Looking for a place to do some winter trail running?
If you don’t mind the long drive or if you can take a short detour when you happen to be driving between Three Forks and Butte; consider Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. It is located between Cardwell and Three Forks on highway 2 along the Jefferson River.
Lewis and Clark Caverns, Lower Visitor Center Parking Lot
This area of the valley typically gets very little snow. Up until this past weekend, it has been mostly snow free.
View of Valley from Lewis and Clark Caverns Trail System
If you do the main loop starting at the lower visitor center then up to the caverns and back down it is about 7.5 miles with 1000 feet of elevation gain and loss. If that is not long enough, and you don’t mind repeating certain sections of the trail, you can add some variations on the main loop for increased distance.
Bridger Ridge Run 
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The SNOTRS runners are going out there the next 2 Saturdays.
copy from schedule
March 24, 8:00 8:00 at I90 rest area on North 19th. Drive out to Lewis and Clark Caverns. Run the trails. (Lunch in Three Forks?)
March 31. 8:00 Lindley Park carpool to Bear Trap Canyon for 9:00 trail head meet up and run to the dam.
Anyone is welcome to join us.
I did the Lewis And Clark Caverns as a hike last summer. It’s slightly tricky to find one’s way around (there’s a strange road crossing, with trail picking back up under a bridge), but absolutely beautiful down there.
You are right Cody,
There are a couple tricky sections where the trail encounters parking lots and roads. This requires a bit of exploring to pick up the trail again, especially if it is your first time.
Near the top, the East Side trail crosses the road by using a tunnel underneath the road. The trail parallels the road on the east side of the road between the tunnel and the picnic area. The trail is very shady near the picnic area and was covered in some ice this winter making it even trickier than usual.
Thanks for your comment.