Trail Projects
Each year, ABWF volunteers, staff, and Forest Service trail-crew members venture out to disparate corners of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness with saws and pulaskis in-hand to clear trail, clean drains, and assist with trail construction. On our projects, volunteers learn trail building techniques practiced by crews in the Custer-Gallatin Forest, while experiencing firsthand the thought, intention, and hard work that goes into maintaining our incredible trail system. Expect to learn and work during the day, eat delicious food around great company, and rest your head each night in a beautiful spot in the Absaroka-Beartooth.
Take a tour of The AB to see our upcoming projects and events on the fully interactive map below.
Summary of 2024 Programs
| Project | Location | Dates | Difficulty | Open Spots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-Day Projects*: | ||||
| West Boulder River Habitat Restoration | Camping at Trailhead | June 6-10 | Mod. Strenuous | 10 |
| Cooke City area trail clearing | stay at Cooke City Ranger Station | June 20-24 | Mod. Strenuous | 10 |
| East Rosebud Trail Retread aka The Beaten Path | Camping near Elk Lake | June 22 – July 2 | Mod. Strenuous | 10 |
| Meatrack Meadows brushing & weeds | Backcountry Campsite | July 6-11 | Mod. Strenuous | Full |
| Widewater Lake Puncheon Construction | Cooke City Lake District | July 18-22 | Mod. Strenuous | Full |
| Boulder Divide Solitude Monitoring | East Fork Mill Creek | July 26-29 | Strenuous | 2/4 |
| Stillwater River Thru-Hike Trail Clearing | Daisy Pass to Woodbine | Aug 5-11 | Most Strenuous | 7/10 |
| Lake Plateau Solitude Monitoring | Upside Creek | Aug 16-18 | Strenuous | 4/4 |
| Single-Day Projects: | ||||
| Girl Scouts of MT & WY | Red Lodge,MT | June 19 | Less Strenuous | 10 |
| Livingston Peak Weed Control | Livingston, MT | June 29 | Less Strenuous | 10 |
| Gardiner Basin Habitat Restoration | Gardiner, MT | July 13 | Mod. Strenuous | 10 |
| Eagle Mount Billings Adventure Day | Wild Bill Lake Red Lodge, MT | Aug 13 | Easy | 10 |
| East Rosebud Lake Weed Control | The Beaten Path Trailhead | TBD | Less Strenuous | sign up to stay informed |
| Educational Hikes: | ||||
| Native Fish in the Absaroka-Beartooth | with Chris Parrish from Trout Unlimted | TBD | Easy | sign up to stay informed |
| Wilderness Trail Management | with Garry Edson, retired trails manager for Region 1, US Forest Service | TBD | Easy | sign up to stay informed |
| Trail Ambassadors: | ||||
| Become a Trail Ambassador – no experience necessary – | All Three | training May 11 | Easy | contact us to join |
Pine Creek Trailhead | Paradise Valley | TBD | sign up to stay informed | |
| West Fork of Rock Creek | Red Lodge | TBD | sign up to stay inform | |
| Lake Fork of Rock Creek | Red Lodge | TBD | sign up to stay inform | |
| East Rosebud Lake The Beaten Path | Roscoe (northeast) Cooke City (southwest) | TBD | sign up to stay inform |
Trail projects with the ABWF are…
- Accessible: Volunteers pay nothing to attend, and we welcome folks with a wide range of backcountry experience. If you are new to the outdoors, we encourage you to get in touch to see if a project like this could be a good fit ([email protected])! We also have some supplemental gear that we borrow out to volunteers.
- Productive: We train volunteers how to use their tools and bodies safely and efficiently. Our goal is to do quality work that will leave our trails in good shape for decades to come.
- A Great Time: You betcha! Working hard in the backcountry lends itself well to great conversations, satisfying meals, stunning views, and new friends.