Hey everyone!

If you’ve ever tried to visit the Crazy Mountains, you know the name isn’t just about the rugged peaks or the wild weather—it’s about the ridiculous patchwork of land ownership that makes getting there feel like playing real-life Minesweeper. One minute you’re on public land, the next you’ve accidentally wandered onto a private inholding with more “No Trespassing” signs than trail markers. It’s less of a hike and more of a chess match, where every move requires checking a map, a GPS, and possibly your moral compass. They say the mountains drive people mad—turns out it’s the access routes that’ll do it.

After many years of wanting to visit, a last-minute itinerary change finally created an opening for us. We didn’t know exactly where we wanted to go, so I opened up CalTopo and started exploring trailheads and maps, looking for relatively easy access since my foot was still recovering from our Shoshone Lake trip the previous month.

After a bit of scouting, we decided on hiking from the Porcupine Ranger Station to Campfire Lake. If we felt up for it, there was a loop we could take back to the car, but we agreed to make that call once we got to camp.

It took a few hours to reach the trailhead from home, so by the time we started hiking it was already getting warm. The trail wound through the trees for the first few miles, and we happily took advantage of the shade.

Eventually, we climbed out of the forest and could see the Bridgers to the west and Paradise Valley stretching out to the south. As we gained elevation, the heat intensified and the shade disappeared entirely.

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By the time we reached the pass and got our first view of the lake, the breeze felt like a reward from the mountain gods themselves. 

We couldn’t linger long, though—a determined mountain goat had zeroed in on our position, apparently eager to mine whatever salt we’d left behind through sweat or... less glamorous means. Since both our groups had dogs, we moved along quickly and crossed a lingering snowfield on the east side of the pass on our way down to the lake.

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The next challenge was finding a tent spot that wasn’t on rocks, snow, or private land—easier said than done. After a few passes through the krummholz, we managed to find a couple of decent sites. We ate dinner by the lake, took in the sunset, and called it an early night.

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That peace didn’t last long. Around midnight I woke up to the sound of goats wandering through camp. We’d hung or packed away anything sweaty before bed—a smart move, since the group of eight or nine goats would’ve happily turned my salt-stained shirt into a midnight snack.

The next morning brought a light breeze on the lake—just enough to keep the reflections crisp and the bugs away. After breakfast, we decided to stay put for the day since my feet were in rough shape, but I felt good enough to explore. According to the map, there were a couple of smaller ponds south of the lake, so we meandered over that way, stopping often to admire the wildflowers, which were in full bloom.

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Back at camp, we napped, relaxed, and later made cocktails by the fire while waiting for the sunset—trail life at its finest.

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The following morning we packed up early and backtracked to the car, this time with lighter packs and cooler temps.

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We stopped for lunch at the pass again, soaking in the best views of the trip.

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As more hikers began arriving from both directions, we decided to give them space to enjoy it, too, and made our way down.

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Overall, it was a short but rewarding trip—equal parts peaceful and absurd, which feels about right for the Crazy Mountains. There’s definitely more to explore out there... if you can find your way in.

Trip Report: We covered about 18 miles in 3 days with just under 5,000 ft of elevation.