Madison Cream Divide
Madison Cream Divide Trail is a 7.9-mile trail in Custer Gallatin National Forest, Montana and Idaho. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV and e-bikes.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Custer Gallatin 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 | 44.6576° N, 111.2364° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 44.5924° N, 111.2185° 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 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 7.9 miles |
| Trail class | 4, highly developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 484 |
| Forest | Custer Gallatin National Forest (unit 0111) |
| States | Montana, Idaho |
| 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 06/16 to 12/01 (month/day) |
| 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.
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.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Montana
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Madison Cream Divide Trail?
The Forest Service records 7.9 miles under this name in Custer Gallatin National Forest, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Madison Cream 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 Madison Cream Divide Trail start?
The line begins at 44.6576° N, 111.2364° W and ends at 44.5924° N, 111.2185° 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 Madison Cream Divide 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 Madison Cream 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 Madison Cream Divide Trail?
Trail class 4, which the Forest Service describes as highly developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Madison Cream Divide Trail?
Custer Gallatin National Forest, Forest Service unit 0111. The trail is in Montana and Idaho.
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named Madison Cream Divide in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0111. 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.