If you’d like to leave the beaten path behind and get a taste of eastern Montana’s rugged coulee country, try the Gunners-Graveyard-Bucket loop in Makoshika State Park. It’s one of the longest routes in the park, and the rough terrain and occasional route-finding can make it a challenge even for experienced hikers, but the scenic rewards are a huge payoff. You’ll climb up rugged buttes, wind through deep coulees, cross grassy plateaus, and pass twisted hoodoos sculpted by the eastern Montana winds. In the spring, vibrant wildflowers glow against the sandstone backdrop, making this backcountry loop even more spectacular.

Photo by Zack Porter

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