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this gravel road west
for approximately 14
miles to Half Moon
Campground, where
the Big Timber
Creek trailhead is
located. Cottonwood
Creek Road begins
roughly 0.5 mile
north of Clyde Park
and parallels Cotton-
wood Creek for 12 miles before reaching the Ibex Guard Station
junction. The main road continues to the right for another three
miles to its conclusion at the Cottonwood Lake trailhead.
One of the most popular destinations in the Crazies, Cot-
tonwood Lake can be approached as an out-and-back day
hike, 12 miles in length, or as an overnight backpacking trip.
This challenging trail ultimately climbs 2,000 feet to Cotton-
wood Lake (8,945 feet). Campsites are available at the lake,
and fishermen will be delighted to know that it harbors a good
population of cutthroat trout. If time permits, Grasshopper
Glacier is accessible from Cottonwood Lake via a difficult,
but not technical, ascent. Nestled against the north/south
crest of the Crazies, Grasshopper Glacier offers excellent
views of Crazy Peak
and the Big Timber
Creek drainage,
which is chockful of
alpine lakes.
The Big Timber
Creek Trail, which
starts at Half Moon
Campground, pro-
vides access to this
densely concen-
trated group of lakes. A popular route follows the trail west
for 2.8 miles to its junction with the Blue Lake Trail and the
latter path for 1.2 miles to its terminus at Blue Lake (8,282
feet), which neighbors Granite and Thunder Lakes. From
Blue Lake, Druckmiller and Pear Lakes are inviting off-trail
destinations, ones closer to the crest of the Crazies. Another
option follows Big Timber Creek Trail for 4.2 miles to Twin
Lakes and, if desired, another 3.4 miles to Glacier Lake, from
which the Sweet Grass Trail takes hikers to points farther
north in the Crazies.
The grandeur and rugged topography of this mountain
range are self-evident. However, first-time visitors should
approach the Crazies with great respect, both for the weather
