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Make sure you get the right camping gear when visiting
the Crazy Mountains. Visit our Camping
Gear Section for detailed shopping and product information
about Tents,
Sleeping
Bags, Backpacks,
Backpacking
Stoves and other camping gear.
 The
Crazy Mountains are one of the more impressive mountain ranges
in Montana. Lying at the western edge of the vast Montana
prairie, these mountains rise sharply and steeply, towering
more than 6000 vertical feet above the prairie below. More
than 20 mountains rise to more than 10,000 feet in elevation.
While the Crazy Mountains resemble more of a island in the
vast Montana prairie, these mountains extend more than 50
miles from north to south and are about fifteen miles in width.
The southern half of the Crazy Mountains has the most dominating
peaks and is essentially roadless. The northern half of the
Crazy Mountains are much lower, rounder and have some roads
that cut through them.
The Crazy Mountains
are very rugged and rocky. Owing to their eastern location
on the edge of the prairie, they are also more arid than other
mountains in Montana. Due to the more arid conditions and
their steep, rugged nature, the Crazy Mountains - despite
being more than 150,000 acres in size - only have a couple
dozen of alpine lakes.
Yet, these lakes
have excellent fishing. Golden trout, brook trout, cutthroat
trout and rainbow trout can all be found in these lakes. Rock
Lake, which lies at the southern base of Conical Peak, is
a popular place for both fishing and camping. It is also one
of the easier hikes in the Crazy Mountains as it has a well-maintained
trail that leads to it.
 The
Crazy Mountains do not have an extensive trail network. Only
one trail runs the length of the Crazy Mountains, with a small
number of trails leading off it to a handful of trailheads
down in the prairie below. The lack of trails keeps the Crazy
Mountains very wild - virtually all of the lakes in the Crazy
Mountains require off-trail hiking across rocky, open and
steep terrain.
Access to the Crazy
Mountains is somewhat difficult, particularly the southern
half of the mountain range, as the Crazies are virtually surrounded
by private property. Only a handful of access roads lead into
the mountains. Due to the difficult access, camping is limited
along the handful of access roads and a couple of designated
campgrounds that exist near the trailheads into the mountains.
The Crazy Mountains
are part of the Gallatin National Forest (south half) and
Lewis and Clark National Forest (north half).
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