THE BOULDER CLIMB BEFORE THE SHIELS AND IRONSIDE MINE AREA IS SUBSTANTIALLY HARDER THAN THE REST OF THE ROAD: the county says it takes a modified rig with at least 33-inch tires and one locker. Stock vehicles should turn around below it. Where the climb is: verify with Jefferson County (406-225-4158); AGF estimates it about 1.4 miles before AGF's 2017 turnaround (roughly track mile 7.1). Source: Jefferson County Road & Bridge Supervisor (Bear Taylor), email to AGF, Oct. 13, 2026 (3:05 pm) (official, written). THE UPPER END IS PRIVATE LAND, AND BIG GAME WINTER RANGE IS CLOSED TO MOTOR VEHICLES IN WINTER. AGF's turnaround (track mile 8.6) is on a private inholding: Forest Service ownership data classifies it as non-Forest Service land and BLM land-status data (limited scale) shows private. FSR 86 is a Forest Service road through it, but the land, structures and pond are not public. Turn around on the road, and stay out of structures, mine workings and the pond area. Whether a public easement covers the road there: verify. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Plan says: "Big game winter range is closed to motorized activities in winter." The county says its road has no seasonal restrictions; whether the winter-range closure applies to the FS-numbered part of this road: verify, with the dates and any gate, with the Butte Ranger District (406-494-2147). County road: Jefferson County says, "Little Boulder Rd is a county road in its entirety." It "begins at the intersection with the Whitetail Rd and continues approximately 9.9 miles to the area of the Shields and Ironside Mine" (the county's first email spelled it "Shields"; its later email spells it "Shiels" and says the first spelling was a typo; "Shiels" is also the name on AGF's 2017 track). The county says "The exact terminus is not really clear, but there are signs or a gate in the general area." AGF's 2017 turnaround (about FS MP 10.4) is about 0.5–0.6 mile past the county's approximate 9.9-mile terminus, on a private inholding: obey any sign or gate there. It also says: "There are no seasonal restrictions, and it is open to the public, but the weather generally prevents travel later into the winter." The county adds, "We have many roads in our county that have a Forest Service designation number but are county roads." The Forest Service inventory still lists FS jurisdiction and FS as primary maintainer on FSR 86 from MP 2.45, which conflicts with the county: which agency governs the upper road: verify. Source: Jefferson County Road & Bridge Supervisor (Bear Taylor), email to AGF, Oct. 13, 2026 (official, written). BLM land-status data (limited scale) shows private land toward Boulder: stay on the road. Steep climb: the county says, "At about the 9-mile mark, there is a steep climb with large boulders that is only passible by atv, dirt bike, SXS, or modified high clearance 4x4." In a later email it adds: "No, the obstacle is prior to the Shiels and Ironside mine." and "A modified rig with min 33" tires and at least 1 locker should be able to make it with a competent driver. I've seen others do it with less, but they definitely had some body damage." AGF estimates the climb at about 1.4 miles (roughly 1–2 miles) before AGF's 2017 turnaround; its exact location: verify. Do not attempt it in a stock vehicle: turn around below it. MVUM: a 2023 copy of the MVUM data lists FSR 86 Little Boulder, MP 2.85–12.2, as "Special Designation, Yearlong": open all year to passenger cars, high-clearance vehicles, trucks, ATVs and motorcycles (2023 MVUM copy; 2026 MVUM: verify). Where the road is a county road, state and county rules, not the MVUM, decide whether non-street-legal ATVs may use it: verify with Jefferson County. Side-by-sides wider than 50 inches are not listed (2023 MVUM copy): verify. Its mileposts differ from the road inventory's (MP 2.45–11.8): verify. The Forest Service's live MVUM data has no Beaverhead-Deerlodge roads, and the forest posts no MVUM for this area online. The 2023 MVUM shows no winter date, but the Forest Plan winter-range closure above may still apply: verify with the Butte Ranger District. Forks toward the Eureka Mine are non-system routes ("FS Road 8675" is not in the Forest Service road inventory) and are excluded: do not drive them. onX (third party): "Body damage possible for wide vehicles," with "a very loose and tight section" on a steeper climb partway along. An Aug. 19, 2023 onX report (third party) said "Temporarily Closed" after a weather event; no later report was found. Check the current MVUM and land-manager rules before you go: official closures, posted signs and private property override this guide. Call the Butte Ranger District (406-494-2147) before you go, and read Know Before You Go.