North Wall
North Wall Trail is a 12.5 miles trail in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately 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 | 47.7917, -113.0547 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 47.9037, -113.0923 · 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 | 12.5 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately 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 | 174 |
| 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 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 Wilderness 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.
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
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.
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
- WildfireSilvertip
11 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,280 acres · 99% contained
- PrescribedSb Silver Mule Rx
22 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedSb Horse Ridge Rx
24 mi from the trail midpoint
- WildfireCamp Creek
30 mi from the trail midpoint · 9,725 acres · 99% contained
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 North Wall Trail?
12.5 miles, the sum of the 2 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 North Wall Trail?
hiking and horse and pack stock. 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 Wall Trail start?
The line begins at 47.7917, -113.0547 and ends at 47.9037, -113.0923. 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 Wall Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Bob Marshall Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the North Wall Trail?
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.
How developed is the North Wall Trail?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 Wall Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Wall 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 Wall 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 Wall Trail?
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Forest Service unit 0115. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the North Wall Trail?
4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Silvertip at 11 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named NORTH WALL 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.