Archibald Loop
Archibald Loop is a 7.3 miles snow trail in Lolo National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly developed. It is open to snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Lolo 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 | 47.1794, -113.5300 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 47.1794, -113.5300 · 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
| Length | 7.3 miles |
| Trail class | 4, highly developed |
| Type | snow trail |
| Surface | snow |
| Typical tread width | over 120 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | SNO-63.08-B |
| Forest | Lolo National Forest (unit 0116) |
| 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
| Snowmobile | Allowed 12/01 to 04/30 (month/day) |
| Snowshoeing | Allowed year-round |
| Cross-country skiing | Allowed year-round |
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
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
- WildfireCamp Creek
28 mi from the trail midpoint · 9,725 acres · 99% contained
- PrescribedBison Range Br2F Rx
33 mi from the trail midpoint
- WildfireSilvertip
47 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,280 acres · 99% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Archibald Loop?
7.3 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Lolo National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Archibald Loop?
snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Archibald Loop start?
The line begins at 47.1794, -113.5300 and ends at 47.1794, -113.5300. 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 Archibald 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 Archibald Loop?
Seeley Lake Lolo Campground (0.7 mi), River Point Lolo Campground (0.9 mi) and Double Arrow Lookout (1 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Archibald Loop?
Trail class 4, which the Forest Service describes as highly 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 Archibald Loop?
The typical tread is over 120 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Archibald Loop?
Lolo National Forest, Forest Service unit 0116. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Archibald Loop?
3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Camp Creek at 28 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named ARCHIBALD LOOP in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0116. 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.