BSCO public trails

South Fork Loop Trail

Currently sponsored by: Blue Ribbon Builders

See on Trailforks

Difficulty

easy

Distance

1 mile round trip

Year Round Access:
Open Year round, trail is groomed in winter.

Uses: Hike, bike, fishing, snowshoe, cross country ski.

Parking: Parking for 1-2 vehicles is available at the trailhead off of Aspen Leaf Drive.

Dogs: Leash dogs or keep dogs under voice and sight command.

A pleasant forested loop adjacent the South Fork of the Gallatin River. The South Fork Loop is home to the Story Book Trail in partnership with the Big Sky Library. Great for a quick outing or dog walk.

The South Fork Loop, a 1-mile dirt surfaced trail named after the South Fork of the West Fork of the Gallatin River, is the perfect distance and difficulty to get outside and take a quick walk, run with a friend, or spin on your bicycle.

The trail starts out as an old logging road with a wide dirt trail that climbs a gradual hill. About 1/4 of a mile in, you will reach a signed loop junction. I prefer to continue uphill, so I follow the trail straight at the junction. A couple hundred yards beyond the sign, the trail turns into a single track with a gradual downhill. This portion of the trail is entertaining and beautiful, with glimpses of the river and wetland meadow in the distance. At the bottom of the hill you’ll parallel the river before climbing a short distance back to the junction.

Depending on your desired distance, you can loop this trail multiple times. Its proximity to the Hummocks and Uplands trailhead and location less than a mile from Town Center makes this a peaceful loop to extend a longer walk, run or bike. The gradual terrain with a varied width is an excellent beginner’s playground for aspiring mountain bikers, and the river access amidst the forest will make this one of your hound’s favorite spots in Big Sky. Deer, moose and elk also enjoy this area; the dirt trail often provides excellent animal track sightings.

This trail is groomed in the winter and is an excellent addition to BSCO’s Nordic skiing trail system. Don’t let its nearness to town fool you though—bear sightings have been reported, so be bear aware when recreating on the South Fork Loop Trail.

Trailforks:

Directions: From Town Center, head east on Aspen Leaf Drive for ¾ of a mile. You will see a small parking area with trailhead on the right-hand side of the road immediately after a bridge. If the two-car parking area is full, park in the vehicle pullout on the north side of the bridge.

Big Sky on Trailforks.com
Thank you to our current trail sponsor:
Blue Ribbon Builders logo

Stay connected with the BSCO App!

 

Join our 2024 Year-End Match Campaign! With the start of BSCO’s Year-End Fundraising Campaign, we’re excited to announce a bonus — 100% of the Board of Directors have committed to match donations up to $97,000! That means your gift will go twice as far to create a brighter and healthier Big Sky future. 

Big Sky Community Organization