Hunt Mountain Road is a rough dirt route across the backbone of the northern Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming, running between roughly 9,000 and 10,000 feet. It leaves the high country near U.S. 14A and traverses open alpine ridge with long views, south across the Bighorns and, on clear days, west to the Absaroka Range near Yellowstone.
This is a high, exposed mountain road for dry summer weather only. Snow blocks it most of the year, and there are no services anywhere near it.
The road sits above treeline, fully exposed to lightning and fast-moving alpine storms. The surface is rough and narrow, and snow blocks it for most of the year. There are no services and no cell coverage. Carry warm layers, recovery gear, and a way to navigate offline, and turn back if weather builds.
| Agency | U.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Nearest town | Lovell, Wyoming |
| Closed | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May |
Hunt Mountain Road leaves the high country near U.S. 14A, the highway that crosses the northern Bighorn Mountains between Lovell and Burgess Junction. The turnoff and the route are best confirmed on a current Bighorn National Forest map, since the high roads here are rough and lightly signed. The road runs along the alpine ridge before descending.
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The road climbs onto the high tableland of the northern Bighorn Mountains, the open country above treeline near Bald Mountain and the Medicine Wheel. It runs along the range's spine between about 9,000 and 10,000 feet, giving views south down the length of the Bighorns and, on clear days, west to the Absaroka peaks at the edge of Yellowstone. The Bighorn National Forest manages it, and access is from the high country off U.S. 14A, the paved highway across the northern range.
Hunt Mountain Road is a rough, narrow dirt lane rather than a graded byway. It holds snow late and is drivable only in the short alpine summer, roughly July through September. A high-clearance vehicle is the right tool. The country is open and exposed, so weather and lightning are real considerations at this elevation. Confirm the route and current conditions on a current Forest Service map before committing, since the high roads here branch and are lightly signed.
Dispersed camping is allowed on much of the surrounding national forest, and there are developed campgrounds along U.S. 14A. There are no services on the road itself, and nights are cold and exposed at this elevation.
Fuel and water are in Lovell to the west and Sheridan to the east, on the highways below the range. There is none on the road.
The Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark and the Medicine Wheel Passage scenic byway lie in the same high country off U.S. 14A. Lovell anchors the western approach near Bighorn Canyon, and Sheridan sits at the eastern base of the range.