STILLWATER COUNTY — Nearly 1,000 feet of damaged trail along the Stillwater Trail in Stillwater County is being repaired, four years after historic floodwaters tore through the area and damaged much of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
Located about 90 minutes from Billings, the Stillwater Trail is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts of all abilities, as it has led to Sioux Charley Lake for years.
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The flooding in June of 2022 left the trail unrecognizable and cut off that direct access to Sioux Charley Lake. Since then, hikers have been rerouted to the Bypass Trail. That is now set to change as repair work gets underway.
"Yeah, I think it's amazing that they're just able to kind of get it back to normal," Park City resident Kinley Bray said Thursday afternoon.
Bray and her friend Paiton Peck were fishing in the area on Thursday. Both said they spend lots of time in the area exploring.
"I mostly come out here with my dad," Bray said. "We like looking at bighorn sheep out here."
"I spend a lot time outside in the summer, just hiking and enjoying nature," Peck said. "Sometimes life can be stressful, but being outside in nature is peaceful."
Peck said he was excited to hear that the trail, which is popular for families as a shorter and easier hike, is now being restored.
"They probably had a lot of other bigger issues to deal with before getting to these trails, but that they're out here working on it and they're figuring it out is good," Peck said.
Allie Wood, wilderness and trails manager for the U.S. Forest Service, said she understands how important the trail is to visitors.
"It's a gorgeous trail. It's a gorgeous experience," Wood said. "It's popular because people want to come and enjoy this kind of dramatic scenery."
Wood said the Forest Service is asking hikers not to use the trail while work begins.
"It wasn't just the Beartooth ranger district but we did take the brunt of it," Wood said. "We're asking people to give us enough space to evaluate what's going on and repair."
Wood said the repairs are being designed with the historic flooding in mind, built above the normal high water mark to reduce the risk of future damage.
"We want to make sure we're just not doing something that could get ripped out again," Wood said.
The Forest Service has not announced a timeline for when the work will be complete, as repairs to other trails and facilities in the area continue to be made.
Related:
Road into Stillwater Mine, Woodbine Campground to reopen
Road closures announced in Montana for flooding
