Elk Mountain
Elk Mountain Trail is a 6.9-mile trail in Kootenai National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking and snowmobile.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Kootenai 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 | 48.4916° N, 114.9082° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 48.4560° N, 114.9145° 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 5 segments.
The trail
| Length | 6.9 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Special management area | IRA - Inventoried Roadless Area |
| Trail numbers | 107, 861 |
| Forest | Kootenai National Forest (unit 0114) |
| 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 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Snowmobile | Allowed 12/01 to 04/30 (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
#861 Elk Mountain Trailhead No season published Mountain Biking: Not recommended due to brush and tread conditions. Stock use: Not recommended due to brush and tread conditions. Properly possess and store all food, refuse, and other attractants pursuant to Kootenai National Forest Food Storage Order (CFR 261.58 (cc)). Please practice Pack-in-Pack-out and Leave-No-Trace ethics. | under 0.1 mi |
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.
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
- PrescribedTl Blessed Be Landing Piles Rx
9 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedTl Tiny Timber Landing Piles Rx
11 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedStw New Acquisition Rx
18 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedGnp Apgar Hand Piles Rx
42 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
Historic places nearby
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Elk Mountain Trail?
The Forest Service records 6.9 miles under this name in Kootenai National Forest, the sum of 5 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Elk Mountain Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking and snowmobile 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 Elk Mountain Trail start?
The line begins at 48.4916° N, 114.9082° W and ends at 48.4560° N, 114.9145° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is #861 Elk Mountain Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Elk Mountain 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 Elk Mountain 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 Elk Mountain 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 Elk Mountain Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Elk Mountain Trail?
Kootenai National Forest, Forest Service unit 0114. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Elk Mountain Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Tl Blessed Be Landing Piles Rx at 9 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 5 segments named Elk Mountain in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0114. 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.