North Fork Red Shale
North Fork Red Shale Trail is a 6.7-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 end | 47.7801° N, 112.9546° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 47.7917° N, 113.0547° 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
| Length | 6.7 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 130 |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 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
- Bob Marshall WildernessFS · the whole 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.
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
- PrescribedArrowleaf Rx
18 mi from the trail midpoint · 50 acres
- PrescribedHh Betty Baptiste Hand Piles Rx
38 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedSl Beaver Plie Rx
44 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedRx D6 Seeley Creek Ski Trails
47 mi from the trail midpoint · 10 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
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the North Fork Red Shale Trail?
The Forest Service records 6.7 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 North Fork Red Shale 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 North Fork Red Shale Trail start?
The line begins at 47.7801° N, 112.9546° W and ends at 47.7917° N, 113.0547° 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 North Fork Red Shale 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 North Fork Red Shale 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 North Fork Red Shale 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 North Fork Red Shale Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Fork Red Shale Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Fork Red Shale Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the North Fork Red Shale Trail?
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Forest Service unit 0115. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the North Fork Red Shale 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 18 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named North Fork Red Shale 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.