The one.
I’ve enjoyed exploring the ridges, peaks, and canyons of the Little Rockies, and the isolated buttes of the Ft. Belknap Reservation over the past few years. Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store. Interestingly, all but a few of the hundreds of miles I have walked have NOT been on established hiking trails – I’ve made my own way. As for actual hiking trails on the reservation, there is only one that I would recommend – but it is a dandy! In fact, it might be the most scenic hike in north-central Montana.
Triple option.
The trailhead, located in Mission Canyon 3.4 miles east of the Hays turnoff (from Highway 66), is near a beautiful red limestone wall known to locals as “Red Rocks”. There are several photos and maps in the photo tour to help you find the “Hole in the Wall Trailhead”. From there, you have three choices:
1. Hole in the Wall: You can follow a well-designed trail that switch-backs up to an impressive limestone arch. From the trailhead to the base of the arch its is a .4-mile walk, with 360 feet of elevation gain.
2. Scenic Point: If you’d like to hike farther, scramble up through the hole, then take a hard right and follow the trail eastward. After a couple hundred feet, the trail turns northward and then westward toward a a scenic point overlooking Mission Canyon (at center of photo above). The trail is faint, so I’ve included a couple maps and more details in the photo tour. From the Hole in the Wall to the scenic point is .6 miles with very little elevation gain. If you’ve seen enough, follow the trail back down. The hike from the trailhead, through the hole to the scenic overlook and back is 2 miles round-trip.
3. Mission Ridge: For a longer hike (3 more miles) and a great view of the Little Rockies and beyond, continue on to Mission Ridge. Starting from the scenic point on the cliff, walk back to the dirt road, take right onto it and follow the road for 1.9 miles to Mission Ridge. The dirt road fades as you approach Mission Ridge, but you won’t have any trouble finding it – just keep going up! Scramble up and along the ridge before making your way over to a little grassy peak, where you can take a break and enjoy the view. On the way back, you’ll need to take a left turn onto a lesser dirt road that will take you back to the trail, rejoining it a couple hundred feet east of the Hole in the Wall. It’s easy to miss the turn, so refer to the maps in the photo tour for clarification.
If you complete all three options, you will have hiked 5 miles, and enjoyed some of the best scenery to be found anywhere on the Hi-Line. Give yourself a pat on the back, and be sure to stop by the Natural Bridge near the mouth of the canyon on your drive home. Take a few minutes to walk under the bridge into the big room behind it.
FYI – I recently started an Instagram account. I will try to post something interesting at least once a week. Check it out: rodbenson406
Below: This map marks hikes that have been featured on bigskywalker.com so far, including several in Glacier Park – Select full screen to expand, zoom in for more detail, or click on a marker for a link to the post.
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