Lone Tree Pass
Lone Tree Pass is an obscure range land pass in the
Henry's Lake - Red Rock Pass area. Nontheless it has
unequalled views of the sharp north facing escarpment of
the Centennial Range. The pass is marked on Deerlodge
National Forest maps. The north side is fairly easy to
reach. Route finding on the south into the Centenial
Valley is difficult and requires quite a bit of walking.

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1.(00.0km~00.0mi, 2018m~6620ft)
START-END EAST: jct Mt87 - US20 east of Henry's Lake
2.(04.1km~02.5mi, 1980m~6496ft) low point
3.(14.8km~09.2mi, 2080m~6824ft) Raynold's Pass
4.(16.1km~10.0mi, 2068m~6785ft) route turns left
onto FR230
5.(22.1km~13.7mi, 2043m~6703ft) intermediate low
point at turnoff to private road on r6ght
6.(29.3km~18.3mi, 2323m~7620ft) TOP: Lone Tree Pass;
profile between here and western starting point is
approximate and differs in details from the
description
7.(40.5km~25.2mi, 2087m~6847ft) START-END WEST: jct
with South Valley Rd to Red Rock Pass
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Approaches
From North. The profile starts near Henry's Lake,
goes up the minute ascent to Raynolds Pass, crosses it and
then turns left onto a forest road, signed Antelope Basin. A
short sharp ascent leads across several rubber drainage
barriers. From the top the view of the Madison Range is
already better. The road descends slightly through range and
forest country. A left at a junction leads to a few steeply
climbing curves, eventually delivering the rider to a cow
trough of sorts. There are several faint tracks leaving from
here, and to me personally the spot looked suspiciously like
another cow trough, from which dead end tracks radiate outward
like spokes, creating endless confusion. However - in this
case - taking the left faint path across a cattle gate leads
to an uphill, turning left after a short distance, and then
right through a small section of forest where the trail is
much better defined. The double track trail climbs into a wide
meadow, getting closer to a wide gentle range land saddle.
Across yet another gate a junction offers a shorter return
directly to the top of Red Rock Pass by staying left. To the
right a lone tree can be seen standing above a trail crossing.
That's the destination. There are great views of the
Centennial Range from Sawtell Peak over the Red Rock lakes to
the Lima Reservoir.
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From South. (described downwards). This downward
portion required the most energy, paradoxically. A traverse
heads west crosses several points, that are at about the same
height as the pass. The road becomes better defined and enters
a aspen forest, sloping downhill. Where the road crosses onto
state land, the most used trail turns right. To the left is a
closed road that is barely a trail anymore, and straight ahead
is a trail/road of questionable integrity. That's the one I
took. However after a while it curves back uphill into the
mountains. I opted for a single track trail heading down into
the Centennial Valley. This lead to another junction with a
trail down into a ravine. Unfortunately it becomes a fence
line trail that detours west. Opting for cross country travel
on open range land I headed for dirt road Mo509 running the
length of Centennial Valley, The road is clearly visible.
Unfortunately this involved also crossing a swampy section of
Red Rock Creek. The forest map shows a different option along
trails that parallel Red Rock Creek on the north side.
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Tours
Dayrides.
PARTIALLY PAVED / UNPAVED / OR NO TRAIL
jct Targhee Peak FR - US20 > Raynolds
Pass > up forest road marked Antelope Basin > Lone
Tree Pass > down various trails to Mo509 > At this point
it was raining profusely, so that I accepted a ride in the
back of horse trailer together with two mild mannered horses
over Red Rock Pass to Henry's Lake Rd > ride back to
starting point. This ride on a Friday the 13th in August
measured 43 miles with 2900ft of climbing in 4:3hours
(m3:10.8.13).
back to Montana's
passes and summits by bicycle
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