ross pass

Trail Description:

Ross Pass sits at the geographic midpoint of the Bridger Range, a broad and easily recognizable saddle that feels like the reward it is once you arrive. The eastern approach from the Middle Fork Brackett trailhead is the most direct route, gaining about 1,000 feet over a little over two miles of trail that moves through fir trees, hop bushes, and wild lupine before opening onto a lush, grassy saddle with sweeping views in every direction. Elk are a regular sighting here. The pass itself is wide enough to spend real time in, and many hikers do, sitting in the grass, watching the clouds move over Ross Peak just to the west, or poking around the surrounding terrain. If you are looking for a half-day hike that feels genuinely alpine without a brutal ascent, Ross Pass delivers. It is the kind of place that makes you want to sit down and stay a while.