Montana · Trail 211

Indian Creek

Indian Creek Trail is a 4.8-mile trail in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Bob Marshall 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 end47.5841° N, 113.0657° W · Directions ↗
Other end47.5781° N, 113.1278° 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

Length4.8 miles
Trail class3, 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 numbers211
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.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Indian Creek Trail20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.67 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.92 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.82 inches of precipitationApril: 1.63 inches of precipitationMay: 2.93 inches of precipitationJune: 3.13 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.14 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.33 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.31 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.12 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.78 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.77 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 24.0°F averageFebruary: 24.1°F averageMarch: 30.5°F averageApril: 37.6°F averageMay: 45.9°F averageJune: 53.3°F averageJuly: 61.6°F averageAugust: 60.4°F averageSeptember: 51.9°F averageOctober: 41.2°F averageNovember: 31.2°F averageDecember: 23.9°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Gibson Dam, 16 miles from the trail midpoint at 4,590 feet, station USC00243489 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year. The station sits about 1,500 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

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.

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

  • Prescribed
    Arrowleaf Rx

    30 mi from the trail midpoint · 50 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx D6 Seeley Creek Ski Trails

    32 mi from the trail midpoint · 10 acres

  • Prescribed
    Sl Beaver Plie Rx

    32 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Rx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 38

    33 mi from the trail midpoint · 40 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Guidebooks for Bob Marshall Wilderness and Montana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking Montana's Bob Marshall Wilderness
    Erik Molvar, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • 100 Classic Hikes: Montana
    Douglas Lorain, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Day Hiking Glacier National Park and Western Montana
    Aaron Theisen, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Indian Creek Trail?

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

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Indian Creek Trail?

Hiking and horse and pack stock 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 Indian Creek Trail start?

The line begins at 47.5841° N, 113.0657° W and ends at 47.5781° N, 113.1278° 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 Indian Creek Trail in a wilderness area?

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

Source: Bob Marshall Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Indian 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.

Source: Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

How developed is the Indian 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 Indian Creek Trail?

The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Indian Creek 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 Indian Creek Trail?

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

Source: Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

Is there a fire near the Indian Creek Trail?

The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Arrowleaf Rx at 30 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 1 segment named Indian 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.