There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, which make for an endless number of choices of distance and difficulty.

A local favorite is the Humbug Spires Wilderness Study Area, located about 12 miles north of town. It's an easy day hike of eight miles round trip into a unique primitive area. The trail has a few steep upgrades, but they're short ones. For your effort, you'll be rewarded with an up-close view of the huge granite pillars for which the area was named, a forest of genuinely primeval Douglas fir, and a neat little trout stream.

A section of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is a 20-minute drive from the motel. Along with the built-in satisfaction that comes from hiking the Divide, it has some great scenery and wildlife-viewing opportunities.

See the Hiking section for the Humbug Spires, where there's climbing in just about every grade. "The Wedge", which stands at the head of the valley, is an alpine rock experience with mostly crack climbing. Two other formations in the area - Dragon's Back and Homestake Pass - are also popular with climbers. Some of the nicest climbs are only a quarter mile hike from your car.

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