fork creek of Rock Creek a drainage of the Beartooth mountains. Camp will be at Quinnebaugh meadows. Option to hike up to Lake Mary, one way 2 miles 1000 ft elevation gain.
Day 2: Quinnebough meadows to Shadow Lake or Sundance Lake. 4 miles with 900 ft of elevation gain. We will hike along the West Fork creek and the environment will change from a more high forestry one to a more alpine one.
Day 3: Shadow/ Sundance Lake to September Lake. 5 miles with 1500 ft of elevation gain and 1400 ft of elevation loss. We will hike up Sundance Pass where we will be at the highest point of 1100 ft of elevation and descent to September Lake in the Lake fork of Rock Creek. This environment is still alpine with September Lake being at 9694 ft.
Day 4: September Lake to Lake Fork THD (at 6900 ft). 8 miles 2500 ft of elevation loss. We descend back into the valley along the Lake Fork of Rock Creek. The environment will become more forestry again.
Mystic Lake Trail
Beginner
14 miles, 2400’ elevation gain, 2400’ elevation loss
Day 0: Mandatory gear check at 4 pm in Red Lodge, Montana.
Day 1: 8 am, Mystic Lake THD (at 6500ft) to Mystic Lake. 5 miles with 1000 ft of elevation gain. We will hike along the scenic mystic river valley, a drainage of the Beartooth mountains.
Day 2: Mystic Lake to Pricesse Lake. 2 miles and 1400 ft of elevation gain. The remote alpine lake is at 9000 ft and offers quietness and wildlife seeings. Option to explore and day hike to Avalanche Lake.
Day 3: Princess Lake to Mystic Lake THD. 7 miles, 500 ft of elevation gain and 1400 ft of elevation loss. Expected return around 3pm.
Starts Aug 29
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"This is your sign to go deep into the wild with Beartooth Mountain Guides, Anju and her team are exceptional and create meaningful experience off the beaten path"
Sheryl Wright, Founder of "Dare to Detour"
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Do I need experience to join a trip?Nope! Our guides are here to support all ability levels. If you can hike 4 miles per day with a 30 lbs backpack, you're good to go. If this sounds too much, you also have the option to book a porter who can take up to 20lbs off your back.
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What is the terrain like?Expect alpine trails and moderate elevation gain in a high-altitude environment (8,000–11,000 ft). Most of our trips have an elevation gain between 1000 - 1500 ft.
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What's the weather like?Mountain weather is variable—sun, wind, rain and afternoon thunderstorms are all common. We’ll send a full prep guide once you book.
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Is transportation included?Hikers are expected to get to and from the trailheads by themselves. However we are happy to assist in oragnizing a shuttle with one of the local comapanies.