Henderson Mountain Road (FS 3223) near Cooke City, Montana | Trail Guide

MONTANA 4x4 TRAIL GUIDE · MT-0048

Henderson Mountain Road (FS 3223)

Forest Road 3223 from Lulu Pass (Fisher Creek) Road · New World mining district · Cooke City, Montana

3/10AGF Difficulty · Easy · provisional estimate; no record of AGF driving it

~2.3 MIOne way on FS 3223 (2023 MVUM copy 2.32; Park County GIS 2.34)

CLOSED DEC 2–JUNE 15FS 3223 open to motor vehicles June 16–Dec. 1 only (2023 MVUM copy; check the 2026 MVUM)

USFSGardiner Ranger District

FS 3223 STARTS ON LULU PASS ROAD, NOT DAISY PASS ROAD. IT IS LISTED AS OPEN TO MOTOR VEHICLES ONLY JUNE 16–DEC. 1, AND THE ROUTE OVER THE MOUNTAIN IS CLOSED TO CARS AND HIGH-CLEARANCE VEHICLES. Henderson Mountain Road is FS 3223. It leaves the county Lulu Pass (Fisher Creek) road about 1.8 miles up from US-212 (Park County 2025 GIS; AGF estimate of the distance). The 2006 Gallatin travel plan names it "HENDERSON MTN. RD # 3223," and the 2023 MVUM copy calls it "CHIMNEY ROCK." onX (secondary) says the road "is accessible from Daisy Pass Road," but onX's own map link is centered on the Lulu Pass Road junction, and the official records show no road open to passenger cars or high-clearance vehicles from Daisy Pass Road to FS 3223: Park County's 2025 GIS and the 2023 MVUM copy show none, and the 2006 plan's Henderson/Daisy connector was closed yearlong to them. Do not start from Daisy Pass Road. FS 3223 is "Special Designation, Seasonal," open June 16–Dec. 1 to highway vehicles, ATVs, motorcycles and other wheeled OHVs, in the 2023 copy; the 2006 plan lists a motorized closure "Dec 2 - Jun 15." In the same 2023 data, OHVs wider than 50 inches (most side-by-sides that are not street-legal) are not listed as allowed: verify on the 2026 MVUM. No through route to Daisy Pass: the 2006 plan lists the "HENDERSON/DAISY CONNECT - NEW" as closed yearlong to passenger cars and high-clearance vehicles, and it is not in the 2023 MVUM road list. onX (secondary) calls the route over the top an "ATV/dirt bike spur." It is excluded from this guide; whether ATVs may use it under the 2026 MVUM: verify. Turn around at the end of FS 3223. Mines: onX (secondary) says the road "leads to an old abandoned mine at the top of the mountain," and the Forest Service's 2012 New World report says, "There are 27 discharging adits in the District." Do not enter adits, shafts or buildings, do not disturb remediation or reclamation features, and do not drink untreated water from mine-affected drainages. The status of the New World mine cleanup: verify. Approach: Park County's 2025 road-maintenance map (county GIS, not the legal road book) shows Lulu Pass Road as county road; the FS 3223 junction is on the upper segment, "Ownership retained, Not Maintained. No routine or scheduled maintenance, not maintained for winter travel." Confirm county status with Park County Road & Bridge (406-222-4137). Snow and avalanches: an avalanche center observation is titled "Henderson Mountain Avalanche" (GNFAC, secondary; title only). Do not drive the road while it is snow-covered. US-212 from Cooke City (Cooke City–Pilot Creek) is open to wheeled vehicles "mid-May through early November" (NPS). NPS (updated Oct. 9, 2026) says the Beartooth Highway over the pass is scheduled to close for the season Oct. 12, 2026. MVUM dates and classes on this page come from a 2023 copy of the Forest Service MVUM layer plus the 2006 Gallatin travel plan, because the Forest Service's live MVUM data has no Gardiner Ranger District roads (checked Oct. 12, 2026): check them against the 2026 MVUM before you go. Official closures, posted signs and private property override this guide. Call the Gardiner Ranger District (406-848-7375) and Park County Road & Bridge (406-222-4137) before you go, and read Know Before You Go.

NO RECORD OF AGF DRIVING HENDERSON MOUNTAIN ROAD. THIS 3/10 IS A PROVISIONAL ESTIMATE FROM OFFICIAL AND SECONDARY SOURCES. No record of AGF driving this route. AGF's GPS tracks pass the FS 3223 junction on Lulu Pass Road, but none shows travel on FS 3223 itself (AGF archive of 274 tracks, checked Oct. 12, 2026). Everything here comes from official sources, plus clearly labeled secondary sources. AGF will re-rate it after an AGF run.

WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS

Lulu Pass Road to the End of FS 3223

FS 3223 from its junction on the county Lulu Pass (Fisher Creek) road to the end of the road below Henderson Mountain, and back the same way: about 2.3 miles one way (2023 MVUM copy 2.32; Park County 2025 GIS 2.34), about 4.7 miles round trip. onX (secondary) lists 2.7 miles; the difference is unexplained. The approach is about 1.8 miles of Lulu Pass Road each way from US-212 (AGF estimate from Park County geometry).

NOT INCLUDED: the ATV/dirt bike route over the mountain toward Daisy Pass (closed to passenger cars and high-clearance vehicles in the 2006 plan), Daisy Pass Road, Lulu Pass Road above the junction, the Henderson Mountain summit, mine workings and reclamation sites, and any private land.

WHY 3/10

Easy · Rutted Shelf Road with V-Notches (Provisional)

NO RECORD OF AGF DRIVING THIS ROUTE: the 3/10 is AGF's provisional estimate, not an AGF run, and it rests on one secondary source. AGF rates a trail by its hardest unavoidable obstacle in normal dry conditions. onX (secondary, rated 3) says, "The trail had a couple of places with deep v-notches and loose gravel that required 4-wheel drive," and calls it "a rutted, single-lane shelf road with loose gravel." AGF assumes onX's route is FS 3223 even though its access description names Daisy Pass Road (see the warning); onX's map link is centered on the FS 3223 junction (45.0442, -109.9125). No locker- or winch-level obstacle is documented. Snow, mud and runoff are condition changes, not part of the base rating.

Rock

3/5

Mud

2/5

Water

0/5

Exposure

3/5

Snow

5/5

Pinstriping

2/5

Snow, mud, runoff, deadfall and fire are condition changes, not part of the base rating.

ROUTE & MAP

Getting There

From Cooke City, drive east on US-212 almost to Colter Pass and turn north onto Lulu Pass Road, the Fisher Creek road (Park County GIS lower end: about 45.0265, -109.9001). Drive about 1.8 miles (AGF estimate) to the FS 3223 junction at about 45.0443, -109.9126 (Park County 2025 GIS), below the FS 3230 Goose Lake turn. Turn left (west) onto FS 3223 and climb about 2.3 miles to the road end below Henderson Mountain (about 45.0534, -109.9423). Return the same way. Signing at the junction: verify.

LOADING MAP…

Custer Gallatin alerts →Absaroka Beartooth East MVUM →ROUTE FILE: not published yet

The pin marks the FS 3223 junction on Lulu Pass Road (Park County 2025 GIS; not field-checked). It is not the summit, which is off the road. The road ends near 45.0534, -109.9423 (same source). No downloadable track is published.

VEHICLE FIT

Rig Requirements

Stock 4x4: Yes — capable stock 4x4 when currently legal/open
High clearance: Recommended
Tires: 31-inch minimum
Rear locker: No
Front locker: No
Winch: Recommended (AGF record: shelf-road recovery margin); no winch-level obstacle is documented
Full-size: Limited
Body damage: Moderate risk

When FS 3223 is open: a capable high-clearance 4x4 on good 31-inch-class A/T tires, with a full-size spare, rated recovery points, offline navigation and normal recovery gear; low range is useful (AGF record). Lockers are not baseline. Single-lane shelf tread, V-notches, loose gravel and limited passing room make shorter, narrower rigs preferable (AGF record). Not for OHVs wider than 50 inches unless the 2026 MVUM allows them.

TRIP PLANNING

Know Before You Go

Season: FS 3223 open to motor vehicles June 16–Dec. 1; closed Dec. 2–June 15 (2023 MVUM copy and 2006 travel plan; check the 2026 MVUM). Snow-free window about mid-July–September (AGF research estimate; verify)
Typical trip: 1–2 hours (AGF record estimate)
Camping: Limited; verify site rules (AGF record)
Trailers: Stage in Cooke City (AGF record)
Turnaround: Limited; at the road end (AGF record); verify

Hunting season: Montana's general deer and elk season runs Oct. 24–Nov. 29, 2026 (FWP). Expect hunters, camps and parked vehicles; wear blaze orange outside the vehicle. Archery season runs to Oct. 18. A youth deer hunt runs Oct. 15–16 (FWP).
Grizzly country: Custer Gallatin food storage order 01-11-00-23-02 applies on the Gardiner and Beartooth Ranger Districts, Mar. 1–Dec. 1.
No Custer Gallatin alert named Henderson, New World or Cooke City on Oct. 12, 2026. Recheck before you go.
Contacts: Gardiner Ranger District (406-848-7375) (FS 3223, the 2026 MVUM and the ATV connector); Park County Road & Bridge (406-222-4137) (Lulu Pass Road).

SOURCES

Sources & Review

MVUM roads, 2023 copy of the FS S_USA.Road_MVUM layer (secondary copy (non-FS host), last edited Aug. 2, 2023; FS 3223 CHIMNEY ROCK, 0–2.32 mi, "Special Designation, Seasonal," 06/16–12/01, ML2, native, Gardiner RD; >50-in OHV classes blank; recheck on the 2026 MVUM)
FS EDW MVUM roads (live) (official; read Oct. 12, 2026; contains no Gardiner Ranger District roads)
Gallatin NF Travel Plan (2006), Cooke City Travel Area table (official FS; "HENDERSON MTN. RD # 3223" motorized closure "Dec 2 - Jun 15"; "HENDERSON/DAISY CONNECT - NEW" passenger car and high clearance closed yearlong; comment "From Fischer Ck. to the mine.")
Absaroka Beartooth East MVUM (2026, PDF) (official map; must be read visually (text extraction does not tie dates to roads))
Park County road-maintenance map (2025, county GIS) (official county GIS, not the legal road book; FS CHIMNEY ROCK, "FEDERAL - USFS", 2.34 mi, from LULU PASS (county; upper segment "Ownership retained, Not Maintained") at about 45.0443, -109.9126 to about 45.0534, -109.9423; pin coordinate)
Montana State Library transportation framework, Agency Roads (state GIS (about 2017), not a legal-status record; USFS CHIMNEY ROCK; Park County 2025 GIS also shows a short "FS HENDERSON VIEW" spur (0.35 mi) that is not in the 2023 MVUM list)
Park County Roads & Bridges (Livingston shop 406-222-4137; County Roads map linked from the page)
onX Offroad: Henderson Mountain Road (secondary (crowd); 2.7 mi; rated 3; says accessible from Daisy Pass Road (conflicts with official maps); ATV/dirt bike spur; mine at the top)
USFS: New World Mining District Response and Restoration Project, 2011 Summary (Jan. 2012) (official; prepared by Tetra Tech for the USFS; "There are 27 discharging adits in the District")
GNFAC: Henderson Mountain Avalanche (secondary (avalanche center); title seen in search results; page not read)
Custer Gallatin NF alerts (checked Oct. 12, 2026; nothing on this route; fire danger Moderate)
Custer Gallatin food storage order 01-11-00-23-02 (Gardiner and Beartooth RDs; Mar. 1–Dec. 1)
Custer Gallatin NF: Gardiner Ranger District (805 Scott St., Gardiner; 406-848-7375)
NPS Yellowstone: park roads (updated Oct. 9, 2026; Beartooth Highway "Scheduled to close for the season Monday, October 12"; Cooke City–Pilot Creek "open to wheeled vehicles mid-May through early November")
Montana FWP: Hunting seasons (2026 deer/elk archery Sept. 5–Oct. 18; youth deer Oct. 15–16; general Oct. 24–Nov. 29)

Last reviewed Oct. 12, 2026. No alert names the road, but FS 3223 is listed as open to motor vehicles only June 16–Dec. 1 (2023 MVUM copy and 2006 travel plan; check the 2026 MVUM), it starts on Lulu Pass Road (not Daisy Pass Road), the route over the mountain is closed to cars and high-clearance vehicles, and the road leads to old mine workings. There is no record of AGF driving Henderson Mountain Road; the 3/10 is a provisional estimate from official and secondary sources.

AGF ratings describe normal, dry-condition difficulty. They do not mean a route is legal, open or passable today. Spot something out of date? Use the Contact page.