← ALL MONTANA 4x4 TRAILS
Four-wheel-drive Toyota traveling the rocky Ringing Rocks access road through a forest
MONTANA 4x4 TRAIL GUIDE · MT-0001

Ringing Rocks

Standard BLM access · near Butte, Montana
3/10AGF Difficulty · Easy
HIGHClearance required (BLM)
OUT & BACKRoute type
BLMButte Field Office
CHECK BEFORE YOU GO. BLM rebuilt this road in 2025: two sections between mileposts 1.48 and 4.32 were realigned and the surface, shoulders and drainage were improved. AGF has confirmed the route still follows the same road, but AGF's track was recorded before the work: through that stretch, if the signed road and the track differ, follow the signed road. Posted signs, BLM travel rules and closures always override this guide. Check the BLM Ringing Rocks page, call the Butte Field Office at 406-533-7600, and read Know Before You Go.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS

Standard Access Only

A scenic high-clearance drive on BLM land to the Ringing Rocks, a field of boulders that ring like metal when struck. In normal dry conditions the signed standard access is appropriate for a stock high-clearance 4x4.

NOT INCLUDED: the technical Pipestone and Hard Way routes (listed separately as MT-0002, coming soon), and the narrow Ringing Rocks Trail segments, which are limited to vehicles 50 inches wide or less.
WHY 3/10

Easy · High Clearance

AGF rates a trail by its hardest unavoidable obstacle in normal dry conditions. The standard road is not technical, but BLM states a high-clearance vehicle is necessary. The score does not inherit difficulty from the harder Pipestone and Hard Way variants nearby.

Rock
1/5
Mud
1/5
Water
0/5
Exposure
1/5
Snow
2/5
Pinstriping
1/5

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

ROUTE & MAP

Getting There

BLM directions: Take I-90 Exit 241 (Pipestone). Travel east on the gravel road that parallels the interstate for about three-quarters of a mile, turn north on a gravel road, cross the railroad tracks, and continue north about 3.5 miles.

LOADING MAP…
BLM Ringing Rocks page → ROUTE FILE: unavailable right now

The red line is AGF's own GPS track from I-90 Exit 241 to the rocks, about 4.9 miles one way (main line recorded Oct. 13, 2019; short gaps filled from 2023 and 2024 drives). The pin marks BLM's site location. The track predates BLM's 2025 work between mileposts 1.48 and 4.32; AGF confirms the route is unchanged, but follow the signed road wherever they differ. The track does not establish legal access, and it does not include the narrow Ringing Rocks Trail segments.

VEHICLE FIT

Rig Requirements

Stock 4x4
Yes
High clearance
Required (BLM)
Tires
Stock, in good condition
Lockers
Not required
Winch
Not required
Full-size
Generally suitable
Crossovers
Not recommended
Body damage
Low risk in normal conditions
TRIP PLANNING

Know Before You Go

Season
Not yet verified. Check with BLM before travel.
Typical trip
Half day
Fee
None (BLM)
Camping
Limited
Trailer parking
Yes
Turnaround
Available
  • Carry a full-size spare, water and an offline map.
  • Check BLM status before you leave.
  • Stay on the designated road. The rocks sit in the Ringing Rocks Area of Critical Environmental Concern.
PHOTOS

At the Rocks

Gallery photos: Alyse Backus / Bureau of Land Management, public domain. The hero photo is AGF's own. Photos show the site and are not a record of current road conditions.

SOURCES

Sources & Review

Last reviewed Oct. 8, 2026. BLM's page showed no current closure notice. AGF confirmed the route is unchanged; current surface and weather conditions are not verified.

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.