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MONTANA 4x4 TRAIL GUIDE · MT-0011

Jellison Place to Mount High

Little Belt Mountains · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest · near Harlowton, Montana
4/10AGF Difficulty · Moderate
MOSTLY LOOP31 mi (AGF) or 20.1 mi (onX)
BRUSHYHeavy pinstriping
USFSMusselshell Ranger District (verify)
SEASONAL CLOSURES: SOME NEARBY ROUTES ARE CLOSED NOW, AND MORE CLOSE OCT. 15. The Little Belt Mountains MVUM (2021 edition) puts seasonal dates on routes around Jellison Place and Mount High. Routes J8807, 601, 610, 612 and J6518 are open only Dec. 1–Aug. 31, so they are closed now. Routes J8815, J8815-A, J8815-B and trail 464 close to motor vehicles on Oct. 15, 2026 (J8815 reopens Dec. 1; trail 464 not until July 1), and route 480 (open May 16–Oct. 14) also closes Oct. 15. Other nearby routes have their own dates. AGF has not confirmed which of these route numbers make up the Mount High loop, so part of the loop may be closed today and more of it may close Oct. 15. AGF has also not confirmed on the MVUM that every loop segment is open to full-size vehicles rather than limited to 50-inch vehicles. Riding a seasonally closed route is a violation. The MVUM governs: routes not shown on it are closed to motor vehicles, some open routes may be unsigned, and routes can be closed temporarily at any time. Check every route number on the current MVUM and call the Musselshell Ranger District ((406) 632-4391; the Jellison Place page lists the Supervisor's Office, 406-449-5201) before you go. Do not substitute the Jellison Haymaker Jeep Trail or Haymaker Narrows (a 50-inch trail, per onX) for this loop. Since Dec. 17, 2025 a Forest Service windstorm alert has named the Little Belts and Jellison Place: expect numerous trees across roads and weakened trees that may fall. Carry a saw. The approach from Harlowton crosses ranch country, and public access on Lode Road and Jellison Road outside the forest is unconfirmed: stay on the road, leave gates as you find them and respect posted land. Read Know Before You Go.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS

Jellison Place to Mount High

The mostly-loop route AGF ran on June 24, 2023, from Jellison Place up to Mount High in the Little Belts. AGF's record gives about 31 miles; onX (secondary) lists the Mount High route at 20.1 miles. The difference is unresolved, and the 2023 loop has not been matched to current MVUM route numbers.

NOT INCLUDED: the Jellison Haymaker Jeep Trail (the left fork past the camp area, per onX), Haymaker Narrows, and any side trip not shown open on the current MVUM.
WHY 4/10

Moderate · Rock Steps and Brush

AGF rates a trail by its hardest unavoidable obstacle in normal dry conditions. AGF's June 24, 2023 run found small-to-medium rock step-ups, rocky terrain, stream crossings that may run about 18 inches during runoff, heavy brush and pinstriping, and mud and large puddles after heavy rain. onX (secondary) also rates Mount High 4 and reports loose sharp rock, steep sections and obstacles up to about 18 inches. Snow and runoff make it harder.

Rock
3/5
Mud
3/5
Water
3/5
Exposure
2/5
Snow
4/5
Pinstriping
5/5

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

ROUTE & MAP

Getting There

Official directions were not found. onX (secondary): from Harlowton, go west about 1 mile on US-12 to Lode Road, follow Lode Road to Jellison Road, and take the right fork at its end (High Mountain Road) to Jellison Place. Continue on the jeep trail through the camp area; at the next fork go right for Mount High. The left fork is the Jellison Haymaker Jeep Trail, a separate route. Campflare (secondary, likely auto-generated) instead describes County Road 102 north, then Forest Road 382 along Hopley Creek, about 25 miles northwest of Harlowton. Road names and numbers are unverified: confirm them on the current Little Belt MVUM.

LOADING MAP…
Helena-Lewis and Clark alerts →Little Belt MVUM →ROUTE FILE: not published yet

The pin marks AGF's 2023 start and meetup point at Jellison Place (AGF record; Campendium, secondary, gives the same spot). The Forest Service lists Jellison Place at a different point (46.66568, -110.05524); confirm the staging area. No downloadable track is published: AGF's June 24, 2023 GPS track was not recovered.

VEHICLE FIT

Rig Requirements

Stock 4x4
Yes
High clearance
Recommended
Tires
Stock / good A/T or better
Rear locker
No
Front locker
No
Winch
No
Full-size
Unconfirmed per segment; brush caution
Body damage
Moderate risk

Stock or lightly modified 4x4s are fine in normal conditions. Good A/T tires and a full-size spare are strongly recommended; carry recovery gear and a saw. Longer and wider rigs should expect brush, narrow timber, paint contact and careful line choice on rock steps.

TRIP PLANNING

Know Before You Go

Season
Summer through fall; snow and runoff dependent; MVUM dates vary by route (see warning)
Typical trip
5–7 hours, full day (AGF record)
Camping
Jellison Place: dispersed camp area, not a campground (USFS)
Trailer parking
Staging near Jellison Place reported; verify
Turnaround
Pullouts and loop junctions; verify conditions
  • Bear country: the Forest Service Jellison Place page says food storage is mandatory. Order R1-2023-02 is likely the governing order (verify its map).
  • Jellison Place has a vault toilet and no potable water; bring all you need. There is no cell service in the area (onX).
  • Snow: an onX user reported deep snow blocking the route past the Six Shooter Jeep Trail fork on May 24, 2026 (secondary), and spring and fall snowstorms are possible.
  • The 2022 Jellison Fire burned about 5 acres roughly 1.5 miles north of Jellison Place; watch for snags (historical, not active).
  • The Haymaker WMA appears on the MVUM near Mount High and has its own rules; check with Montana FWP.
  • No 2026 report of the route being open was found; the last one is an onX user report from July 5, 2025 (secondary).
SOURCES

Sources & Review

Last reviewed Oct. 8, 2026. Nearby MVUM routes are seasonally closed now and more close Oct. 15; which ones form the loop is unconfirmed. AGF last drove it on June 24, 2023.

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.