Elbow Creek
Elbow Creek Trail is a 5.6-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 and mountain biking.
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 | 48.2024° N, 113.1868° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 48.1912° N, 113.1050° 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 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 5.6 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 145 |
| 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 05/01 to 11/30 (month/day) |
| Mountain biking | 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.
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
- PrescribedHh Betty Baptiste Hand Piles Rx
26 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedArrowleaf Rx
32 mi from the trail midpoint · 50 acres
- PrescribedGnp Apgar Hand Piles Rx
45 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.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Elbow Creek Trail?
The Forest Service records 5.6 miles under this name in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Elbow Creek Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. 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 Elbow Creek Trail start?
The line begins at 48.2024° N, 113.1868° W and ends at 48.1912° N, 113.1050° 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 Elbow Creek 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 Elbow Creek 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 Elbow Creek 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 Elbow Creek Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Elbow Creek Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Elbow Creek Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Elbow Creek Trail?
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Forest Service unit 0115. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Elbow Creek Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Hh Betty Baptiste Hand Piles Rx at 26 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named Elbow Creek 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.