Easthouse

When you enter the Bitterroot National Forest, you'll find a number of different trails that showcase the natural, rugged beauty that makes up the region. There is no better trail to show this than the Easthouse Trail, as it winds through the northern tip of the natural forest and offers up thick forests, open prairies, and rigorous mountains.

The Easthouse Trail is known by a couple names, like Easthouse National Recreation Trail, Bitterroot-Rock Creek Trail, or even 313 to some locals. It's one of the most rural trails in the forest, starting at a small gravel lot along the highway. The lot itself has a picnic table and trash bin, but otherwise is bare of amenities, so bring plenty of water and clean-up bags for Fido.

You immediately enter the thick forests of the natural park, made up of large alpine and spruce trees, with a completely shaded area to walk on for miles. As you're walking, you'll notice the trail maintains an even rocky and dirt surface, staying about 2 to 3 feet wide the entire time. After a couple miles, the trail follows along Alder Creek. Along the route, you'll find plenty of primitive camping spots too.

The small trail is shared with plenty of others, including bicyclists, campers, horseback riders, cross-country skiers, and snowshoers.

The trail travels up and down mountains, topping off at the Dome Shaped Mountain at over 8,000 feet, where travelers can enjoy and a 360-degree view of the peaks. There's another elevated view at Eagles Point before the trail begins traveling downhill completely towards the end trailhead at Skalkaho Pass.

The rural and natural curves of the land bring out the best in the Montana wilderness, and once you and Fido get a taste, you'll be coming back to get more and more.