Ever since the historic floods of June 2022, The Beaten Path has been all but inaccessible to the countless hikers and backpackers hoping to check the iconic route off their backcountry bucket lists. Luckily, we’ve lined up nine great alternatives.

View to the south from the High Lakes Wilderness Study Area, Wyoming. Under the current Senate Reconciliation Bill, a majority of the public land in this viewshed could become available for sale. Photo Joe Josephson.

The Beaten Path is one of the most popular trails in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. But since a key bridge was lost in the floods of 2022, it’s also currently not safe to attempt.

Two virtual climbers race to the top of Granite Peak in this playful fundraiser to see which community loves the AB more: Bozeman or Billings.

On Valentine’s Day, 2025, a majority of the Wilderness stewardship staff on the Custer Gallatin National Forest were terminated without notice or cause.

Photo courtesy David Wells.

We are thrilled to introduce the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Foundation (ABWF) Blog—a space where stories of stewardship, adventure, and a shared commitment to the land come to life.