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MONTANA 4x4 TRAIL GUIDE · MT-0021

Tizer Lakes (FS 164 and FS 4011)

Forest Roads 164 and 4011 from Four Corners to the lakes · Elkhorn Mountains · near Jefferson City, Montana
3/10AGF Difficulty · Easy · estimate; no record of AGF driving it
~2.8 MIOne way on FS roads from Four Corners (MVUM); about 10.9 mi from MT-282 (onX)
APPROACH: VERIFYNon-FS approach across private and State Trust land
USFSHelena Ranger District
THE ROUGHLY 8-MILE APPROACH FROM MT-282 IS NOT A FOREST SERVICE ROAD. IT CROSSES PRIVATE LAND AND STATE TRUST LAND, AND ITS PUBLIC STATUS IS UNVERIFIED. From MT-282 the route follows Tizer Lake Road and then Prickly Pear Road for roughly 8 miles to Four Corners (onX Trail Revival, secondary: about 2.75 plus 5.25 miles). FS 164 begins on the Forest Service MVUM at about MP 4.5 in one data set and MP 5.0 (Four Corners) in the other, and runs to MP 6.6; the road below that is not in the Forest Service road inventory, so it is not a Forest Service road. onX (secondary) says, "Prickly Pear Road goes through private land, but there is a designated route to access Tizer Lake," and an onX Trail Revival post (secondary) placed its meeting point "Roughly 2 3/4 miles down Tizer Lake Rd on MT State Trust Land". Whether the approach is a dedicated county road or a DNRC-signed open road is unverified: verify with the Jefferson County Road Department (406-225-4158) and Montana DNRC (phone: verify) before you go. Montana DNRC lists as open on trust land "public roads (federal, state, and dedicated county roads)" and says: "Closed: All other roads unless signed otherwise by DNRC." DNRC also says, "A license is required to recreate on Montana trust land" (a Conservation License). Stay on the road; do not stop, camp or turn off on private or trust land. LAND STATUS AT THE LAKES IS UNRESOLVED. FS ownership data shows the FS 4011 road end as Forest Service land, but BLM land-status data (limited scale) shows it as private. Verify with the Helena Ranger District (406-449-5201) before you stop or camp there; this guide gives no camping advice. Stay on the road and at the road end. FS 164 and FS 4011 Tizer Lakes are "Roads open to all Vehicles, Yearlong" (live FS MVUM data); there is no MVUM seasonal date, and snow and runoff set the practical season. Water and snow: onX (secondary) says "there are several water crossings, most of which are just under 12 inches deep" and a June 7, 2025 onX report says, "Towards the top snow on trail and quite a few water crossings that are fairly deep." Deep snow stopped vehicles on May 29, 2024 and March 28, 2025 (onX reports, secondary). Crossings run deeper during runoff. Downed trees: the Helena-Lewis and Clark alert "December Windstorm Creates Hazards across the Forest" (Dec. 17, 2025) was still listed on Oct. 12, 2026. Carry a saw. Not on this route: the Bullock Hill loop (see the Tizer Basin Loop guide). FS 164's and FS 4011's vehicle class and dates come from the Forest Service's live MVUM data (EDW, read Oct. 12, 2026); the Elkhorns MVUM PDF table could not be read for these roads: check the current MVUM before you go. Official closures, posted signs and private property override this guide. Call the Helena Ranger District (406-449-5201) and the Jefferson County Road Department (406-225-4158) before you go, and read Know Before You Go.
NO RECORD OF AGF DRIVING TIZER LAKES. THIS 3/10 IS AN ESTIMATE FROM OFFICIAL AND SECONDARY SOURCES. No record of AGF driving this route (AGF Verified: NO). AGF's GPS archive has no track on this route (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

Four Corners to the Tizer Lakes Road End

From Four Corners, FS 164 Prickly Pear southeast 1.67 miles to FS 4011, then FS 4011 Tizer Lakes 1.17 miles to its end near the lakes, and back the same way: about 2.8 miles one way on Forest Service roads (live FS MVUM data). With the roughly 8-mile approach from MT-282, onX (secondary) lists 10.9 miles one way. FS 4011 is a designated road to the road end near the lakes (live FS MVUM data). The Tizer Basin Loop guide shares the same approach.

NOT INCLUDED: the approach below Four Corners (approach only; status unverified), the Bullock Hill loop (its own guide), anything beyond the FS 4011 road end, camping at the lakes (land status unresolved), and any private or trust land off the road.
WHY 3/10

Easy · Rocky, Rutted Road with Water Crossings

NO RECORD OF AGF DRIVING THIS ROUTE: the 3/10 is AGF's estimate, not an AGF run. AGF rates a trail by its hardest unavoidable obstacle in normal dry conditions. onX (secondary, rated 3) says, "This is a loose, rocky, rutted road with rock-bottomed mud holes and water crossings," and that "the majority of the trail contains large rocks and loose gravel"; a Sept. 28, 2024 report says, "The trail is similar to driving in a creek bed." No locker- or winch-level obstacle is documented. Water depth during runoff, mud, snow and deadfall are condition changes, not part of the base rating.

Rock
3/5
Mud
4/5
Water
3/5
Exposure
1/5
Snow
4/5
Pinstriping
4/5

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

ROUTE & MAP

Getting There

onX (secondary): "Starting from Montana Highway 282, you will take the bend onto Tizer Lake Road, which leads to Prickly Pear Road." The turn on MT-282: verify. Follow Tizer Lake Road and Prickly Pear Road (not Forest Service roads; status unverified) roughly 8 miles to Four Corners, about 46.3429, -111.8920. Continue southeast on FS 164 about 1.67 miles to the FS 4011 junction (about 46.3244, -111.8828), then FS 4011 about 1.17 miles to its end (about 46.3112, -111.8912; live FS MVUM data). FWP places Lower Tizer Lake at 46.31331, -111.88782, about 350 m from the road end (AGF estimate). Return the same way.

LOADING MAP…
Helena-Lewis and Clark alerts →DNRC trust land rules →ROUTE FILE: not published yet

The pin marks the end of FS 4011 near the lakes, where vehicles stop (live FS MVUM data; not field-checked). FS ownership data shows Forest Service land there, but BLM land-status data shows private land: verify. No downloadable track is published.

VEHICLE FIT

Rig Requirements

Stock 4x4
Yes
High clearance
Required
Tires
31-inch minimum
Rear locker
No
Front locker
No
Winch
Recommended (AGF record: water crossings and mud recovery); no winch-level obstacle is documented
Full-size
Limited
Body damage
Moderate risk

A stock high-clearance 4x4 on good all-terrain tires, with a full-size spare, rated recovery points, a saw, a radio and offline maps; carry water-crossing and mud-recovery gear, and a winch or capable partner is recommended (AGF record). Wide and long vehicles face tight forest tread, rock-bottomed mud holes, water crossings, brush and limited passing or turnaround room; shorter, narrower rigs are preferred (AGF record).

TRIP PLANNING

Know Before You Go

Season
No MVUM seasonal date (all vehicles yearlong; live FS MVUM data); snow and runoff limit it. Practical window about late June–October (AGF research estimate; verify)
Typical trip
Full day (AGF record estimate)
Camping
Verify: land status at the lakes is unresolved (FS vs. BLM data)
Trailer parking
Verify
Turnaround
Limited (AGF record)
  • 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).
  • Food storage: the Helena-Lewis and Clark alerts page lists the NCDE Food and Wildlife Attractant Storage Order (R1-2023-02), which likely does not cover the Elkhorn Mountains; whether the Elkhorn Mountains are inside its area: verify. Store food bear-safe regardless.
  • No Helena-Lewis and Clark alert named Tizer on Oct. 12, 2026 (fire danger Moderate). Recheck before you go.
  • Contacts: Helena Ranger District (406-449-5201), 2880 Skyway Dr., Helena (FS 164, FS 4011, land status at the road end); Jefferson County Road Department (406-225-4158) and Montana DNRC (phone: verify) for the approach.
SOURCES

Sources & Review

Last reviewed Oct. 12, 2026. No alert names the route, but the roughly 8-mile approach is not a Forest Service road, crosses private and State Trust land, and has an unverified public status, and land status at the lakes is unresolved. There is no record of AGF driving to Tizer Lakes; the 3/10 is an 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.