Belt Mountain Divide
Belt Mountain Divide Trail is an 11.1-mile trail in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The forest office carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 46.4989° N, 111.2603° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.6039° N, 111.3347° W · 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 | 11.1 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 118 |
| Forest | Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest (unit 0115) |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 06/01 to 12/01 (month/day) |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 06/01 to 10/14 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | Allowed 01/01 to 10/14,12/02-12/31 (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.
Trails nearby
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedKelly Gulch Rx
23 mi from the trail midpoint · 1,550 acres
- PrescribedBeartrap Gulch Rx
23 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedCrow Creek Slim Sam Rx
26 mi from the trail midpoint · 2,100 acres
- PrescribedBonanza Ridge Rx
29 mi from the trail midpoint · 550 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
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Belt Mountain Divide Trail?
The Forest Service records 11.1 miles under this name in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, the sum of 3 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Belt Mountain Divide Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes are allowed. 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 Belt Mountain Divide Trail start?
The line begins at 46.4989° N, 111.2603° W and ends at 46.6039° N, 111.3347° W. 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 Belt Mountain Divide Trail 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 Belt Mountain Divide Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the Belt Mountain Divide Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as 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 Belt Mountain Divide Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Belt Mountain Divide Trail?
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Forest Service unit 0115. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Belt Mountain Divide Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Kelly Gulch Rx at 23 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named Belt Mountain Divide in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0115. 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.