Parking
West Fork Trailhead, shared with West Fork Trail. From US 212 just north of Red Lodge, turn west onto West Fork Road and follow signs, staying left. The drive is about 10 miles from the turnoff; the final 5.5 miles are unpaved.
Overview
About Camp Senia Trail #16
Why go
- A signed route to Red Lodge Creek Plateau and the Trail #14 junction.
- Connects with routes toward Crow Lake, Sylvan Lake and East Rosebud.
Heads up
- Seven miles is one-way; walking back to the same trailhead makes it about 14.
- The final 5.5 miles of access road are unpaved, and winter car access closes seasonally.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Beartooth Highway map
Full mapElevation7,920–10,135 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
1 active Beartooth Highway alert
- ClosureBeartooth Highway seasonal closure and falling-rock advisoryBeartooth Highway (US-212) is closed for the season between Cooke City and Red Lodge; do not plan to travel the highway as a through route.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Beartooth Highway Tour Guide
Your drive to Camp Senia Trail #16, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Beartooth Highway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Beartooth Highway audio tour- 62 audio storiesacross Beartooth Highway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Gray Wolf, Bison, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 82 trails, 36 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
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Trail guide
Hiking Camp Senia Trail #16
The full Trail #16Camp Senia Trail 16 is a seven-mile one-way hike from West Fork Trailhead to the Red Lodge…
Camp Senia Trail #16 is a seven-mile one-way hike from West Fork Trailhead to the Red Lodge Creek Trail #14 junction on Red Lodge Creek Plateau. The Forest Service lists about 2,000 feet of elevation change and describes a trail surface made mostly of natural ground. It is a long high-country climb, not a quick walk to an overlook.
Find the signed branchThe trail shares the West Fork Trailhead.
The trail shares the West Fork Trailhead. Walk up West Fork Trail about 40 feet, then take the signed right-hand branch onto Camp Senia. The route climbs to Red Lodge Creek Plateau and continues to the #14 junction. Connections toward Crow Lake, Sylvan Lake and East Rosebud continue beyond that junction and add their own miles; they are not part of this seven-mile segment.
Pick a turnaround that fitsThe seven miles are one way.
The seven miles are one way. Walking back to West Fork Trailhead makes a roughly 14-mile day, with the long climb on the way out and a long descent back. Allow around five hours to reach the junction and most of a day for the return; those are practical estimates because no official hiking time is posted. The plateau is not the end of Trail #16 if you intend to hike the complete segment.
Reach the trailheadFrom US 212 just north of Red Lodge, turn west onto West Fork Road and follow the signs,…
From US 212 just north of Red Lodge, turn west onto West Fork Road and follow the signs, staying left to West Fork Trailhead. The drive is about 10 miles from the turnoff, with the final 5.5 miles unpaved. West Fork Road closes to vehicles Dec 2–Apr 14, when the trailhead is inaccessible by car. This route enters the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness; check current access and wilderness rules. The route information does not state a dog policy, so confirm with the Beartooth Ranger District before bringing a pet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Beartooth Highway
42 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
22 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
49 sightingsBisonMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
122 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
260 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
16 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Beartooth Highway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
