Desert Mtn. SM
Desert Mtn. SM Trail is an 8.7-mile snow trail in Flathead National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly 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 | 48.3852° N, 114.0070° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 48.4311° N, 113.9670° 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
| Length | 8.7 miles |
| Trail class | 4, highly developed |
| Type | snow trail |
| Surface | snow |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | over 120 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | SNO-99661 |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| 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.
Trails nearby
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
- PrescribedGnp Apgar Hand Piles Rx
9 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedHh Betty Baptiste Hand Piles Rx
23 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedStw New Acquisition Rx
27 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedTl Tiny Timber Landing Piles Rx
33 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Park units nearby
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 Desert Mtn. SM Trail?
The Forest Service records 8.7 miles under this name in Flathead National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Desert Mtn. SM Trail?
Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Desert Mtn. SM Trail start?
The line begins at 48.3852° N, 114.0070° W and ends at 48.4311° N, 113.9670° 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 Desert Mtn. SM 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 Desert Mtn. SM Trail?
Emery Bay Campground (3.3 mi), Lost Johnny Point Campground (4.7 mi) and Lost Johnny Campground (5 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 3 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Desert Mtn. SM Trail?
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 Desert Mtn. SM Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is over 120 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Desert Mtn. SM Trail?
Flathead National Forest, Forest Service unit 0110. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Desert Mtn. SM Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Gnp Apgar Hand Piles Rx at 9 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Desert Mtn. SM 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.