Inspiration Divide
Inspiration Divide Trail is a 6.5-mile trail in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2 to 4, moderately developed to highly developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV and e-bikes. It enters Lee Metcalf Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge 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 | 45.1255° N, 111.3768° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 45.1665° N, 111.4005° 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 15 segments.
The trail
| Length | 6.5 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed; 4, highly developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 8 |
| Forest | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (unit 0102) |
| 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 year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 06/16 to 12/01 (month/day) |
| ATV | Allowed 06/16 to 12/01 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | Allowed 06/16 to 12/01 (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
- Lee Metcalf WildernessFS · about 32% 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
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. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
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
- PrescribedFy26 West Zone Piles Unit 22N 999C 999D Rx
33 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 Inspiration Divide Trail?
The Forest Service records 6.5 miles under this name in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the sum of 15 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Inspiration Divide Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV and e-bikes are allowed. 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 Inspiration Divide Trail start?
The line begins at 45.1255° N, 111.3768° W and ends at 45.1665° N, 111.4005° 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 Inspiration Divide Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Lee Metcalf Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Lee Metcalf Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Inspiration Divide 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 Inspiration Divide Trail?
Trail class 2 to 4, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 Inspiration Divide Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Inspiration Divide Trail?
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Forest Service unit 0102. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Inspiration Divide Trail?
The interagency feed shows 1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Fy26 West Zone Piles Unit 22N 999C 999D Rx at 33 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 15 segments named Inspiration Divide in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0102. 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.