Have You Seen This Hidden Gem Near Missoula?
- Montana's Bitterroot Valley Is Home To Horsehead Arch
- Horsehead Arch is about 160 feet high around 60 feet long
- Total hike is around 10 miles round trip
Horsehead Arch, A Hidden Gem In Montana
Horsehead Arch is nestled high up on the Bitterroot Mountains. The Travel has a nice write up on it.
According to The Travel, Horsehead Arch is made from granite, making it unique amongst natural arches all over the world. For example, at Arches National Park in Utah, there are over 2,000 arches made from Entrada Sandstone.
How Do You Get To Horsehead Arch?
I'm going to be honest. It sounds like a challenging hike. It's around 10 miles round trip, and you will be ascending and bushwhacking much of the time.
Don't Miss Montana's Virginia City On Your Trip
The Travel comes through with these good directions:
- Start on Blodgett Canyon Trail
- Follow the trail for around three miles
- There is a bridge where the trail crosses the creek
- Cross the bridge and keep hiking until you come to the boulder/talus field
- You can cross the creek again to head up to the arch OR
- You can NOT cross the creek again and bushwhack the trail. Many hikers choose this option
How Do Arches Like This Form?
From Mountain Project:
"How it formed....arches in granitic rock usually form by a favorable set of joints that allow progressive collapse of blocks once an opening occurs below while maintaining enough rock to be self- supporting. Obviously arches eventually collapse, and one that has evolved to the thinness and apparent delicacy of Horsehead is doomed, perhaps a week from next Tuesday! The final cause of failure will most likely be a bit more ice wedging in cracks, or less likely, an earthquake, which do occur in Montana (1959, near Yellowstone, magnitude 7.1). Or maybe two really stout climbers."\
If you make it up to the arch, snap some shots and send them our way.