3.  Gallatins from Gallatin Canyon.

 

Gallatin Canyon, same directions as to the Spanish Peaks but you are doing the mountains to the east.

 

    Storm Castle Rock, just past Hellroaring (driving 35 min, 27 mi).  17 mi from 4-Corners.  Left on Squaw Creek road 2 mi (across the bridge and right).  Storm Castle is trail on the north side of the road, ( 1500’ in 2 mi) with great views directly down to the highway and the Gallatin River.  Very little snow all winter and clear very early in April.  Often runnable switchbacks, not steep considering how fast you get up high.  Ticks abounding in April/May, bring lots of blood.

 

    Garnet Mountain fire tower (2500’ in 4 mi), same trailhead as Storm Castle.  Do them both in May for beautiful flowers.  Mostly runnable switchbacks.  Fire tower can be rented from the FS. 

 

    Portal Creek (driving 60 min, 40 mi).  30 mi from 4-Corners.  Left just past Moose Creek on Portal Creek road.  Up 7 miles on decent gravel road, well marked.  Two trails here.  One briefly steep, wide boulevard trail to a superb FS cabin that can be rented on a grassy, above treeline pass, 1100’ in 2 mi.  A mile beyond is Windy Pass.  The Gallatin Crest trail goes 24 miles north to Hyalite Canyon or south to Yellowstone Park (30 mi?).   The other trail is 1.3 mi to Golden Trout Lakes.  Never been there.