General Information
Each day of fishing is spent walking and wading either above or below camp on Boulder Creek and Hellroaring Creek. Every emerald-green pool or undercut bank contains smaller-sized cutthroats that will not hesitate to come up and eat dry flies. The streams, lakes, and rivers Absaroka Beartooth Outfitters target are among the most prolific and beautiful in all of Montana. The fishing locations are extremely remote and pristine, with healthy populations of native cutthroat trout. The fish do not get much angling pressure over the course of a year and are usually very cooperative, eating dry flies regularly.

Generally, basic attractor fly patterns are all that you will need. During the late summer weeks, hopper fishing can be fantastic. The high country is absolutely loaded with aggressive and willing cutthroat. One of the most effective techniques on the stream and in the lakes is to use a dry fly with a bead head nymph dropper. The weather during the summer months is usually very comfortable. Average daytime temperatures range from 60 to 80 degrees. On clear nights the temperatures can range from 20 to 40 degrees, so we suggest that you come prepared for the changing temperatures.

General Trip Itinerary
Day 1
Leave Big Timber and caravan to the Box Canyon Trailhead (2-hour drive). Ride on horseback about 2 hours to the Independence camp. Arrive by mid-afternoon and get settled into camp, fish a little on Boulder Creek, followed by an evening campfire evening, and dinner.

Day 2
After breakfast, pack up and ride 4.5 hours to Hellroaring Creek. Arrive by mid-afternoon and get settled into camp, fish a little on Hellroaring Creek, followed by an evening campfire evening, and dinner.

Day 3, 4, 5
Activities include – Fishing Hellroaring Creek, ride/fish a high elevation lake, etc

Day 6
After breakfast, pack up and ride back about 6 hours out to the Box Canyon Trailhead. Caravan back to Big Timber. Arrive late afternoon. Free to depart.

Boats and Equipment Required
Absaroka Beartooth’s backcountry camps are accessed by horseback, and all horses, wrangling assistance, and guiding are included in each package. The horses and mules used by ABO are well suited to the mountain terrain. They have clocked in many hours in the mountains and are as dependable as horses and mules can be. Previous riding experience is helpful but not required.