Bald hill isn’t really bald. It is a fine grassland on its south exposure, but is tree covered on the remaining west, north and east exposures. Access is available any time of year, albeit steep. It is prime winter range for 50-100 elk each year so avoiding December through February could prevent disturbing the elk.
You are entering bighorn sheep range in this summit’s area. Two trail options are available. Both are great trail hikes all the way to the summit. The dry environment of this area makes it a good early Spring or late Fall season hike. Wind can be challenging on the upper grassland ridges and summit, but there are groups of trees to shelter behind.
240 feet from road to summit, +10 ft elevation
This is a short hike through dense regrowth in an old clearcut.
From the Bernice Exit on I-15 (Exit 151) between Boulder and Butte, take the Boulder River Road west as follows:
0.0 Exit I-15 at Bernice
3.2 Turn right and cross the Boulder River, then continue westwardly.
10.1 Stay on the main road (left) at the Indian Creek turn off.
0.5 miles, +160 ft, -35 ft
This is a short hike to a rocky knob on the continental divide.
From the Bernice Exit on I-15 (Exit 151) between Boulder and Butte, take the Boulder River Road west as follows:
0.0 Exit I-15 at Bernice
3.2 Turn right and cross the Boulder River, then continue westwardly.
10.1 Stay on the main road (left) at the Indian Creek turn off.
Cinnabar Point is currently a mature lodgepole forest on a rolling summit. In the 1980s the summit sported a dilapidated pole tower structure that may have been used as a lookout, but has since fallen and rotted. It is an easy mountain bike ride up a permanently closed road and then a short climbing trail to an off-trail gradual assent to the summit.
East Crater is a peak in the Indian Heaven wilderness. Three years ago, the south side and ridgeline of East Crater were completely burned by a fire that ended up burning about 500 acres in the area, and this fire caused the evacuation of the entire Indian Heaven wilderness area in September of 2017. Not much has grown back on the south side, while the north side, essentially untouched by the fire, is thick with trees.
Turn east off of Fields-Denio Road at 42.1606, -118.6033 onto Whitehorse Ranch Lane.
Turn north off of Whitehorse Ranch lane onto an unmarked road at 42.2577, -118.3200
Turn left at an obscure point at 42.2819, -118.3588
Make a hairpin right turn at 42.2622, -118.3870
Park near a locked gate at 42.2619, -118.3895
Hike up the road for just over a mile and turn left at the saddle away from the radio installation. A short rock scramble is required here to get up to the broad mesa that is Buckskin Mountain.
Elevation gain is 700 feet.
Turn east off of Fields-Denio Road at 42.1606, -118.6033 onto Whitehorse Ranch Lane.
Turn off of that onto an unmarked road at 42.3111, -118.2625
Go past the right turn to Willow Creek Hot Springs to turn left at 42.2769, -118.2624
Park at 42.2463, -118.2392
From here it is cross country 3.6 miles round trip with 1400 feet of elevation gain.
Pueblo Mountain with 4x4.
Turn off of the Fields-Denio Road at 42.1447, -118.6038.
Make a sharp left at 42.1346, -118.6350.
Stop driving a start walking at 42.0996, -118.6686.
From that last point it is about 2.2 miles round trip with 2200 feet of elevation gain. It is steep, but not technical at all. Route is obvious, but a GPS is always helpful.
1.5 miles, +690 ft
The trailhead can be reached from either the Bernice exit on I-15, or the Galen exit on I-90 south of Deer Lodge. Both roads are suitable for all vehicles. These instructions are from I-90.