Hunters Gulch
Hunters Gulch Trail is a 8.1 miles trail in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3 to 4, developed to highly developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, atv and e-bikes. It enters Gates of the Mountains 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 end | 46.7115, -111.6120 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.7502, -111.5562 · 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 | 8.1 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed; 4, highly 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 | 239, 255 |
| 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.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 06/01 to 11/30 (month/day) |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 12/02 to 10/14 (month/day) |
| ATV | Allowed 12/02 to 10/14 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | Allowed 12/02 to 10/14 (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
- Gates of the Mountains Wilderness WildernessFS · about 13% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
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
No season published | 0 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. 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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedBear Gulch Rx
26 mi from the trail midpoint · 220 acres
- PrescribedJohnny Bonanza Rx
35 mi from the trail midpoint · 42 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Hunters Gulch Trail?
8.1 miles, the sum of the 3 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Hunters Gulch Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, atv and e-bikes. 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 Hunters Gulch Trail start?
The line begins at 46.7115, -111.6120 and ends at 46.7502, -111.5562. The nearest recorded trailhead is Hunters Gulch Trailhead, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Hunters Gulch Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Gates of the Mountains Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Hunters Gulch Trail?
Bar Gulch Cabin (1.1 mi) and Vigilante Campground (4.2 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Hunters Gulch Trail?
Trail class 3 to 4, which the Forest Service describes as developed to 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 Hunters Gulch Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Hunters Gulch Trail?
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Forest Service unit 0115. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Hunters Gulch Trail?
2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Bear Gulch Rx at 26 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named HUNTERS GULCH 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.