Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest · Montana · Trail 216

Half Moon

Half Moon Trail is a 4.8 miles trail in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Scapegoat Wilderness.

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 end47.3559, -112.7768 · Directions ↗
Other end47.3142, -112.8217 · 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

Length4.8 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers216
ForestHelena-Lewis and Clark National Forest (unit 0115)
StatesMontana
Detail publishedmanagement 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

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed 05/01 to 11/30 (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.

Wilderness

Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.

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.

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.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Half Moon Trail?

4.8 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Half Moon Trail?

hiking and horse and pack stock. 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 Half Moon Trail start?

The line begins at 47.3559, -112.7768 and ends at 47.3142, -112.8217. 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 Half Moon Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Scapegoat Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Scapegoat Wilderness Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Half Moon Trail?

Double Falls Campground (4.4 mi) and Wood Lake Campground (5 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Half Moon Trail?

Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 Half Moon Trail?

The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Half Moon Trail accessible?

No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Half Moon Trail?

Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Forest Service unit 0115. The trail is in Montana.

Source: Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

Source

This page is built from 1 segment named HALF MOON 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 September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.