Kootenai National Forest · Montana · Trail 1036

Pillick Ridge

Pillick Ridge Trail is a 10.8 miles trail in Kootenai National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Kootenai 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 end48.1068, -115.7982 · Directions ↗
Other end48.0948, -115.9263 · 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 6 segments.

The trail

Length10.8 miles
Trail class3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Special management areaIRA - INVENTORIED ROADLESS AREA
Trail numbers1036
ForestKootenai National Forest (unit 0114)
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.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day)
Horse and pack stockAllowed 06/01 to 10/31 (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

No season published · listed none
No motorized or mechanized vehicles.  Properly possess and store all food, refuse, and other attractants pursuant to Kootenai National Forest Food Storage Order (CFR 261.58 (cc)). Please practice Pack-in-Pack-out and Leave-No-Trace ethics.
0 mi

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

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.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Pillick Ridge Trail?

10.8 miles, the sum of the 6 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Kootenai National Forest.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Pillick Ridge 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 Pillick Ridge Trail start?

The line begins at 48.1068, -115.7982 and ends at 48.0948, -115.9263. The nearest recorded trailhead is #1036 Pilick Ridge Trailhead, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Pillick Ridge 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 Pillick Ridge Trail?

Bull River Guard Station (0.8 mi), Big Eddy Campground (1.9 mi) and Bull River Pavilion (2.8 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Pillick Ridge 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 Pillick Ridge Trail?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Pillick Ridge 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 Pillick Ridge Trail?

Kootenai National Forest, Forest Service unit 0114. The trail is in Montana.

Source: Kootenai National Forest official page

Source

This page is built from 6 segments named PILLICK RIDGE in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0114. 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.