Alpine Loop
Alpine Loop is a 5 miles snow trail in Flathead National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Flathead National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 47.9861, -114.3345 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 47.9784, -114.3119 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 5 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | snow trail |
| Surface | snow |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 96-120 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | SNO-29901 |
| Forest | Flathead National Forest (unit 0110) |
| States | Montana |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Snowshoeing | Allowed year-round |
| Cross-country skiing | Allowed 12/01 to 03/31 (month/day) |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedSb Horse Ridge Rx
36 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedSb Silver Mule Rx
37 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedBison Range Br2F Rx
42 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedRx D5 Tree Farm Piles
43 mi from the trail midpoint · 90 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Alpine Loop?
5 miles, the sum of the 3 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Flathead National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Alpine Loop?
snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Alpine Loop start?
The line begins at 47.9861, -114.3345 and ends at 47.9784, -114.3119. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Alpine Loop in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Alpine Loop?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
How developed is the Alpine Loop?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Alpine Loop?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 96-120 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Alpine Loop accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Alpine Loop?
Flathead National Forest, Forest Service unit 0110. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Alpine Loop?
4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Sb Horse Ridge Rx at 36 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named ALPINE LOOP in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0110. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.